Role, Significance and Impact of Multi-Agency Working in Childcare Essay

Role, Significance and Impact of Multi-Agency Working in Childcare - Essay Example In work with disabled children, families experience better relationships with services along with improved level of access to them and improved quality of life with reduced stress (Sloper, cited in Improving outcomes for children 2007). This is also true in the aspect of healthcare. In projects targeting mental health of children, there has been a reduction in the proportion of children with clinically significant problems, with children showing better involvement with school (Kurtz & James, cited in Improving outcomes for children 2007). Multi-agency working involves patient counselling, taking a great deal of time and care in dealing with children as well as parents when necessary. The counsellors are facilitators of information who helps sensitive sharing of information in a very respectful manner without violating confidentiality (McGinnis 2008, p.128). Collaborative working and information sharing among the different services is a key factor in enhancing children's welfare. Frequent and personal contacts of practitioners from different agencies with each other help resolve issues of concern (Cleaver et al. 2008, p.105). Collaborative working of services helps recognise the different needs of a child and the relationships between the different aspects of a child's life. Information sharing helps in early identification of children's additional needs to help them reach their potential. Identifying with parents and sharing information with them play a key role in understanding children and enhancing their well-bein g. Videotapes of children both at play and at work, at home and in school, can be exchanged which help to keep parents up-to-date on the children's progress as well as help staff to understand certain behaviour of children which they would have found difficult to comprehend. Information sharing also helps the staff in having an insight into the children's cultural background. This can help in the children's development in the cognitive and socio-behavioural aspects (Whalley & Dennison 2001, p.137). It is the goal of the Government that by 2010 all schools will provide access to a core offer of extended services including childcare, study support activities, parenting support and specialised support services with wider community access to information and communication technology, sports and arts facilities, and adult learning (Extended schools 2009). Extended support can bring about a significant improvement in children by identifying their individual problems, which they face outside of school and are intractable, and tackle them effectively, thus enabling teachers to give more attention to teaching. These services can also support parents through information sessions and parenting programmes, thus ensuring better parental involvement in the children's activities. Positive impact in preventative work Multi-agency involvement in preventative work has brought about positive results in children including improved behaviour, better relationships, enhanced education and increased well-being. The results of the On Track programme effectively demonstrate these effects. On Track is a research-based preventative programme for crime reduction, which through multi-agency partnerships

Discussion Board Assignment Essay Example for Free

Discussion Board Assignment Essay In biology a species is a group of animals that is able to mate and produce healthy offspring. According to the biology online dictionary, population is a group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time. This discussion is based on the Nile crocodile which is found in Africa. Its species is biologically known as Crocodylas niloticus. It can grow to length of seven metres, and although it mainly feeds on larger mammals including human beings it can also feed on fish. If we take the year 2000 as our time zero then we might see a great change in the size of the body of the Nile crocodile in coming years. The trait that will most likely change in this species is the size of teeth. As at now, the Nile crocodile has got big teeth which are used to crush the large prey it catches. This means that the main source of food will be fish. Since most of fishes available are small in size then it means that the big teeth will be of no use. The crocodiles which are big in the size of their bodies are going to die since the food available will be less and only efficient for the ones which are small in size. As time goes by and due to unavailability of enough food, you will find that small sized crocodiles will have a higher chance of survival as a result of natural selection. Due to environmental changes and human encroachment, in future wild animals (prey) will be fewer. Human beings are increasingly destroying the wild animals’ habitats in Africa, thereby, reducing the population of the wild animals which are the main crocodiles’ prey. It is also worth to note that, environmental changes like global warming which is causing severe droughts in Africa is affecting the populations of the wild animals (crocodiles’ main prey). REFERENCE Biology online, retrieved on 31st, October, 2008, available at http://www. biology-online. org/dictionary/Population Species of crocodilians, retrieved on 31st, October, 2008, available at http://science. jrank. org/pages/1867/Crocodiles-Species-crocodilians. html

The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay

The Doctrine Of God Theology Religion Essay Many people find the study of the principals of Christianity to be interesting and even intriguing. For some, however, the interest goes well beyond idle curiosity. For this group of truth seekers, a hunger for knowledge and truth drives them to dedicate years of their lives to the pursuit of deeper and meaningful insight into what it all means. They dive into their studies: reading, analyzing, listening, discussing, and debating the issues surrounding creation, divinity, and human relationships with nature, one another, and deity. Though their paths may be diverse, they share the universal hope that their efforts are fruitful; that they are able to tell the story of Jesus Christ, the history of the Christian church, and share the message of a loving Creator in a way that will have a positive impact on humanity and be pleasing to God. This is where my colleagues and I find ourselves today. We are charged with explaining what we have read, heard, learned, and understand, and the magni ficent task of doing so with clarity and authority. The greatest challenge of sharing this message of hope, that is both exciting and challenging, is to be able to teach it (and live it) in a way that is not hypocritical or exclusive. While some are passionate and some are curious about the gospel message, there is still an entirely different group of people who are affected by it: those who are ignorant of Christian teachings and those who have negative feelings toward them. It is perhaps the majority of society, whom we should be reaching out to. Those people who are living outside of religion and spirituality are doing so because someone failed to share the message of God with them, or because someone failed to share it effectively. I believe there is more danger in being ineffective in sharing the message than in not sharing it at all. I grew up a pseudo-Southern Baptist. I say pseudo because my familys attendance at church was very inconsistent. We were faithful to attend church at least once a month, maybe twice in some months. I was never involved in youth activities, vacation bible school, or bible study groups. I did not have a close group of friends within the church. My experience with pew sitting included hellfire and brimstone sermons delivered by preachers who were well-versed in salvation founded in fear rather than faith. It is easy to imagine that, for me, church was not a place where I felt peace or grace. I eventually stopped attending church altogether during my teens. I had not felt any affirmation or nurture during my church experiences, so for a long time, all I felt I was missing was the guilt and fear I associated with church membership. I stayed away for about fifteen years before I felt God calling me to a relationship. Shortly after meeting Christi, who would soon become my wife, we visited the United Methodist Church with our daughters. It was then that I became deeply involved in a bible study for the first time in my life, and so much of the gospel message from my hit-and-miss church attendance finally began to make sense. We began to participate in several church activities with our children, volunteering in youth events, Sunday School activities, mission projects, and small group bible studies. It wasnt long before I was drafted into the church praise band, leading worship on Wednesday nights and at the early service on Sunday mornings. I had known for a while that I had a desire to serve more fully, but it was through a very unexpected event at church that I was rapidly introduced to full-time ministry. Stepping out on faith, I was hired as the youth minister and soon became a licensed local pastor. This served my purpose temporarily, but it did not provide fully for the kind of education I felt was necessary to preach and teach in pastoral ministry. The more tha t I learned during this time of rapid growth and awakening, the more I hungered for even more knowledge. My understanding of Christianity and church membership has since changed drastically from the narrow-minded perspective I had maintained throughout my childhood and well into adulthood. My perspective has shifted and my understanding continues to evolve. There are things which had no importance to me at all, that have become priorities. I have grown passionate about social justice and have gained a true appreciation for programs that promote the wellness and interests of women, children and others who are oppressed or marginalized. I have felt a calling to be a voice of support for women in ministry; to support their ministries and ensure that they are fully enabled to accomplish all of the good that they can, particularly in areas of ministry that they can be far more effective than a man could be. I feel strongly about the importance of encouraging inclusiveness in the church. I believe that it is important for all Gods people to have a place to participate in corporate worship. Church membership should not exclude members of the gay and lesbian community, as we all are in desperate need of feeling ever closer to God. There are several mainstream congregations within our communities that would not welcome gay or lesbian individuals into their churches. It is often openly and overtly preached against such blatant sinners becoming church members. I believe that none of our own sins can fairly or accurately be judged. Inclusiveness must be an overriding theme in all areas of the mission field. We are called to go make disciples and since we are all sinners, we would be hard-pressed to make disciples among those who are perfect. Our worship space and our church families should be places that are welcoming and inclusive, rather than rejecting and exclusive. If we are to model ourselves after Jesus, the Christ, we must remember that our savior ate with sinners. In those examples of love and forgiveness, Christ showed us the perfect model. If we are to be like Him, we must remember all those on the fringes; not just those who are victimized, but also those who are marginalized of their own poor choices. I believe that Jesus is my example and I am to model myself after Him. This is my calling. Prolegomena- The central theme of the Bible is God calling us, Gods people, back into a relationship with God. If we believe this, then we can only accomplish this restored relationship by ensuring that all of Gods people have not only the chance, but the understanding of what that relationship means. But, for many, the Bible is a strange writing. It is filled with stories and situations and language that are not easily understood. In fact, for many, it is like a foreign language. In addition, as I have come to experience in the world of theological education, there are so many terms that are indecipherable to the common person. We take our knowledge of the Bible and continue to turn it into terms that are still not user friendly. I believe that as theologians and faithful followers of Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to humanity to give our best efforts to share Gods message with others. We are called by God and by the scripture in Matthew to go out and spread the gospel in order that all people may have the Bible accessible to them and to bring the message of scripture interpreted to them in a language that they might understand. When I use the phrase for the fringes, I am referring to those who are outside the church. For whatever reason, they do not have any affiliation with a church- possibly from a bad experience, never having been exposed, or disbelief. I believe that this is partially what we are being told in the passage from Matthew 25, the least of these. These children of God may be in the far corners of the earth, or in our back yards. They may be from the poorest of society, or they may be in the wealthiest ten percent. They may be pre-teen children, or they may be in the eve of their lives. In any case, I feel as though it is the responsibility of those who know the truth of scripture, the Christian community, to educate in common terms. More specifically, I believe that it is my responsibility, as a response to Gods amazing grace, to make it a priority to share Jesus with everyone that I can, in a language that everyone can understand. Dr. Rieger referenced our God as a fairly radical God.  [1]  This God of creation and liberation is the radical God that can appeal to the masses of those who are believed to be on the fringes, those just outside the church. Some believe that God is only available to those who gather in community and in relationships found within the fellowship and experiences of like-minded persons. We characterize those outside established congregations with terms like unchurched, or underchurched, or lost. The fact that they are not incorporated into an organized body of believers does not make them wrong. Too often the Christian community carries within itself, perhaps even in its doctrines, the belief that God can only be found inside the church. There are some who may even believe that they are the only ones who do church right. As theologians, we are faced with the challenge of presenting good God-talk, rather than bad. Unfortunately, many people experience theology as nothing more than anothers unlearned opinion or agenda, which could be limiting, damaging, or complete destruction. It is the responsibility of every person to seek knowledge and to share that knowledge. The Doctrine of God- Theology begins and ends with God. In an effort to firm our theological stance, we seek resources to support what we have learned and understand of God. The Bible and other historical documents are not written to provide proof of God, but to show what God has done, what God is doing, and what God is yet to do. They are, in fact, a documentation of Gods existence throughout history. Of these resources, there is no place better to start than with the Bible. In Genesis, we see that God created the heavens and the earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. and God swept over the face of the waters.  [2]  We see evidence of Gods existence at the beginning of time. However, Gods existence in the lives of the individuals is measured not by the accounts of others, but in the relationships and experiences of the individuals. The book of Deuteronomy, chapter 26 carries a hidden creed showing that the God of mercy and love delivered the writer from captivity and bondage. We cried to the Lordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egyptà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.with a terrifying display of power.  [3]  Throughout the text, a merciful image of God is evident as God helped liberate a people from their captors. The Word shows that while being a God of great mercy and faithfulness, and love, that there is the existence of a God who can be terrifying. Both characteristics are contained within the same account. But, the testimony would not carry the same effect had it not been in a relational setting. The oppression and captivity were very real and very personal to the writer; also the action of God was also very personal. It is through these kinds of stories that the God of our Christian faith can be better understood. God has been presented to us with many attributes. These include Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, loving and forgiving, to name a few. Perhaps the best defining words for God would be self-existent. The fact that Gods existence does not rely on anything but God is somewhat overwhelming. The challenge is not only to gain a personal understanding of who and what God is, but to be able to effectively articulate God to others. This is the mystery of God. God can be described as everywhere, yet among us. God is said to be the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.  [4]  These terms provoke questions within those who do not have a relationship with God. God has been said to be all things to all people. It is through these examples that we begin to gain an understanding of the enormity of God. God is immeasurable through our human understanding. We cannot possibly have a complete understanding of God. To simply say that God is Chri st leaves God somewhat boxed and therefore not the true God. Origen said that God is incomprehensible, transcending being itself. God is known only by inference from the created order.  [5]  We see the presence and existence of God through the world around us. God is seen in the actions of neighbors and strangers. The God of creation is seen through the beauty of nature and in the faces of our fellow humans. God said in Genesis 1:26, let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.  [6]  It is clearly seen that God is intentional in Gods communion with humankind. Biblically speaking, the image of God can be seen in each and every person. John Wesley referenced in his Sermon 111, the scripture found in Jeremiah 23:24, Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth?  [7]  Both John Wesley and biblical scholars agree that we see through this scripture that God is both immanent and transcendent. God exists entirely in this world and beyond. But the way that God is go ing to be seen in each persons perspective is going to depend on where this person is in his or her life. God will meet us where we are at. The circumstances that surround a persons life will shadow how God is viewed. A person who is suffering from loss, or poverty, or oppression might view God as uncaring, or distant. Whereas a person who is experiencing success- either socially, financially, spiritually, and relationally, may see God as very involved in their lives. It is those times where it is easier to see and acknowledge the existence of God. It is much harder to give God credit when times are hard. But the bridge to a better understanding of God is putting the two together and showing where God is present throughout. Trying to completely describe God would be failure. We cannot accurately speak of Gods greatness. Too many facets would be left out, and that would illustrate a God who fell short of the God that we have in our midst. Explaining the Trinity is equally difficult. As theologians, we are to be able to put into words that the three- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one. In our limited ability to understand, we seek to make sense not only to ourselves, but others. The Trinity may be likened to a full chord on a guitar. Each note, or string, has equal responsibility and equal worth. Each has its own tone and depth. But when all the notes are played simultaneously, the chord makes a complete and beautiful sound- a harmony, a relationship. This is how the Trinity works. As previously discussed, God the Father, Creator is with us always, from the beginning of time. As Christians, we understand that each point of the Trinity is equal to the other two. There is no subordination. If subordination were the case, the idea of the Trinity would be pointless. A wonderful example of the Trinity in modern writing would be illustrated in the book The Shack. The main character has suff ered loss and brokenness and experiences all three facets while dealing with his circumstances. Though based on a fictional account, the lesson of each point of the Trinity, being in harmony with each other rings true. Each point of the Trinity was able to help the character in a different way. Understanding God and the Trinity has and will be a continuous journey. As we move and study and live, the presence and knowledge of God will move within. Our understanding will change daily, as will our maturity in explaining. By helping others to identify God in their own personal experiences and relationships, we have a greater chance of helping them to understand scripture and the greatness of God. The Doctrine of Jesus Christ- Jesus Christ the Son, born of a virgin, is both fully divine and fully human. Jesus came and lived among sinners and died for our sins. This is the general idea of what Jesus Christ is to the world. But, there is so much more to the idea of the Son of God. The Christian faith says that the most significant way in which it has been able to see God present within the world is through the life, work, and legacy of Jesus Christ. It is claimed that Jesus Christ is the physical embodiment of God in the world. Jesus himself is not all there is to God, but He is God as God has chosen to physically manifest Godself in the midst of Gods creation. The historical Jesus is the Jesus of today, acting in history. In Mark 8:29, Jesus asks, Who do you say that I am?  [8]  It seems that the world has been trying to answer the question since it was asked. The problem is that many different people have many differing answers. Or is that a problem. For some, He is simply a man who lived over two thou sand years ago. To others, He was a prophet, much like Elijah. To some He was a politician, or a public figure that was well known and killed for His views. And yet to many of us, He was a man, who lived over two thousand years ago, who was able to tell us things that were of another dimension, who was political and stood for a cause greater than we could humanly imagine. And then, just as He said, He would be betrayed by a close friend, arrested for upsetting the higher political figures, and murdered- all the while, changing the course of history and the future of the world. Jesus only had a short ministry, but the magnitude of things done in that time would shape a faith that give millions hope and peace all over the world. He began by assembling a group of men who were not in the upper crust of society. He never promised wealth or position, something that the average person might aspire to achieve, but instead offered life, unlike they had ever experienced before. These young men would have been the blue collar workers of our times. They understood what it was like to work long hours for very little pay. Most of them were barely educated. But Jesus saw something in them and He chose them to help Him carry the message- His message. Much of the time, they did not understand the words or actions of this man. He spoke unlike anyone had ever spoken. He used parables to teach them how to live and how to love. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, ate with sinners, and basically drew outside all the lines of societ al normalcy. Jesus spoke of a kingdom not of this world where we would go to be with the Father. Jesus spoke about loving their neighbor and forgiving them of their wrongdoings. He challenged them to carry His teachings to the world. And this message was for the multitudes of people who believed, and followed. We are the disciples of Christ who are called to take this message now. The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit- In the Old Testament, we see the Spirit connected with deep experiences, through which its power might overcome an individual, it may rest upon an individual, or might be poured out over many people.  [9]  In the New Testament, this spirit is identified with Jesus Christ and is the bringer of justice, mercy, and the complete knowledge of God to the Jews and Gentiles alike. The idea that the spirit will be poured on the many- ie, Male and female, old and young, slave or free, as well as people of other nations, languages and cultures was radical considering the context of the time. The Spirit was granting knowledge to the outcasts. Not only were the wealthy and privileged receiving it, but so were the common folks.  [10]  We are told in scripture, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.  [11]  In fact, considerable time and study has been spent in exploration of this topic. The subject of spiritual warfare comes to mind. There are spirits that work daily in our lives. Theses spirits are not for the good of us, rather the opposite. The Holy Spirit is that presence that is carried within us every minute of the day. It is often the guidance that we seek when making a difficult decision. This Holy Spirit lives in contrast to the negative spirits. It is the spirit of both our God and Creator, as well as the spirit of Jesus Christ the Son. And this Holy Spirit will not act always the same way. Our individual needs and context will cause the spirit to respond in Its necessary capacity. Wisdom scripture say that the spirit has filled the world and holds all things together.  [12]  It is through our personal experiences that we see the Holy Spirit at work. It is often masked as the nudging to participate or to not participate in any given activity. It is the feeling or calling of reaching out to those who are in need. We see the holy Spirit at work in the actions of others who show grace and compassion when their situations would not ordinarily warrant it. The Holy Spirit is the third element of the trinity, and is God and Jesus both active within our everyday lives. The Bible is a collection of all that God has said and done, as seen and recorded through the words of persons who were inspired to write by the Holy Spirit. It is a good example of how the Spirit works and speaks in their time and situation. The image of the spirit, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is that of wind or breath.  [13]  In the Book of John, Jesus promises the spirit as encourager to come after He is returned to God. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦he abides in you and he will be in you.  [14]  The Holy Spirit is God living in us. And the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  [15]  The work of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, just like in the lives of the Old Testament and New Testament people, helps to offer guidance even in our darkest hours. The battle that goes on within- should I or shouldnt I? is the direct activity of the Spirit, working against the evil and sin in our lives. It may be very complex and often difficult to explain, but the fact is that the Holy Spirit is simply our God, the Creator of all things, living inside, present at all times. The Doctrines of Creation and Providence- The doctrine of creation tells us that God is the source and the Creator of all things. God is the Creator of the universe as well as individual human existence. All life comes from God and all life returns to God. We are told in Genesis 1 that God created and saw that everything was good. We have no doubt that God was pleased with creation.  [16]  Creation, however, is not simply a process that was. Creation is a continuous, ongoing process in which God is actively involved- a relationship between God and the world. Throughout Biblical history, we have seen the hand of God at work, primarily in the acts of creation. For example, this is evident in the story of the flood, through the imagery of the olive leaf returned to the hand of Noah by the dove. We saw God establish the covenant afterwards, the creation of Israel, and then the creation of a new community of faith through Jesus Christ. These are just a few examples of the love that God has continued to show for Gods creation. We have to be able to share that creation did not create itself. It is the gift of a God who is love, and through this gift, we are shown the magnificence of God. But why did God create the earth and everything in it? Some have pondered that God was lonely, so God created. We believe that God is complete in Godself. We have already established that God is self-existent and ultimately that Gods existence does not rely on anything but God. with that in mind, it does not make sense, even to or limited understanding of this all-loving God, that God would become lonely and subsequently create. Karl Barth believed that God was radically separate from this world. Barth said that the One who loves in freedom was acting out of no external necessity but freely creating simply because love seeks to share its goodness.  [17]  This loving God that we worship, and often fear, is seeking to share Gods greatness. Through creation, God begins the relationship with humanity, not out of need, but out of love. John Calvin said, Gods providence is not that by which God idly observes from heaven what takes place on earth, but that by which, as keeper of the keys, he governs all events.  [18]  According to Wood, in the Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology, we are not to believe that we are tied to our situations simply because God has willed it that way. This God who sends pain has also sent the means to alleviate it. The God who sends flood and fire has given is the intelligence to prevent it from happening, or to minimize its harmful effects.  [19]  Providence is Gods divine guidance and care. God the Creator is continues as the sustaining force for creation and the guiding force for human destiny. But why would a loving God allow evil into the world. Placher points out that often, we just dont have answers, but we might look at a few possible reasons. Sometimes good is not possible without evil, humanity abuses its freedom and the result is evil, evil helps refine our souls to be what God would have us to be, or simply that God allows some limited evil to act in the world.  [20]  It is only through Gods grace that humanity experiences free will. Sometimes, our choices through this free will cause us to be in harms way. Gods allowance of evil helps humanity to become the people God would desire us to be. Plainly speaking, we learn from our mistakes and through trials, we turn our hearts toward God. In the end, our relationship to God is strengthened, as is our witness to others. The Doctrine of the Human Creature- The problem with the issue of human being is that we all believe that we have a complete understanding of human being. And because we already know about the human being, we tend to work from that assumption. Our human condition, or human creature, or human existence is based upon our relationship with God. When we have a relationship with and we follow Jesus Christ, we become more fully human.  [21]  We are told that the human creature is not just individual, but collective, as well.  [22]  Our humanness comes with both possibilities and limitations. There is something in the individual, and in that individuals desire for personal success that is adverse to the human creature. We are qualified by the claim that what distinguishes them as specifically human is that God creates them in the image of God.  [23]  The one who is created in the image of God seeks to form and sustain loving and caring relationships with God and other human beings. When the humans desire to achiev e personal success overlaps the desires of another, conflict is created. Often in conflict, healthy relationships are not nurtured. This conflict is called sin. The Doctrine of the Church- The church is the people of God.  [24]  Though there are many divisions, facets, communities, denominations, the church stands as the people, the body of Jesus Christ, who founded the church and charged us with the task to go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  [25]  God will speak where God will and the community will form around where God is. The role of the church is to re-present Christ to the world.  [26]  In a recent lecture, Dr. Rieger alludes to a personal struggle that was similar to the struggle of Luther, Wesley, Barth, and Bonhoffer. That struggle was not about the people not believing, but that the people were being taught wrongly and therefore believed wrongly. Rieger offers that rather than idealizing the church, we begin to analyze the church. To do this, we must look at the four marks of the church to function as a framework for our analysis. First, we look at the unity of the church- One holy, catholic, universal church. But we are not one church. We have both social threats to church unity, as well as theological threats. One threat is segregation. We are primarily segregated. Racially, church is referred to as the most segregated hour in America- from 11am to 12 on Sunday morning.  [27]  Class stratification is not easily overcome, especially in America. If we are really interested in the unity of the church, we have to address the issues that divide us. We are also divided by our differing doctrines. As a United Methodist now and formerly a Baptist for 35 years, I appreciated the joke about a Methodist being a Baptist that can read. There is humor intended in the statement but the sad truth is that Baptists, United Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, and Pentecostals have been divided in their beliefs for ages. In addition to these differences, we also create divisions with the Jewish people. W e believe that the new covenant of Jesus Christ has somehow nullified the covenant of God with Israel in the Old Testament. Instead, we need to look to our similarities, oppose anti

American History :: essays research papers fc

â€Å"The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.† — Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference into public affairs. Freedom of expression consists of the rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, and the implied rights of association and belief. The Court has interpreted the First Amendment to apply to the entire federal government even though it’s only supposed to be applied to the Congress. The First Amendment was written because at America's beginning, citizens ordered to have a guarantee of their basic freedoms. Without the First Amendment, religious minorities could be persecuted, the government might well establish a national religion, protesters could be silenced, the press could not criticize government, and citizens couldn’t assemble for social change. Most people believe in the right to free speech, but debate whether it should cover flag-burning, hard-core rap and heavy-metal lyrics, tobacco advertising, hate speech, pornography, nude dancing, solicitation and various forms of symbolic speech; though many would agree to limiting some forms of free expression. A Phrase that is often used to describe expression that is combined with elements of conduct is â€Å"Symbolic Expression†. The Supreme Court has dealt with a series of cases and has made it clear that symbolic expression or expressive conduct may be protected by the First Amendment. There have been a plethora of cases on this issue and they have been extremely controversial. One remarkable one was Texas vs. Johnson in 1984 during a Republican National Convention; it was about a man who expressed his displeasure with the United States by burning an American Flag. This action of his took Gregory Johnson to court and the court came to a conclusion that burning the flag was â€Å"speech† and again determined that Johnson was only trying to send out a message through his perspective by the burning the flag.

Analysis of “Regret” by Kate Chopin

When It Is too Late â€Å"European and American women in the nineteenth century lived in an age characterized by gender inequality† (Bomarito and Hunter, pars. 1). Women's role in a society was limited to be wives and mothers. But as time went on, things began to change. Women started to have the right of higher education and working (Bomarito and Hunter, pars. 5). They became more independent in their lives without the need of men to support. But the question is that was this change good for women or not? The American author Kate Chopin gave an example of those independent women in her short story â€Å"Regret†.In the story, a woman called Mamzelle Aurelie lived alone in her farm. She has never got married and never had children. But one day the silence in Aurelie's life was broken as she carried the burden of looking after her neighbor's four children for two weeks. One might ask how could she manage to take care of these children since she never had one? In the story Chopin describes the difficulties Aurelie faced and how she finally managed to deal with the children, also how she felt after the children left her alone.In â€Å"Regret†, Chopin uses this description to explore the change in Mamzelle Aurelie's character before and after the arrival of the children and her regret at the past. At the beginning of the story, Chopin describes Mamzelle Aurelie in masculine terms. She was unmarried and never thought of getting married. She was a middle-aged woman with a rugged appearance. â€Å"She wore a man's hat about the farm, and an old blue army overcoat when it was cold, and sometimes topboots† (Chopin 1). She was strong and capable in her every day life.She had a â€Å"determined eye† (Chopin 1), and she lived quite alone except for her dog Panto. She even ran her own farm and supervised her workers. That shows how independent and hardened woman she was. All this description appeared in Aurelie's character before the arriva l of her neighbor's children. After the arrival of the children, Aurelie became aware of the missing part of her character which is womanhood. Those children had arose this suppressed character in Aurelie. At the beginning she did not know how to deal with these children.She treated them as if they were another variety of her farm animal. But soon she realized that â€Å"little children are not little pigs† (Chopin 2). Taking care of the children required the awaken of feminine and maternal aspects in Aurelie's nature that were dormant. Therefore she brought out her â€Å"white aprons† (Chopin 2) and â€Å"got down her sewing-basket†(Chopin 2) to mend the children's clothes. She washed their feet before bed. Told them stories, and even let the youngest sleep with her. At the end of the story, the children had to go back home and leave Mamezlle Aurelie alone again.After they had awaken her maternal instinct, they left her in a great sadness and regret. â€Å"The red sunset and the blue-gray twilight had together flung a purple mist across the fields and road that hid it from her view† (Chopin 3). She realized that the void left by the children could not be filled by her own at the age of fifty. She felt regret for banning herself from a great happiness; she might have done this because she wanted her independence or because she did not find a true love.Now after discovering all these things, â€Å"she let her head fall down upon her bended arm, and began to cry† (Chopin 3). In the short story â€Å"Regret†, the change in Mamzelle Aurelie's character caused her sadness and regret. In her past life, she hid some good aspects of her character  beyond her  appearance. She seemed to be strong and appeared in man's style. But when the children had entered her life, soft sides in her character appeared. At that period , she starts doing things she had never done before.She took care of the children, and spent most of her t ime with them as if she were their mother. In those two weeks, her kind heart and  maternity  instincts revealed. And when the children left her, she realized how much time of her life she had wasted without being a mother and  banning herself from this kind of happiness. Works Cited Primary Chopin, Kate. â€Å"Regret†. New York: The Century Company, 1895. Secondary Bomarito, Jessica, and Jeffrey W. Hunter, ed. â€Å"Women in the 19th Century – Introduction†. Feminism in Literature. Vol. 2. Gale Cengage, 2005. eNotes. com.

Social psychology seems to have many origins; critically discuss the historical and philosophical roots of modern social psychology The WritePass Journal

Social psychology seems to have many origins; critically discuss the historical and philosophical roots of modern social psychology Introduction Social psychology seems to have many origins; critically discuss the historical and philosophical roots of modern social psychology IntroductionConclusionRelated Introduction There are many explanations for the origins of modern social psychology. It is therefore important to consider that social psychology cannot be traced back to one single source of origin (Burr, 2003). Hence, this is the reason why there are debates of what social psychology is. Allport (1985) described social psychology as â€Å"the study of people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours which are influenced by the actual, imagines, or implied presence of others†. As seen from this definition there is a direct link between social science and the individual psychology (Sewel, 1989). Social psychology cannot be seen as a linear phenomenon. This is because social psychology has derived from combination of influences. The development of social psychology can be discussed in two different ways. Firstly, social psychology is argued to be found upon political movements and social philosophies in the United Stated of America (US). Secondary, it can be argued that social psychology developed due to the response of social and political needs. 3. There have been debates regarding whether social psychology should be dealt as a natural science or not. The ideology of natural science is very important as it affects the way the social psychologist deal with situations. For example, if there are specific scientific objectives then the study is laboratory based and uses experimental procedures in order to gain knowledge. Psychologists who use this positivistic method are classified as experimental social psychologists. On the other hand, critical-social psychology has competed with experimental-social psychologists. The strength of the critical-social psychologists is that they use a range of different methods in research, and are not limited to scientific knowledge. This includes both qualitative and quantitative methods. Overall, critical social psychologists are described as having a critical ideology in order to uncover meanings of social phenomena (Gough McFadden, 2001). Both critical and experimental social psychology for m the modern social psychology due to their important historical context. Experimental-social psychology is argued to be derived from the American tradition, and critical-social psychology has been argued to be derived from the European tradition. Although this has formed two distinct approaches in the use of methodology in psychology, there are still on-going debates over psychology as a science or not. 4. An important contribution that has made a great impact on the modern social psychology was from William McDougall. McDougall proposed for an evolutionary psychology, which was influenced by Darwin’s theory. Especially with the dominant fields of sociology and anthropology, McDougall was able to link science, sociology and psychology (McDougall, 1919). However, McDougall’s research in social evolution was also interpreted as radical due to the racism involved in behaviour gene inheritance. This shows that even though McDougall’s work has been a start point to the origins of social psychology, it has also led to misconcepts especially in the Western society. Another person who contributed to the origins of social psychology was William James which developed the theory of ‘stream of consciousness’. The strength of the ‘stream of consciousness’ was that it was not only using the introspect technique. The reason why James made an influence in social psychology is due to the step taken from introspection, in order to understand the human’s behaviour by their emotions and thoughts. 5. Although both McDougall and James made a great contribution to social psychology, especially in the context of theories and research, their interpretations are different. This difference is due to the discussion of human nature of free will. Overall, McDougall can be described as the origin of the European tradition of social psychology. This is because he believed an individual lacks free will due to the social and cultural forces. Whereas James can be described as the origins of the American tradition of social psychology. This is because James explained that individuals are conscious of their own decisions. Furthermore, James is an influencing figure in the philosophical movement of Pragmatism. Pragmatism approached ideologies and propositions with practical ideas, e.g. experimental validity. 9. The emergence of experimental social psychology is very different to critical social psychology. Rogers (2004) clarified the first social psychology experiments to be Triplett’s study on dynamogenic influence. In basic terms Triplett’s noticed that children performed better when in competition with others. Triplett’s study can now interpreted as social influence. However, Hogg Vaughan (1998) argues that Triplett’s study cannot be explained as the first social psychology study because it was recognised later on when the study was reformed. Nevertheless, Triplett’s study established the use of experimental methodology in his investigation. 6. Volkerpsychologie was a movement in Germany in the late nineteenth century. The Volkerpsycholgie disciple tried to explain the reasons behind social groupings as collective dimension (Rogers, 2003). The social groups in Germany where mainly dominant of specific German nationalist character. From these German characters it was proposed that language and culture had a role in individual perception and thinking. This led to Wundt’s proposition of using experimental psychology in order to investigate language and culture. Hence, Wundt is described as the ‘founder of experimental psychology’ (Burr, 2004). As an experimental psychologist Wundt believed psychology was a natural science, which is the reason why Wundt used introspection technique to interpret the consciousness, inner-thoughts, desires and sensations of individuals (English, 1921). However he did not ignore the philosophy of psychology, particularly with the rise of crowd-psychology. The history of crowd psychology links to the French Revolution in 1789-1799.   Crowd psychology can be described as a collectivist approach, in which the term ‘social’ is critical to our understanding, largely due to group influence and culture. 7. Between the periods of French revolution a lot of philosophical thinkers, including Comte and Durkheim, became interested on how the society and individuals influence each other. With the vast amount of literature emerging in France on social ideas the French-social theory began to develop. The French-social theory introduced Positivism, as of Comte. The doctrine of positivism allowed philosophy and science to be separated in order for science to become distinguished. However, the positivistic approach also was a major factor in the separation of American and European social psychology (Farr, 1996). This is why Comte can be perceived as the founder of social psychology (ALLPORT 1954). Comte’s work was influenced but also debated by Durkheim (Poggi, 2000W). Durkheim’s addition to French-social theory was the method of comparative, which is devised of observation (Randall, 1975W). The study of social representation became very famous in the French revolution period, pa rticularly Durkheim’s research that showed collective representation within a society (Farr, 1996). One of the major influences that this had on the modern social psychology is from Moscovici study. Moscovici noted Durkheim as his influence for his study in social representation (Farr, 1996). Social representation theory brought a new development to the social psychology, which is now described as critical social psychology. 8. With the French revolution the philosophical era of Enlightenment emerged. Enlightenment era brought civilisation to individuals, away from the religious authority of the church (Burr, 2004). This allowed individual’s to search for truth of reality, by means of reasoning. The ‘search for truth’ allowed individuals to explore social phenomena. For example; the ideology of Marx on social class and labour, Piaget’s reasoning of child development. Within the period of Enlightenment two different theoretical concepts arose; Modernism and Postmodernism. The assumption of science as the foundation to knowledge is constructed by modernism. The principles of modernism are described as; democracy, liberal individualism, liberal humanism, and science (Roger, 2003). The science established by modernism, brought a progress from the knowledge gained from the religious beliefs to the knowledge gained from scientific methods. However, postmodernism argues that knowledge is not discovered but rather constructed. Postmodernism also argue that there is multiple variety of knowledge, which the individual constructs by means of reasoning. The individuals construct their knowledge’s due to situation factors including culture and society in different locations. For example, the psychological illness of depression cannot always be diagnosed with the same scientific tests in different cultures. The principle of the postmodernisms has had a key impact on critical social psychology. Even though modernism and postmodernism are opposite terms, critically speaking both have established a European tradition of collectivistic approach. 9. The emergence of experimental social psychology is very different to critical social psychology. Rogers (2004) clarified the first social psychology experiments to be Triplett’s study on dynamogenic influence. In basic terms Triplett’s noticed that children performed better when in competition with others. Triplett’s study can now interpreted as social influence. However, Hogg Vaughan (1998) argues that Triplett’s study cannot be explained as the first social psychology study because it was recognised later on when the study was reformed. Nevertheless, Triplett’s study established the use of experimental methodology in his investigation. 2. One of the most significant event is social psychology is the World War 2 (WWII). Post war issues of social warfare arouse, which had an influence on social science applications. This event of WWII made the start of social psychology in the US in 20th century (Cartwright, 1979). This is mainly due the large amount of research conducted to investigate the reasons behind the Nazis attack on the Jews in WWII. Some psychologist including Lewin immigrated Germany to the US in order to conduct research on the areas of organisations and groups. He is now generally described as the ‘founder of social psychology’. Another researcher who also immigrated to the US was Moscovici who presented revolutionary findings in social representation in the field of minority influence. However, the main aim of social psychology research in the US was on government regulations of propaganda. Throughout this period the American tradition of social psychology started to emerge. The American tr adition was an individualistic one which emphasises on individual importance, e.g. the society is made up of individual 1, individual 2, individual 3, ect. Conclusion Overall the American tradition can be interpreted as the historical roots of social psychology. Whereas the European tradition can be interpreted as the philosophical roots of social psychology. The American root of social psychology now has a great impact on social cognitive approach. Social cognition includes attribution, stereotypes, autism, (Striano Reid, 2008). The European roots of social psychology have led to social constructionism and social representation. The modern social psychology is now constructed with the American and European doctrines. However, due to the political events and developing researches in social psychology, the disciple has only been able to contain within America (Cartwright, 1979). On the other hand, Gergen (1973) argued that social psychology cannot be interpreted as a science because social psychology is historically and culturally specific, which is the reason why the discipline is continuously changing. Critically speaking, there is an advantage of different approaches to social psychology, as it views dilemmas in different perspectives.

Bank of America Investment Potential

Bank of America Investment Potential Introduction In this report, the Bank of America Corporation (BAC) share price is analysed in the context of the current economic situation and the companys performance. The latter is described through the analysis of the companys financial statements and is compared to the performance of the primary BAC competitors.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Bank of America Investment Potential specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In terms of the industry, BAC is in an extremely strong position; still, the current performance of the company is worse than would be expected. The beta of BAC demonstrates that its share price is relatively stable, and significant changes are not to be expected in the near future. At the same time, given the air of uncertainty that is characteristic of the current economic situation, both the drop and the increase can occur, which is why â€Å"hold† proposition appears to be the most reasonable option. Economy: General Overview Global Economy The importance of the economic context for the investment decision development has been highlighted, for example, by Damodaran (2006), Bodie, Kane and Marcus (2011), Bloom (2014), or Lofthouse (2001) as a part of fundamental analysis. Indeed, the changes on the micro- and macroeconomic levels tend to affect the performance of most companies. Consequently, determining the specifics of current global and domestic economic situation may be helpful for an investment decision. According to the Bank of America Corporation [BAC] (2015a), throughout 2014, the economic growth of the major markets appeared to be modest and uncertain, with Japanese market contracting, Greek problem destabilising the eurozone, and Russia suffering from the sanctions and oil prices drop (BAC 2015a, p. 20). The United Nations [UN] (2015) confirms that the global economic expansion rate has been 2.6% in 2014, which is lower than the precrisis level (p. 5). The mone tary policy adjustments that are being made, for example, in Japan and China, can increase instability (UN 2015). The pre-crisis international trade rates are still not achieved, and even though they are projected to proceed with the â€Å"sluggish growth†, risks the geopolitical conflicts undermine this possibility (UN 2015, p. 6). Indeed, the situation in the market can be determined by non-economic factors as well, particularly those that can be classified as â€Å"bad news† (Bloom 2014, pp. 161). UN (2015) confirms that the political conflicts of the recent months contribute to the restriction of the global economic growth. The actions of ISIS and the recent terrorist attacks are among these conflicts. Indeed, apart from the direct damage to the property, such outbursts can significantly harm tourism and create a decline in consumption as people grow wary of visiting downtowns. Apart from that, these events almost definitely result in increased security expenses an d can potentially damage international trade if national borders become less open (Buttonwood Column 2015; Laird 2015).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More All these problems are the direct effect of terrorism on the economy and are expected to be relatively short-lived (Buttonwood Column 2015) Apart from that, the growing anxiety (if not panic) contributes to the general feeling of uncertainty and insecurity, which also tends to reduce the investment activity (Laird 2015; Bloom 2014). Therefore, the current global economic situation will be significantly affected by this sense of insecurity. Another global economic problem is the oil prices decrease. The increase in the US oil production, which has led to the decline in oil prices, might be considered a plus from the political point of view as it reduces the oil-trading possibilities of ISIS (Chafuen 2015). Apart fro m that, the reduction is obviously beneficial for the customers, but, in other respects, lower oil prices damage the global economy. This damage is primarily caused by the difficulties experienced by the oil industry that include, for example, the reduction of employment in the sector as well as the decrease in wages (Kawa 2015). The UN (2015) forecasts are uncertain: while the possibility of further economic growth is pointed out in the report on the world economic prospects, it is also highlighted that there exist â€Å"significant downside risks for the developed countries, especially European ones and Japan (p. 5). In general, it can be concluded, that the global economy is currently in a state of uncertainty, and many challenges need to be taken into account. US Economy According to BAC (2015), throughout 2014, the US economy was still recovering from the Great Recession, but the significant figures were showing some improvement. Those include the GDP growth that has reached 2 .3%, the decrease in the unemployment rate (5.6%), and the growth of consumption (BAC 2015a, p. 20). In the third quarter of 2015, the GDP of the US increased by 2.1% and the personal disposable income grew by 0.4 %; the US net investment position, however, proceeds to be characterised by liabilities exceeding assets (US Bureau of Economic Analysis 2015). The UN (2015) encourages the Federal Reserve to adjust the interest rates that are indeed expected to be increased; the outcomes of this decision are still unclear (Eavis Picker 2015; Kaletsky 2015). Other significant features of the US economy, as Chafuen (2015) points out, include the increase in the US debt and the disputes over the healthcare policy of the President. The latter has a significant impact on the economy of the country including the reduction of productivity and the increase in the full-time employment cost.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Bank of America Investment Potential specificall y for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Still, in general, the economic situation in the US appears to be more stable and positive-looking than that of the world, even though the aftermaths of the crisis are still noticeable. At the same time, it should be pointed out that the UN (2015) is cautious about making predictions before the interest rates increase. Therefore, it can be concluded that the economic situation in the US is also somewhat vague, especially in the light of the global economic uncertainty. Bank of America Corporation BAC: Overview Founded in 1874, BAC is an international company that offers products and services in the following segments: â€Å"consumer and business banking, consumer real estate services, global wealth and investment management, global banking, and global markets† (BAC 2015a, p. 16; Bloomberg Business 2015). As of 2014, BAC serves about 80% of the US population as it operates in 50 states; apart from that, the compan y is operating internationally in 35 countries; the total number of the company’s customers amounts to 48 million consumers and 4,800 baking centres (BAC 2015a, p. 20). The primary competitors of BAC are the JPMorgan Chase Co, Wells Fargo Company, and Citigroup Inc. Currently, BAC outperforms the latter in the terms of most ratios and parameters, including the market cap, quarterly revenue growth, net income, and price-to-earning ratio. Concerning the latter ratio as well as quarterly revenue growth, BAC also outperforms JPMorgan Chase Co (12.85 as compared to 11.35), but in relation to other parameters, BAC is performing less successfully than the two other organizations (Yahoo Finance 2015a). According to Forbes (2015a), BAC ranks #11 in assets and #37 in market value among the world’s biggest public companies. It is also among Forbes (2015a) Most Valuable Brands list ranked #72. To compare, Wells Fargo is ranked 10 in the list of the biggest public companies (For bes 2015b). These facts show that BAC competes with the strongest players in the market and is being successful. Still, as can be seen from the company’s financial statements, BAC has been underperforming recently. Since the crisis, the profitability ratios of the company have been decreasing, which is natural. At the same time, the data per common share and efficiency ratios have been growing: for example, the return on equity increased from 0.96 in 2011 to 7.13 in 2013 (BAC 2015, pp. 25). In 2013, all the mentioned ratios increased, but in 2014, performance worsened again.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Still, in the terms of efficiency, the 2014 ratios outperform those of the years before 2013 (for example, the return on equity in 2014 equals 2.92). At the same time, it should be mentioned that the long-term debt of BAC has decreased by 3% and total liabilities have decreased 4.5%. According to BAC (2015) this is the result of the company’s intent to decrease its long-term debts and short-term borrowings (p. 25). Investment-relevant conclusions from the data are presented in the following sections. BAC: SWOT SWOT analysis is concerned with determining the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The first two factors describe the company’s inner state while the second part is concerned with the outer influence (Lofthouse 2001, pp. 126-127). The SWOT analysis has been extremely popular as a strategic planning tool due to its advantages: the analysis, which is easy to perform, allows one to have a look at the company’s state and define the areas that require attention along with areas that can provide the necessary options and resources. At the same time, the analysis has been criticised for its disadvantages that include excessive simplicity, vagueness, generalization, and subjectivity of the factors choice (Helms Nixon 2010, pp. 234-235). However, it should be pointed out that all these disadvantages are the innate qualities of SWOT; in other words, the tool is not meant to provide the detailed scheme of a company’s position. The SWOT overview can provide the information about the companys position and future possibilities, which is necessary for this report. The subjectivity of the analysis, however, stays a significant limitation to the analysis. The strengths of BAC are numerous: they include its size, which presupposes a sufficient amount of resources; its age and the consequent experience; its reputation and brand that attract customers. It should be separately pointed out that the brand of the com pany is very likely to attract American customers. Another advantage is the Merrill Lynch, once acquired by BAC, that is now considered to be #1 investment research team (Gasparino 2008; BAC 2015a). The efficiency ratios for the company are quite high; they also suggest that BAC management is quite competent. For the point of view of weaknesses, it should be mentioned that the performance of the company has been deteriorating. This factor is a symptom rather than the weakness itself, but it can signify the weaknesses that would be visible to an insider. Given the facts that the BAC financial report provides numerous reasons for the performance deterioration, both internal and external, this report will consider the performance itself as a weakness that needs to be eliminated. Another potential weakness is the companys reliance on the US market. Still, since BAC has already been expanding into other countries, it can be concluded that the said reliance is not too significant. At the same time, it is obvious that the Bank of America is most popular in the US, and not in other states. The most obvious opportunities of BAC include expansion, primarily, the expansion into other countries and the development of the already penetrated ones to decrease the company’s reliance on the US market. Apart from that, BAC is known for fast expansion through acquisitions and has been successfully carrying out this line of action (Gasparino 2008). The major threats to the BAC, naturally, include the consequences of the crisis and the competition. The latter has been described, and it is obvious, that BAC is performing well, even though the competition is capable of reducing its chances for improved performance. As for the crisis, while the economy of the US is recovering, the problems are still reflected in the consequences that include reduced consumption or lower investment activity (Bloom 2014). These threats need to be managed appropriately, and a giant company like B AC has all the resources to do so. BAC: Share Price Analysis BAC share price is currently $17.43, with the market cap amounting to $181.49 billion (Yahoo Finance 2015a). The share price has been growing, albeit unsteadily, since its rather significant post-crisis fall; the close price in 2014 was $17.89, which is lower than the highest price of 2010, but higher than its close price (BAC 2015a). With the help of historical share prices for the past three years and those of NYSE Composite, the beta of BAC share was estimated to range between 0.52 and 0.82 (Bank of America Corporation 2015b; Yahoo Finance 2015b). It is optimal to compare the beta of a company to a benchmark for the industry (Damodaran, 2006). According to Damodaran (2015), this figure ranges from low to normal for the banking sector in the US (that is 0.81). Lower-beta stocks are less risky; therefore, it can be concluded that BAC is relatively stable, especially when compared to the industry (Bodie, Kane Marcus 2011, p. 577; Damodaran, 2006). This factor may suggest that extreme growth of the price is not to be expected, but it could be regarded as a particularly positive one in the context of the current economic situation. Indeed, in the situation of uncertainty, caused both by economic and political upheavals, people are likely to seek stability. In this respect, BAC has all the advantages needed: it is a long-existing bank with high reputation and a brand name that is bound to attract American customers at the very least. Therefore, if the current uncertainty existing in the market is going to affect the prices of BAC shares in any way, the way is most likely to be positive. The lowering profitability of the company is a much less appealing factor. It is alleviated by the fact that the liabilities of BAC are being reduced purposefully, and that the efficiency ratios are growing in comparison to the previous years (with the exception of the year 2013). The income decrease can be explained by the aftershocks of the recession as well as the new political and economic shocks. As BAC (2015a) determines it, the numerous reasons for the deteriorating performance include increased expenses (in particular, concerning market-related premium amortization) and decreased consumer loan balances. In general, the performance of the year 2013 allows one to suggest that BAC is capable of recovering after the recession; the reputation, experience, and brand name of the company all contribute to this impression. It should be pointed out that the company is performing well in terms of the industry, competing with the world’s largest banks and outperforming some of the competitors in a number of parameters. Therefore, it can be concluded, that the shares of the company would not be expected to drop significantly as a result of deteriorating performance, and the performance is not unlikely to improve in the future. Given the strength of the company’s position, its share price is unlikely to decrease dramatically despite all the mentioned challenges. At the same time, and the next year is more likely to demonstrate how the company is coping with the new difficulties caused by the slow growth of the economy and political upheavals. In this report, it is concluded that the BAC share price has all the chances of increasing or decreasing by a relatively small amount in the next year depending on the way it will respond to the new global economic challenges; therefore, the proposition for it would be to hold. Conclusion The current economic situation is rather unfavourable than favourable, and the challenges that it poses have to be met appropriately. An old, reputed, large international company like BAC is perfectly capable of managing the upcoming threats. The performance of the company has been somewhat deficient, which, however, is the tendency of the world economy nowadays, and, in the terms of the industry, BAC is among the most successful banks. The new year, however, can be characterised by the high uncertainty and anxiety caused by economic and (mostly) politic upheavals. Therefore, as a result of the global uncertainty, the proposal suggested in the report is to hold. Reference List Bank of America Corporation 2015a, 2014 Annual Report, http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/71/71595/AR2014.pdf. Bank of America Corporation 2015b, Historical Price Lookup, http://investor.bankofamerica.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=71595p=irol-stocklookup. Bloom, N 2014, Fluctuations in Uncertainty, Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 153-176. Bloomberg Business 2015, Bank of America Corp, bloomberg.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot_article.asp?ticker=BAC. Bodie, Z, Kane, A Marcus, A 2011, Investments, 10th ed, McGraw Hill, Boston, MA. Chafuen, A 2015, The U.S. Economy in 2015: Challenges and Opportunities, Forbes, 1 January, forbes.com/sites/alejandrochafuen/2015/01/01/the-u-s-economy-in-2015-challenges-and-opportunities/. D amodaran, A 2006, Security Analysis for Investment and Cash Finance, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J. Damodaran, A 2015, Betas by Sector (US), http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New_Home_Page/datafile/Betas.html. Eavis, P Picker, L 2015, As Investors Shun Debt, Banks Are Left Holding the Bag, The New York Times, 19 November, nytimes.com/2015/11/20/business/dealbook/as-investors-shun-debt-banks-are-left-holding-the-bag.html?ref=topics. Forbes 2015a, Bank of America, forbes.com/companies/bank-of-america/. Forbes 2015b, Wells Fargo, forbes.com/companies/wells-fargo/. Gasparino, C 2008, Bank of America to Buy Merrill Lynch for $50 Billion, CNBC, 14 September, cnbc.com/id/26708319. Helms, M Nixon, J 2010, Exploring SWOT analysis – where are we now?’ Journal of Strategy and Management, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 215-251. Kaletsky, A 2015, What a US interest rate rise really means for the dollar, The Guardian, 17 November, theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/17/what-a-us-interest-rate-rise-rea lly-means-for-the-dollar. Kawa, L 2015, Four Ways the Oil Price Crash Is Hurting the Global Economy, Bloomberg Business, 8 October, bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-07/four-ways-the-oil-price-crash-is-hurting-the-global-economy. Laird, L 2015, The Paris Attacks and the Economic Impact of Terrorism, Forbes, 16 November, forbes.com/sites/laurielaird/2015/11/16/the-paris-attacks-and-the-economic-impact-of-terrorism/. Lofthouse, S 2001, Investment management, 2nd edn, Wiley, Chichester, West Sussex, UK. United Nations 2015, World Economic Situation and Prospects 2015, un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wesp/wesp_archive/2015wesp_full_en.pdf. US Bureau of Economic Analysis 2015, U.S. Economy at a Glance: Perspective from the BEA Accounts, bea.gov/newsreleases/glance.htmp. Yahoo Finance 2015a, Bank of America Corporation, http://finance.yahoo.com/q/p?s=BAC+Press+Releases. Yahoo Finance 2015b, NYSE Composite, http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=%5ENYA.

Aristotle believes that man has a function in life Research Paper Example

Aristotle believes that man has a function in life Research Paper Example Aristotle believes that man has a function in life Paper Aristotle believes that man has a function in life Paper if the function of man is an activity of the soul in accordance with, or implying, a rational principle; and if we hold that the function an individual and of a good individual of the same kind e. g. f a harpist and of a good harpist and so on generally is generically the same, the latters distinctive excellence being attached to the name of the function (because the function of the harpist is to play the harp, but that of the good harpist is to play it well); and if we assume that the function of man is a kind of life, namely, an activity or series of actions of the soul, implying a rational principle; and if the function of a good man is to perform these well and rightly; and if every function is performed well when performed in accordance with its proper excellence: if this is all so, the conclusion is that the good for man is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, or if there are more kinds of virtue than one, in accordance with the best and most perfect kind. Essentially, what Aristotle means by this is that the overall human function is the souls activity together with reason. The activity of rational thought is what makes us human since no other living thing has the ability of reasoning. It is the ability to reason that all humans possess, but not all human beings function according to it (some are ignorant whilst others are unable to make logical choices). Also, all human actions taken together make up the good and everything we do throughout our lives contributes to the overall function. If we live well, according to the proper virtues, this will allow us to achieve what Aristotle calls eudaimonia (happiness). It is important that our virtuous actions are driven by the virtues and not just in line with the virtues. For example, a lawyer who argues for a poor man in order to gain a good reputation is not acting from virtue; he is acting in line with virtue. Aristotles argument in basic terms is as follows: a watch has a function and its goodness resides in that function; if man has a function then his goodness lies in performing that function well. For a watch to perform its function it uses the mechanisms within itself to achieve this; each of mans bodily organs have a function and so therefore man must have a function and this function is mans distinguishing feature: rationality. The chief good for man is a life following or implying a rational principle and to use that reason together with certain virtues. A problem with Aristotles belief is his claim that each of a mans bodily organs have a function and so therefore man must have a function. Not everything in the world has a clear function or a determined end. For example, a rose does not have a clear function other than the functions we think of for it (its beauty and its fragrance) but this does not add anything factual to it. In comparison, the function of our eyes give us the ability to perceive the world but this adds nothing factually to simply saying that our eyes causes us to perceive. When we speak about function we give it a normative status to causation but this is subjective to every individual. This works for all teleological ideas and it reflects our own interests. As for teleological arguments, they can only be defended, mainly, by religion and also by anthropomorphic ideas of nature. For example, Thomas Aquinas believed that natural law was not made up by humans but rather an unchanging rule or pattern which is there for human beings to discover. Aquinas says that natural law is so complex that it had to have been designed by a higher power and he stated that the only plausible answer is God. However, using God as the answer to the existence and aim of human beings is a weak argument. Jean-Paul Sartre believes in the concept that existence precedes essence and that the idea that existence precedes essence means that a human being, as well as human reality, exists prior to any concepts of values or morals. A person is born a blank slate and humanity has no universal, fixed values or ethics common to all of mankind. Since no essence or definition exists of what is means to be human, a person must form their own conception of existence by taking control of responsibility for their actions and choices. Therefore, a human being gains their essence through their own choices and actions. It is solely through the process of living that a person defines themselves. He uses the example of a paper knife saying that one cannot suppose that a man would produce a paper knife without knowing what it is for. A paper knife has essence before existence because it is designed for a specific purpose. Human beings do not; they have existence before essence because they are not designed with a specific purpose. Consequently, this challenges the function argument in that human beings do not have a certain end or a definite function; our function in life is made up as we go through life. Another problem with the function argument is presented by the is/ought fallacy. David Hume argued that there is a philosophical problem in believing that because something is the case it ought to be the case; he calls this the is/ought fallacy. For example, slavery exists but the fact that it is a reality does not mean that it ought to be. Abortion is a reality and some would argue that it is right to abort in certain circumstances but that does not mean we ought to. In this case, it may be a fact that humans possess reason but it does not logically follow that we ought to exercise our reason to live a fulfilled life. Professor Richard Norman says: why then from the fact that rational activity is distinctively human should it follow that we ought to live according to reason? An additional problem is, there are many distinctively human things that animals cannot do, why is reason the only characteristic Aristotle focuses upon? For example, we can gamble, give to charity, make art and become intoxicated by drugs but that does not mean that any of these are our functions. On what grounds does Aristotle use that animals cannot use reason? Surely what we call reason is no more than instinctive response but on a conscious level than any action in the animal kingdom. Aristotle could simply argue that these are all examples of humans not using their reason well because a tyrant, terrorist or gambler is using their reason but not in conjunction with their virtues. A good example of this would be the terrorist Osama bin Laden who thought he was doing good for the world where in reality he was creating devastation. In conclusion, although Aristotles belief of mans function in life gives us as human beings something to aim for (eudaimonia) it does not mean that man definitely has a function in life. Just because our organs work in a certain way does not mean our body must work towards something, and if our bodies are indeed working towards something then why must it be towards eudaimonia? As Sartre says, our function could be made up as we go through life. Why must we live life according to reason? Also, why must it just be reason we function upon? It is these questions that pose a problem to Aristotles function argument and therefore make his claim flawed.

Physician Assisted Suicide (Utilitarianism vs. Right-Based Concepts) Essay

Physician Assisted Suicide (Utilitarianism vs. Right-Based Concepts) - Essay Example rights centered arguments is one that has been utilized by both opponents and proponents in support of their respective positions and these will be assessed in the paper. The paper will also assess assisted suicide through the utilitarian theory which elaborates on the ethical justification for a person to perform a right act if it will bear fruit to some good. Hence, in both ethical approaches the issue is controversial as it can be supported by both proponents and opponents of the argument using the same theory making it difficult to determine the appropriate position. This is a dilemma that is frequently associated with moral issues. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to illustrate the ethical arguments held by proponents and opponents of the rights based perspective to physician assisted suicide as well as the arguments presented by those for or against physician assisted suicide using the utilitarian theory. As mentioned above, the utilitarian theory implies that it is acceptable to perform an act that will lead to the greatest good. Hence, in cases of unbearable suffering in diseases that are incurable, physician assisted suicide will result in the greater good of relieving both the family members of the patient and the patient himself from unbearable suffering that will ultimately result in his death (Carr, 2010). Hence, the happiness that is gained through the relief of suffering patients of the patients justifies the lesser action of physician assisted suicide as the patients are already terminal and in the majority of cases death is inevitable. Physician assisted suicide can be in the form of lethal injection of the doctor prescribing the patient medication that would lead to the termination of his or her life. Hence, the summation of this action is that the doctor is minimizing suffering by prescribing lethal medication, and maximizing happiness by relieving the suffering which ma kes this an achievement of a greater good and in coherence with the

Beethoven Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Beethoven - Essay Example Compare. The orchestras are performed in mini-sonata form. This is because the oboe and flute in both played the main melody. There is no playing of countermelody Also the orchestras end with recapitulation where fugue is maintained by all strings. The two recordings start ambitiously with one of the greatest opening movement of any symphony composed to date. The orchestras also dispense the movement with an unhurried section. The total performing time of each recording is approximately 15 to 18 minutes. The Baltimore Chamber Orchestra performance is analyzable as a prolonged symphonic form with some rondo elements. Instead of the tidiest, foursquare assortment of first time, which frequently packs it up at the selected stand and time aside for the next event; Beethoven’s symphony utilizes a thematic group wherein the same material takes on numerous distinct personalities. The development of the recordings, similar to the rest of the pieces, is characterized by remarkable rhyt hmic and harmonic tension owing to dissonant chords, as well as long passages of syncopated tempos. Most amazingly, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra initiates a novel melody in the development part, breaking the classical tradition, which the development section simply works with present materials. The development sections of the recordings lead back into the recapitulation; particularly, the horns seem to come in early with the tonic melody whereas the strings are still playing the leading chord. The Eroica symphony is a funeral hymn in C minor accompanied by a trio in C major. It carries multiple forgets, and its somberness has led to its being utilized in public funerals. The tempos of the two recordings were slightly different with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra is slightly faster than the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The first passage of the Eroica symphony is a series much similar to the second phase of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, in that they utilize a melodic sequence , which unfolds all through the violins and winds. This begets a second and more energetic passage at the closing stages of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. Consider the rhythmic aspect of the melody in the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, the team shifts this into the accompaniment and prolongs it because it interpolates three-quarter rests. The phrasing also appears to change from a beat-two orientation, witnessed through his organization to a beat-one orientation to the eighth note functions as a precursor. The curve of the Eroica symphony is actually similar, even though it is much more disjunct. In both orchestras, the finishing is a set length of variations and fugue on a subject Beethoven had formerly composed for The Creatures of Prometheus – his ballet music. Contrast. Oboe of Vienna Orchestra has a sharp sounding than Baltimore’s which penetrated through staccato. The flute that played the melody in Vienna had a varied volume and its tempo was fast. In Baltimore, the flute had equal volume and its te

Fashion Photography As A Career Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fashion Photography As A Career - Term Paper Example The paper "Fashion Photography As A Career" focuses on the career of Fashion Photographer. This document takes a deeper thought in understanding the virtues which are essential in fashion and design photography as a career. The three main virtues required in a fashion photography career are: patience, moral virtue and intellectual value. Generally, photography is aimed at delivering good materials which have creativity and attractive aspects. However, photographers ought to consider the moral values in their field of profession as photography is a method of passing information to a general public. In this case, fashion photographers ought to consider the drift between moral and immoral in their work. The essence of fashion photography is to capture the emerging trends of fashion and display them in a gallery for people to be enlightened by the growth in fashion and design in relation to technology changes. As technology advances, the mode of dressing changes and many communities in t he world tend to abolish the ancient cultures. Many fashion photographers have used this notion to explain the trends of art with some relating the emerging trends of fashion and design to the Stone Age way of dressing. Fashion has takes different dimensions as time travels and people tend to deviate from morality affiliating moral values to the ancient culture. In this case, patience, positive thinking and tolerance become essential virtues in fashion photography as a career. People often tend to rush in their career.

Title- International Social Work. Question- How does the social Essay

Title- International Social Work. Question- How does the social construction of childhood inform and affect international child protection measures - Essay Example It is on account of these reasons that the international communities and organizations have taken active interest in promoting and protecting the interests and well-being of young children through introduction of effective laws. The UN Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC) is one such international body that seeks protection of children exposed to adversity and has included it as one of their key agendas. The child protection and welfare organizations have, over the years, actively supported and fought for safeguarding young children from intolerable conditions. They argued that a child comes into the world defenceless in the face of an aggressive and violent society and that he is the first to suffer the terrible consequences of famine, war and socioeconomic crisis (qtd. in James, 1997, pp. 191). Hence in order to uphold the moral and ethical values international agencies such as The International Union for Child Welfare, Defence for Children International, UNCRC etc seek the protection of such vulnerable groups in the society. This paper on international social work seeks to understand, assess and explore the role and impact of the concept of ‘social construction of childhood’ in the framin g of international child protection laws. The term social construction refers to the idea / notion that has been created by society. Sociologists argue that childhood is a socially constructed phenomenon since it varies across cultures and does not conform to any form of universal standard or definition. This is mainly because what is considered deviant behaviour in one culture may be considered completely normal and acceptable in another thus implying that the concept of childhood is more of a socially constructed term rather than a natural biological phase. According to Aries (1973) the concept of childhood did not exist in the middle ages (qtd. in Hunt, 2005). It is also argued

The Implementation of climate change and greenhouse emission policy Essay

The Implementation of climate change and greenhouse emission policy - Essay Example South Australia`s population is relatively high, hence the need for more land and this results to the cutting and burning down of trees. It also brought about an increase in the transport sector where nearly 25% of energy resource is consumed. Poor disposal of waste matter from the industries and homesteads has resulted to the production, of carbon dioxide and methane gases produced by decaying waste product. Agriculture is a main economic activity in Australia and it has its side effects such as the production of methane from sheep and nitrous acid from fertilizer, which are harmful to the environment. This climate change sent an alarm to the government to come up with laws, and ways that will reduce the effects of climate change and the greenhouse effect. Spoehr states that, â€Å"In July 2007, the South Australian Parliament passed The Climate Change and Greenhouse Emission reduction Act, 2007†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.targets are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Australia by at least 60 % by the end of 2050† (2009,p.177). By the end of 2014, the amount of renewable energy used and consumed will comprise of twenty percent the total. The Australian Government has come up with ways to curb the climate change, by the introduction of solar rebate. This is a system that provides homesteads with energy from sunlight to provide electricity for homes. The government came up with this incentive, so as to reduce the amount of electricity consumption in South Australia to about 33%. With the introduction of this incentive, a programme called solar hot water rebate was started in February 2010; the government replaced this programme with renewable Energy Bonus Scheme. The reduction of gas emission targets and green jobs: The Australian government aims to encourage people to volunteer in the degradation of gas emissions, and the reduction of gas emission, with a national target put into

Applying Standardized Terminologies in Practice Essay - 3

Applying Standardized Terminologies in Practice - Essay Example f bedside patient care of a boy with tonsillitis to help assess the significance of standardized nursing informatics terminologies and the related NANDA, NIC and NOC (Nolan, 2004). Cavendish (2001) defines standardized nursing Terminologies or language is like a common language among nurses, readily understood by all the nurses, to describe particular patient care (American Nurses Association, 2006a). It provides practicing nurses with a common ways of communication outside the normal communication languages. It is important that nursing practitioners confirm their understanding of such terminologies into their work. The application of standardized nursing terminologies for documentation of home care or nursing care is important both to the direct/bedside care and to the nurse nursing profession (Nolan, 2004). Johnson, Maas & Moorhead (2000) outlines that; tonsillitis is a common bacterial infection among children and adolescents and very less with adults. Because of its common nature, especially during winter and other cold months, there are a plethora of records, data and information about its diagnosis and care especially among children and adolescents. Subsequently, American Nurses Association (2006a) acknowledges that there are standardized terminologies that nurses must master. In addition, the situation also exists Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) and in Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) with certain standardized language (Cavendish, 2001). According to Johnson et al. (2000), NANDA classifies tonsils under the broad category of patients with impaired swallowing and throat infections. NANDA defines this category as conditions with abnormal swallowing function mechanism or associated with deficits in pharyngeal, oral, or esophageal function or structure (Cavendish, 2001). According to NANDA, such infections and impaired function are common with children, particularly in wet or cold months of winter. However, it should never be a surprise if

Title- International Social Work. Question- How does the social Essay

Title- International Social Work. Question- How does the social construction of childhood inform and affect international child protection measures - Essay Example It is on account of these reasons that the international communities and organizations have taken active interest in promoting and protecting the interests and well-being of young children through introduction of effective laws. The UN Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC) is one such international body that seeks protection of children exposed to adversity and has included it as one of their key agendas. The child protection and welfare organizations have, over the years, actively supported and fought for safeguarding young children from intolerable conditions. They argued that a child comes into the world defenceless in the face of an aggressive and violent society and that he is the first to suffer the terrible consequences of famine, war and socioeconomic crisis (qtd. in James, 1997, pp. 191). Hence in order to uphold the moral and ethical values international agencies such as The International Union for Child Welfare, Defence for Children International, UNCRC etc seek the protection of such vulnerable groups in the society. This paper on international social work seeks to understand, assess and explore the role and impact of the concept of ‘social construction of childhood’ in the framin g of international child protection laws. The term social construction refers to the idea / notion that has been created by society. Sociologists argue that childhood is a socially constructed phenomenon since it varies across cultures and does not conform to any form of universal standard or definition. This is mainly because what is considered deviant behaviour in one culture may be considered completely normal and acceptable in another thus implying that the concept of childhood is more of a socially constructed term rather than a natural biological phase. According to Aries (1973) the concept of childhood did not exist in the middle ages (qtd. in Hunt, 2005). It is also argued

Applying Standardized Terminologies in Practice Essay - 3

Applying Standardized Terminologies in Practice - Essay Example f bedside patient care of a boy with tonsillitis to help assess the significance of standardized nursing informatics terminologies and the related NANDA, NIC and NOC (Nolan, 2004). Cavendish (2001) defines standardized nursing Terminologies or language is like a common language among nurses, readily understood by all the nurses, to describe particular patient care (American Nurses Association, 2006a). It provides practicing nurses with a common ways of communication outside the normal communication languages. It is important that nursing practitioners confirm their understanding of such terminologies into their work. The application of standardized nursing terminologies for documentation of home care or nursing care is important both to the direct/bedside care and to the nurse nursing profession (Nolan, 2004). Johnson, Maas & Moorhead (2000) outlines that; tonsillitis is a common bacterial infection among children and adolescents and very less with adults. Because of its common nature, especially during winter and other cold months, there are a plethora of records, data and information about its diagnosis and care especially among children and adolescents. Subsequently, American Nurses Association (2006a) acknowledges that there are standardized terminologies that nurses must master. In addition, the situation also exists Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) and in Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) with certain standardized language (Cavendish, 2001). According to Johnson et al. (2000), NANDA classifies tonsils under the broad category of patients with impaired swallowing and throat infections. NANDA defines this category as conditions with abnormal swallowing function mechanism or associated with deficits in pharyngeal, oral, or esophageal function or structure (Cavendish, 2001). According to NANDA, such infections and impaired function are common with children, particularly in wet or cold months of winter. However, it should never be a surprise if

The initial interest of a career Essay Example for Free

The initial interest of a career Essay My initial interest of a career within Primary Education sparked whilst I was volunteering for a local football team, where I was presented with the opportunity to coach 8/9-year-old children, as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award. I found it particularly rewarding to see a child progress following my guidance and learning environment. From this, I have established that I enjoy the interaction with children and supporting their holistic development on their personal level, I am fascinated with how their minds develop, gaining an understanding into a child’s perceptions of the world. Primary Education has been the course I have been exclusively interested in since the start of High School, mainly due to the opportunities that have been laid ahead at South Bromsgrove. I secured a week’s placement last year, through a local Primary School. I was able to work alongside teachers and support staff in different roles across the school. This was a capturing and challenging experience. Shadowing a Primary School teacher enabled me to be involved in a range of areas such as early years, extra-curricular events and a taste of every subject at Primary level. This developed my confidence when approaching senior teachers and pupils whilst at the school. The most rewarding part was being able to help pupils within lessons with tasks, which is essential in developing the defined core of teaching. Helping a child progress motivates me and this experience reinforced my desire to teach. The concept of playing an active role in helping children develop greatly appeals to me. A key part of the course would place me in an actual schooling environment, broadening my knowledge further and giving me a first-hand impression of the role itself. I am applying to this course because I believe my personal skill set and passion are well molded to the course requirements. My communication, interpersonal skills, and patience will benefit me within this role. I also believe that becoming an excellent teacher requires a desire to assist children in the learning process and this is one quality which I feel I definitely possess and have been commented on. I also emphasize the necessity of enabling children to have fun at school and relish their Primary School days. I believe that my current philosophy is person-orientated, as I obtain good interpersonal skills, promoting positive results from individuals, rather than focusing on a larger task. Primary Education provides children with the building blocks to pursue a personal desire, in later school years and beyond school . At South Bromsgrove, I study BTEC Sport and Business Studies. A current focus in Sport is phases of learning. This particular unit has enabled me to understand the process of thinking. The Cognitive, Associative and Autonomous stages link into how a Primary pupil processes thoughts. In the future, this will provide me with an understanding of how children perceive school, which is a fundamental part of the Primary Education course. Business has enhanced my knowledge on budgeting which is a key part of the role, as each department is allocated a budget. This could benefit me in a teaching role. I also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh programme, having completed both Bronze and Silver I am working towards the Gold Award in 2018. The DofE programme has presented lots of opportunities. Volunteering in a local charity shop to learning new personal skills, such as problem solving and self-management. I have always been a sportsman which has provided me with a core set of skills. Resilience, Social Independence, and Responsibility. These skills are applicable to university and I feel due to my skill set I can work on independent tasks and would thrive in this environment. I also believe that Primary Education requires a great level of responsibility. I personally feel that this skill is above satisfactory and again, I would face no obstruction in pursuing a career in Primary Education.