Irregular warfare / future war Essay

â€Å"The Pentagon’s New Map† is a groundbreaking bestseller of Thomas Barnett, which became one of the most talked-about books of the 2004 year. It combined economic, political, and security factors to provide a fundamental re-examination of war and peace in the post-9/11. Also it’s compelling vision of the future. It consists of preface, 8 chapters and acknowledgements. This writing is devoted to how Mr. Barnett sees the global security landscape and is built on the works of Fukuyama, Huntington and Friedman. In this book author describes recent U. S.strategy and discusses where military forces will likely be heading in the near future. Barnett states: â€Å"I found myself instinctively exploring the seam between war and peace, locating it first in U. S. military crisis responses and then America’s foreign aid, and finally focusing on its leading edge – the spread of the global economy itself† (p. 5). This book examines a new version of national security for the 21st century, makes important suggestions to the Government on actions the America should take, and theorizes what could happen in the next 50 years concerning the global landscape. The author of the book outlines the crucial role the United States needs to play in establishing international stability. Thomas P. M. Barnett, Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating (New York, NY: Berkley Books, 2005). This book is a sequel to Barnett’s â€Å"The Pentagon’s New Map†. The first book dealt with the past and â€Å"Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating† is a futuristic romp through the next 25 years. It consists of preface, 5 chapters, conclusion and afterwards. First chapter preceded by the glossary of key terms. From Chapter 1, â€Å"What the World Needs Now†, â€Å"Blueprint for Action† is an exploration of a three-tiered argument concerning system and individual struggle to understand the seam between war and peace. If the first book was compelling vision of the future, now military analyst Barnett presents his vision of the future. â€Å"Careers will be made and lost, industries will rise and fall, and waging peace will finally prioritized over waging war† (p. 2). He explores both the long- and short-term pathways for governments, institutions, and individuals. Paying particular attention to regions as Iran, Iraq, and the Middle East, China, North Korea he outlines the strategies to pursue, the entities to create, the pitfalls to overcome. His favorite concept is the theory of anti-access. Author states that â€Å"instead of focusing on classified â€Å"black project† to facilitate the Leviathan’s lofty ambitions, the Pentagon conducts secret talks with allies on how they might better shoulder the SysAdmin’s many burdens† (p. 2). The battle space is Leviathan and SysAdmin takes over in transition and peace, also considered â€Å"the areas of everything else†. So â€Å"Blueprint for Action† is something like a road map through a chaotic and uncertain world to â€Å"a future worth creating. † Joseph R. Cerami, Richard A. Chilcoat, and Patrick B. Baetjer, eds. The Future of Transatlantic Security Relations (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). This writing is a compilation of reports and materials from the conference about the future of transatlantic security relations hold on March 8, 2006, Annenberg Presidential Conference Center in College Station in Texas. Materials of the conference was edited by Richard A. (Dick) Chilcoat (Dean, Bush School of Government and Public Service) and Joseph Cerami (Director, Public Service Leadership Program, Bush School of Government and Public Service) as members of the Executive Committee. The book consists of introduction preceded by a foreword and a letter from President, 4 chapters (panels). After the main text go extra materials – list of addresses, remarks, conference papers, biographies and sponsor information. The purpose of the conference was to examine the future of the NATO. Conference panels examined U. S. and European foreign policies and the potential for forging a new consensus on U. S. and European foreign policy and military strategy. Dr. Steinberg stated that â€Å"The difficulty remains that the United States and Europe do not have a sense of a compelling need for cooperation, thus even the smallest differences tend to divide them† (p. 14). It is needed to develop a deeper understanding of key security issues facing the U. S. and Europe at this critical time. James S. Corum, Training Indigenous Forces in Counterinsurgency: A Tale of Two Insurgencies (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). Book by James Corum tales about training indigenous police and military forces for counterinsurgency campaigns. The book consists of introduction preceded by a foreword, summary, biographical sketch of the author. After introduction go case study Cyprus, case study Malaya, conclusion and recommendations. Author states that â€Å"While every insurgency has its unique aspects, there are also circumstances that often are repeated in other insurgencies. This conclusion offers a few general insights to help understand the nature of counterinsurgency operations, as well as some specific recommendations to change U. S. military doctrine and policy for training indigenous police and military forces in counterinsurgency†(p. 34). This monograph aims to help fill the information gap about how indigenous security forces should be trained for counterinsurgency. Corum outlines the level of training which security forces need to conduct effective counterinsurgency operations, defines the role of the police in counterinsurgency, and discovers the role of irregular security organizations. Besides this the author tells about different training programs for producing effective military leaders. Martin Van Crevald, The Transformation of War (New York, NY: The Free Press, 1991). Israeli military historian Van Creveld advances a new understanding of the ends and means of war in his book â€Å"The transformation of war†. There were perhaps 160 armed conflicts around the world since the end of WWII. Those conflicts were not global. Therefore author speaks about low-intensity conflict (LIC) which is the true nature of contemporary war. Its principal characteristics are as follows: â€Å"First, they tend to unfold in ‘less developed’ parts of the world†¦. Second, very rarely do they involve regular armies on both sides, though often it is a question of regulars on one side fighting guerrillas, terrorists, even civilians, including women and children, on the other. Third, most LICs do not rely primarily on the high-technology collective weapons that are the pride and joy of any modern armed force† (p. 42). Israeli historian states that existing of empires made impossible for the ‘subjects’ to take the conflict to the heart of the empire. Van Creveld compares clashes between Hindus and Muslims in 1947-49, Nigerian Civil War from 1966 to 1969, Vietnamese conflict; analyses conflicts which taking place in the Sri Lanka, Iraq, Kurdistan, Sudan, Angola and half a dozen other countries. Book of Van Creveld answer a question what war is today. Thomas A. Dempsey, Counterterrorism in African Failed States: Challenges and Potential Solutions (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). The book of Thomas Dempsey examines three failed states in Sub-Saharan Africa – Somalia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to give an outline of the terrorist groups operating there. â€Å"Counterterrorism in African Failed States† consists of introduction preceded by a foreword, summary, biographical sketch of the author. Then go defining state failure, case study methodology. Dempsey states that criminalization and disintegration of administrative structure of the failed state, collapse of public security forces provide advantageous circumstances for terrorists. The author focuses on the current the characteristics of a network of terroristic organizations and covers up two very different types of cells: terrorist nodes and terrorist hubs. â€Å"Hubs provide centralized direction and communication linkages among nodes that are decentralized and largely, if not entirely, independent of each other† (p. 6). Research reveals presence of both types of cells in those states. To fight with terrorist groups operating from failed states Dempsey suggests new strategy that combines both military and law enforcement efforts, supported by intelligence capabilities and intelligence-led policing. Thomas X. Hammes, The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century (St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2006). Colonel Thomas X. Hammes contends that American military forces are engaging in a fourth generation of warfare, which he labels â€Å"4GW† (Fourth Generation Warfare) throughout â€Å"The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century†. That’s the only kind of war America has ever lost. First generation of war, Hammes sees, was conflicts of Napoleonic era, the second generation was World War I, and the third generation was World War II, focuses on examples of the evolution of 4GW. In the writing are analysed conflicts in Afghanistan, Vietnam and Iraq. And a new, forth, form of warfare â€Å"directly attacks the minds of enemy decision makers to destroy the enemy’s political will† (p. 11). Hammes contends Mao Tse-tung was the first who started a new form of war and Vietnamese general Vo Nguyen Giap have been influenced by Mao. The main author’s concept is that expanding of 4GW encouraged the fact that â€Å"only unconventional warfare works against established powers† (p. 103). The author asserts that current concentration on advanced technology is incorrect because the wars â€Å"are long term struggles that will be won or lost primarily with human skills and knowledge† (p. 14), because high-tech weapons have a little meaning when the enemy has a different concept of conflict. Samuel P. Huntingdon, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of the World Order (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1996). In â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order† Samuel P. Huntington suggests a new view international political theory, contending that in modern world the most important distinctions among peoples are cultural, but not political or ideological. â€Å"While nation states will remain the principal units of analysis in international affairs, their behavior will be shaped most decisively not by the pursuit of power and wealth (as realism suggests), but by cultural preferences, commonalities, and differences† (p. 21). The author argues civilization divides people of the same race, but at the same time people of different races are united by the same civilization. Huntington understands religion as a central uniting characteristic of civilizations. The global dynamic will be one of the civilizational â€Å"fault lines† along which civilizational blocs would engage each other. According to an author view civilizations clash because conflict is naturally prevalent in the international system. Therefore there are two levels of conflict between civilizations: micro-level (conflicts between adjoining states from different civilizations) and at macro-level (conflicts occur between major states of different civilizations). But to achieve cultural cohesion every civilization should develop its values, institutions and culture. Mark D. Mandeles, The Future of War: Organizations as Weapons (Dulles, VA: Potomac Books, Inc. , 2005). Mark D. Mandeles analyses major post-9/11 military events in his book to make consideration about future of warfare. The book consists of seven chapters. Its main theme is influence of organization upon military operations, and Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) plays centrally into it. A qualitative improvement in weapons transforms the character of warfare. Mandeles states that military organizations will have to adapt in fundamental ways to seize the advantages offered by technological superiority, seeking optimum utilization of technology. But the optimum utilization can occur only through optimum organization. Author insists on â€Å"relationship between the difficulties of coordinating large organizations composed of many people and offices having specialized roles, and the challenges of calculation, attention, and memory that face individuals making decisions with inadequate or ambiguous information under short deadlines or stressful situations† (p 3). â€Å"The Future of War† gives information how command and control should be organized in the context of the changing new technology. Jerry Mander and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, eds. Paradigm Wars: Indigenous Peoples Resistance to Globalization (San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books, 2006). â€Å"Paradigm Wars† is an anthology, edited by Jerry Mander and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, which is dedicated to modern international relations. In this book twenty-seven intellectuals tell about globalization and how native peoples resist to it, about economic institutions and the indigenous nations. It records examples of how indigenous communities have used the global economy to create sustainable industry (such as ecotourist programs by communities in Belize and Australia), the role played by American Indians in a safer energy future and how the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund struggle for resources (wood, genetic materials, oil) situated on the native peoples lands. â€Å"Paradigm Wars† details impacts of extractive industries and bioprospecting on the environment, damage done by conservation groups. It gives information about degrading of cultural artifacts and languages and how indigenous communities protect their sovereignties as no community is more directly impacted by globalization than 350 million indigenous peoples. Anthology assures us that indigenous nations continue to resist against the New World order. Michael McClintoc, Instruments of Statecraft: U. S. Guerilla Warfare, Counter-insurgency, and Counter-terrorism, 1940-1990 (New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1992). The book of Michael McClintoc is a study of how the U. S military applied special-warfare doctrine in third world nations. Scope of the book consists of introduction, 18 chapters divided to three parts and an epilogue. McClintoc tells about unconventional warfare, which in fact is state supported terrorism waged against ideological adversaries, from the Truman administration up to the recent war in the Persian Gulf. The author gives an expose of the dark side of American foreign policy, narrates about using of terroristic activities (torture, kidnapping, sabotage and assassination) to overthrow the foreign governments. The writing provides interesting facts for example that CIA helped to develop the infrastructure for state terrorism that appeared in Latin America during the 60s. It examinates tactical roots of U. S policy from the pronouncements of Clausewitz and Raymond Aron, to its ideological basis in the Monroe Doctrine and Woodrow Wilson’s post-colonialist crusade. And it’s continued nowadays. Michael McClintoc states that â€Å"special operations in the new world order would have a new range of objectives, with their missions—and pretexts—adjusted to the end of the Cold War. The new missions, such as drug enforcement, will provide a vehicle for continuing some of the old missions that persist from the Cold War and the counterinsurgency era. † Steven Metz and Raymond A. Millen, Future War/Future Battlespace: The Strategic Role of American Landpower (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2003). In monograph by Steven Metz and Raymond A. Millen, authors examine new trends in the strategic environment in their development in a future war. They outline tremendous challenges in war fighting in the post 9-11 era and insist on the need that U. S. Landpower should adapt to new type of conflict. As â€Å"transformation must continuously develop new operational and strategic concepts, educate soldiers and officers to implement them, and develop organizations and technologies to ensure they function† (p. x). To make that adaptation real, the monograph gives a scope of what will be the shape and characteristics of the future international security environment, responds characteristics of the future battlefield, and outlines the potential or probable roles and missions of the Army. After transformation â€Å"the Army is vital to the type of strategy that would best promote American interests over the long term† (p. 33). Williamson Murray, ed. National Security Challenges for the 21st Century (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2003). An anthology edited by Williamson Murray consists of reports written by officers who participated in the Advanced Strategic Art Program (ASAP) during their year at the U. S. Army War College. ASAP is a course instructing in theater strategy. Essays included in this volume provide insights into challenges facing the defense establishment in the United States at the beginning of the 21st century in the post 9-11 era. In the foreword of the anthology Murray states â€Å"that America needs officers who possess a deep understanding of the difficulties involved in the use of force in the international arena as well as understand the complex problems involved in the political and strategic challenges confronted by the United States†(p. 1). So the authors speaking about present army problems address such issues as the development of officer’s carrier and make predictions about how could be â€Å"combined tactical and operational excellence with intellectual curiosity in their careers† (p.15). Williamson Murray, ed. A Nation at War in an Era of Strategic Change (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2004). This book is a compilation of essays, edited by Williamson Murray, written by the students enrolled in the Army War College’s Advanced Strategic Art Program (ASAP). It consists of 14 essays preceded by a foreword and an introduction. The authors give coverage to some issues connected with transforming the U. S. Army to engaging in active combat operations associated against terrorists. The main theme of the anthology is lessons of Iraq conflict. Dr. Murray states in foreword that â€Å"the victory over Saddam Hussein’s forces underlined that the fundamental nature of war is not going to change,† because of â€Å"the technological monism† of American forces â€Å"has quite simply foundered on the realities of the battlefields in Iraq† (p. 2). The editor observes that â€Å"the conflict also suggests that the American military needs to think in a more holistic fashion about the conduct of war at the operational level† (p.3). The authors of the compilation provide thorough examination of the lessons from the battlefield, outline the U. S. national strategies, rise up the problem questions and offer ways to resolve. The final conclusions of the compilation states â€Å"The United States needs to focus on learning the right lessons from its past conflicts by examining not only what went right, but also by examining what went wrong and what adjustments potential adversaries have made as a result of U. S. actions† (p. 361). Henry E. Sokolski, ed. Taming the Next Set of Strategic Weapons Sets (Carlisle Barracks, PA: Strategic Studies Institute of the U. S. Army War College, 2006). This volume edited by Henry Sokolski features research the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center commissioned. It consists of 9 chapters divided into three sections, preceded by an introduction. The book starts with the statement that nowadays nuclear technologies have become much more difficult to control. â€Å"Attempts to develop a legally binding inspections protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention were recently rejected by U. S. officials as being inadequate to catch serious violators while being prone to set off false alarms against perfectly innocent actors. † Therefore the anthology is designed to illustrate what might happen if these emerging threats go unattended and how best to mitigate them. Patrick Clawson of the Washington Institute makes clear the issue of further proliferation is Iran in Chapter 2, â€Å"Proliferation in the Middle East: Who is Next after Iran? † By the end of the chapter Sokolski argues â€Å"that the greatest security danger renewed strategic arms proliferation presents is not the increased chance of nuclear theft or terrorism† (p. 6). The book explains how the United States and other advanced states might share unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) services and turn-key missile systems rather than handing over the means for their production. Strobe Talbott and Nayan Chanda, eds. The Age of Terror: America and the World After September 11 (New York, NY: Basic Books, 2001). â€Å"The Age of Terror: America and the World After September 11† was written just a few months after the terrorist attacks. But each of the eight chapters provide critical analyses of the American and international developments and events that are as helpful in explaining 9/11. The authors of the book placed events of September 11 into highlighting political and historical contexts. â€Å"The post-cold war era began with the collapse of one structure, the Berlin wall on November 9,1989, and ended with the collapse of another, the World Trade Center’s twin towers on September 11† (p.3). Ideas shared by Strobe Talbott and Nayan Chanda compose serious discourse about American post-9/11 policies. The authors states that â€Å"Americans were not responsible for the Pearl Harbour, but they would have been irresponsible in the extreme if they had not, as a consequence of that attack, dramatically altered their policies†(p. 5). And the crucial conclusion which is drawn in the book is that the geographical position and the military power of the U. S. are no longer sufficient to ensure its security.

Pride and Prejudice: A Contemporary View

The hardest thing about this project, in my opinion, was in fact not the kind of research it took to arrive at the conclusions presented in this paper, but the process of grouping them together into something that might make any sense at all. I have come to learn that there are so many parallels between Pride and Prejudice and its modern counterpart, You've Got Mail, and to a lesser extent The Shop Around the Corner, that putting them together involves more than one might imagine. In any case, I found that You've Got Mail is more of a combination of The Shop Around the Corner and Pride and Prejudice than The Shop Around the Corner is related to Pride and Prejudice at all. In reviewing Pride and Prejudice and You've Got Mail, I found that most major aspects of the film are similar to issues presented in Pride and Prejudice. However, the frequently rearranged presentation of these events when portrayed in You've Got Mail initially led me to see them as different. This had more to do with the concept of role reversal than anything else. Nevertheless, there were a few minor differences, each of which, along with the major and minor similarities between the novel and the film, I will thoroughly examine and discuss in this essay. Above all, I would have to say without a doubt that You've Got Mail is a successful adaptation to Pride and Prejudice, with the single most powerful connection between the two being the expression of a changing society. As would be obvious to any viewer, reader, or analyst, this is done successfully through the characters of Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox, who in different ways represent Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Fitzwillam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. When I say different I mean that Kathleen is not always Elizabeth and Joe is not necessarily Darcy. In fact, when compared to their corresponding social situations in Pride and Prejudice, Kathleen is Mr. Darcy, while Joe represents Elizabeth. I say this because I realize that when we give our sympathy to Kathleen's plight in You've Got Mail and to Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, thereby connecting the two characters, we are not thinking of how readers of Pride and Prejudice when it was written felt when reading it. In their opinion, it had to have been Darcy who faced the dilemma, not Elizabeth. You see, in both the book and novel the traditional ways, whether they are of Victorian Era England or the Upper West Side, are being inevitably replaced by new social or economic standards. In Pride and Prejudice the noble class was sinking as the middle class rose, with the middle class seen much like a modern chain store in comparison to a classic book shop that had been in business for generations. It is in this way that Elizabeth's family is shown as a virus in aristocratic England much as the FoxBooks franchise is to proud Upper West Siders. Not only was the societal situation of Pride and Prejudice well represented in You've Got Mail, but also FoxBooks perfectly mirroring the â€Å"invasion† of a noble family by one with disgraceful connections played it out with the takeover of Kathleen's shop. It was this and a difference of manners that initially kept the characters apart in both books but was conquered by a growth in their understanding of each other. In any case, the characters of You've Got Mail help show the connection to the novel's societal aspects mostly in that of Frank, Kathleen's boyfriend. He represents the values in a character that were shown in one like Lady Catherine, in which he despises the idea that the new world and technology are taking over. â€Å"You think this machine's your friend, but it's not† are his initial words to Kathleen about her use of the computer. As a part of modern society, he hates it, and because of her situation, she is somehow expected to share those feelings. She does not, which is a large part of her connection to Darcy's character, which is expected by all, including Elizabeth, to be proud and to never associate with those of a less noble blood than his own. Kathleen's breakup with Frank broadcasts their internal differences, just as Darcy is written as different from most aristocrats in his ignoring class lines in recognizing morals. Kathleen Kelly is always shown as the heroine in You've Got Mail because of her struggle to keep her small, pricey shop open in the shadow of the ‘terrible' FoxBooks Store. In the same way, Darcy can be seen as courageous in his internal conflict of whether or not to break away from social standards placed upon him by his family. These same expectations are in some form placed on Kathleen, who runs her store in her mother's shadow. She loves the store, but in some ways is shown as one of those in You've Got Mail who is the least affected by its closing. The people who most actively wish the shop to stay open are those who have grown up with it in their neighborhood. As Kathleen declares in a fit of passionate anger to Joe, â€Å"People may not remember me, either, but lots of people remember my mother. In comparing Kathleen's noble struggle to that of Darcy's, I am not discrediting Elizabeth Bennet as the heroine of Pride and Prejudice, instead I am simply comparing two characters whose situations in life compare, regardless of anything else. Although the economic situations in You've Got Mail closely reflect the social issues in Pride and Prejudice, there are still many more similarities between the book and the movie, and also between the video and the film it was originally based upon, The Shop Around the Corner. The one main similarity between all three was that of the love-hate relationship that defines Darcy and Elizabeth and is mirrored in Joe and Kathleen and Kralik and Klara in The Shop Around the Corner. In Pride and Prejudice, Darcy and Elizabeth are at first and throughout most of the book kept apart by their conflicting social ranks, just as Joe and Kathleen are kept apart by their business competition. The characters of Kralik and Klara actually help explain the two other relationships because just as they are kept apart by competition in the workplace, they keep in touch through letters without knowing who the other one is. They hate each other, as do Joe and Kathleen, in person, but both couples evidently have a relationship where despite their feelings that the other is a bad person, they find each others good points online or by post. This is shown in The Shop Around the Corner in a quote from Klara, who says to Kralik, â€Å"Why, I could show you letters that would open your eyes. No, I guess you probably wouldn't understand what's in them. They're written by a type of man so far superior to you it isn't even funny. The same basic statement is made by Kathleen to Joe in You've Got Mail, where she remarks, â€Å"The man who is coming here tonight is completely unlike you. There is not a cruel or ungenerous bone in his body. † This, the fact that Klara reveals that there were times Kralik could have â€Å"swept her off her feet†, and the obvious notion that Joe and Kathleen could get along had they not been â€Å"FoxBooks and The Shop Around the Corner† gives some insight into the more complex characters of Elizabeth and Darcy, who were apparently right for each other all along, but had been kept apart on unfortunate technicalities. Although each couple may have been right for each other, they may have been kept apart by more than just business or class lines. They hurt each other's pride, which was something that could only be caused by bad manners and repaired by good ones. This idea culminates in the scene in Pride and Prejudice where Darcy proposes to Elizabeth for the first time, and in both movies in the cafe scenes where the couple was supposedly to meet for the first time as mail correspondents. In all three, the characters erupt at the others' attack on their pride and become so angry, all reconciliation may seem impossible. From the very beginning, from the first moment, I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed upon to marry. † These words of Elizabeth Bennet affected Darcy in the same way that those of Kathleen and Klara affected Joe and Kralik, respectively. That is to say, it hurt his pride. A lot. In any event, this experience served to make Darcy grow, with respect to manner and his management of pride. The same effect was had on Joe and Kralik, and they forgave Kathleen and Klara in the meantime. This further advanced their relationships eventually leading to all three couples ending up in love with each other despite all odds against them. Manners were an important part of Pride and Prejudice and were reflected in You've Got Mail through communication. Good manners were shown by email while bad ones were apparent in Joe and Kathleen's verbally abusive relationship, their avoidance of each other, and in their misperceptions of the other. In my opinion, the Gardiners, who brought Darcy and Elizabeth together in the book, had a lot to do with the concept of email and manners in You've Got Mail. Their true selves were made clear online, and once Joe learned the truth, he began to see past what had been going on between them and fell in love with Kathleen. She, of course, still had the misperception of him that had been dictated by their economic/social relationship, and even this died away after Joe showed her some of the good manners she had been exposed to throughout their internet relationship. This exact situation was displayed in The Shop Around the Corner, and with a few surface differences, is what happened between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice after the proposal scene. In all situations, manners were dictated by prejudices laid down by society and in turn altered personal perception, where good manners were untainted by society and bad ones were prejudiced. Therefore, good manners lead to friendly relationships and bad ones lead to conflict. At first, I did not see the same humor in You've Got Mail that had been used in Pride and Prejudice, primarily because I was looking for Jane Austen's personal â€Å"regulated hatred† instead of that of modern culture. It is undisputable that the same satire used in Pride and Prejudice is shown in the character of Patricia Eden, Joe's girlfriend. She represents materialism in her blind yet self-proclaimed insensitivity. When Frank, Kathleen's boyfriend, asks Joe Fox at a party â€Å"how he sleeps at night,† Patricia jumps in and responds, â€Å"I use a great over the counter drug- Ultra Dorm†¦. you wake up without the slightest hangover! † Another time, right before Joe decides to break up with her, four people are stuck in an elevator. Each person talks about what they plan to do if they get out alive. The first two are sincere and have to do with family and relationships. When it is her turn to speak, Patricia says, â€Å"If I ever get out of here, I'm having my eyes lasered. Another character that is humorous and at the same time represents a commentary on society is Gillian, Joe's father's fiancee. She goes to get her eggs harvested in one scene, buys tacky items only because they are expensive, makes passes at Joe, and finally runs off with her daughter's nanny. She and Patricia seem to represent people who in today's world are trendy and have no character whatsoever, as opposed to those in Pride and Prejudice who represent those who are stupid, marry for money, and follow ridiculous customs. They are essentially the same because each shows what seems to be morally wrong with the people in the time period in which each was written. The one factor I did not see in You've Got Mail that reflected a major idea in Pride and Prejudice was feminism. It was apparently groundbreaking at that time for Elizabeth to reject two out of three potentially successful offers of marriage, and I just didn't see any such signs of independence besides Kathleen owning her own store, which I did not see as the same. In any case, You've Got Mail more than anything was a successful contemporary adaptation to Pride and Prejudice, especially in representing the social and economic situations in a variety of ways. You've Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner were also successful in showing the dynamics of the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth though that of Joe and Kathleen and Klara and Kralik with respect to manners, morals, and romance.

Public and Private Sectors Essay

* Public sector has an influence in tourism business. It is essential to outline the main policy instruments used by governments in order to manage tourism. * Public bodies influence tourism sector either directly, through organization with responsibility for tourism, which include: establishment of infrastructure, information services and creation of tourist attractions and facilities. Or, indirectly, through foreign policies and legal controls, the commercial sector of tourism industry can operate successfully, co-ordinating, promotional and regulatory role in tourism provision, and conservation of the physical and socio-cultural resources that attract tourists to destination. * Governments use demand and revenue management in order to influence demand in the industry by: marketing and promotion, information provision and network development, pricing, controlling access to the destination, safety and security. Supply and cost management are operated by environmental control, building regulations, market regulations, market research and planning, taxation, ownership, education and training and investment incentives. * Private Sector Improve the overall quality of products and services within the tourism industry (all tourism-related accommodation, restaurants, tour guides, tour operators, and other tourism-related service providers); raise the levels of demand nationally, regionally and internationally; promote competiveness within the industry; and, provide valuable and reliable information on quality standards for the tourist and the travel industry. * Provide intensive training to local communities/ private sector in various aspects of development and management of tourism businesses, and hospitality skills to provide them with better opportunities to seek employment in the tourism sector. * Comprehensive general and area-specific development guidelines for tourism zones with specific urban designing, land use planning and infrastructure planning.

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Proposal - Essay Example As you said, the training would be done by you and not by others who quite frankly do not do it very well. Accordingly, our new brochures are being prepared. For instance, last year we spoke about my promotion to managerial position when we increased our sales team, if you would consider this to be now, then, I would propose that advertising ideas be done by someone like the person we previously met or alternately, it can be done by someone else who could do a good job, you or I could easily oversee and handle without any doubt. Then, between Brad, Robert and I, we could handle further duties. However, someone needs to steer the ship and be authoritative, since we need to introduce more decorum in the office. Because of these new demands, I have no problem with hiring or firing, I know it could get personal but if it is detrimental to the company, I have no alternative but to fire the underperforming person. When in business, I do not have an allegiance to anyone that is not performing well enough to satisfy the numbers we have projected. We also need to make sure we have people on a reserve basis so as not to have empty desks. To do this is not difficult, because there is a steady flow of talent available and we can interview and have back up without any problem. The need to obtain new accounts should be imperative, encouraged and propelled to the forefront with expected consequence. A new way of selling bullion is not difficult to do, we need to crush some numbers with Wilshire and rebook at a reasonable cost and selling prices, and this would bring us in line to compete with other companies. For us to be able to sell the Internet calls we get, this gives us the ability to get them into our fold for loads and conversion which is imperative for our long term goal and hence increase revenue of our company. When the going gets

Music as the Most Important Factor in Life Essay

Music as the Most Important Factor in Life - Essay Example I feel that the beauty and richness that music brought into my life is definitely worth sharing. This is precisely why I think that visiting schools as an artistic ambassador would be a very good idea. I hope to bring some positivity and actually make a difference in the lives of students. I have already done something to that effect when I worked as an ambassador at a Boston school last year through From the Top’s Leadership program. The school had a music program but no chamber music, and this is where I came in – I helped them experience chamber music under my guidance. When we discovered that the children were a little too serious throughout the program, we decided to change the plan for the week and only concentrate on entertaining them. It was really gratifying to see all the smiles that we brought to their faces while they played music. It was, perhaps, one of the most defining events of my life as a musician, and that is what gave me the incentive to be an art a dvocate and spread music and, thus, bring joy into people’s lives. The last century has seen the development of music on a linear scale in a positive direction. The adaption of modern musical instruments and equipment has not only changed the concept of composing music but has also altered the way people prefer to hear music (Shepherd 2-18). It has been really fascinating for me to learn how in the music culture of the past, folklore was used to tell stories of real life. As a music advocate, I wish to reinvent the same realism in my music. I would also like to motivate and train school children to use modern technology in their compositions. For instance, I have observed that listening to music on mobile phones has become a very common trend, and so has the trend of using various smart phone applications to enhance music. I would encourage students to take advantage of all this technology.

Job Analysis and Rewards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Job Analysis and Rewards - Essay Example It could be performed through â€Å"Direct observation†, personal discussions, group sessions and use of expertise of technical or non- technical experts in the field. Besides this the use of subjective questionnaires and pre-prepared questionnaires may also be used, according to the needs of the situation (The worldatwork handbook of compensation, benefit & total rewards: A comprehensive guide for HR professionals 2007, p.181). One critical aspect that job analysis needs to consider is the evolving nature of corporate functioning, especially at an executive hierarchy.Thus, job descriptions may undergo major changes which need to be incorporated in the job analysis planning and in the determination of rewarding against job descriptions. There are, basically two aspects to be considered, firstly, nature of functions carried out by the employee and secondly, the level of performance. While nature could refer to job description and kind of work to be done, the level would determine what kinds of skill sets are required for the job, the level of responsibility and commitment to the job, and finally, what kind of compensation needs to be provided, in commensuration with the nature and level of the job carried out. Different job descriptions demand discrete requirements. In essence, the Human Resource Manager (HRM) needs to ensure that the skill sets, qualifications and experience of incumbents match with the demands and needs of the job and is a best fit. In some cases, work demands may require functioning at a higher level than the present one, and employers must thoroughly scan the potential of prospective employees in this regard. This could be in terms of length and intensity of work, its wider scope and the level of performance that is demanded at each hierarchy of organizational performance. Not only at an entry level, even along the career graph of any employee, at middle and top management levels, it is important that there is a proper matching between the

Ladership in customer service Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ladership in customer service - Article Example Leaders are flexible and adaptable unlike rules that are fixed and stiff. Leadership allows employees to be leaders for their customers in terms of decision making skills that makes customer feel more comfortable that benefits both customers and the company. Within the context of this paper is the role of leadership in customer service industry. What is takes to be a good leader and how it can benefit every stakeholder in return (Harris, 2002, p. 122). Leadership begins in oneself, to be an effective leader is to recognize oneself as a leader. A leader must be aware of own strength and weaknesses to be able to use these strengths as starting points and to overcome weaknesses. Identifying self strengths and weaknesses can provide a person self knowledge of leadership skills. A good leader is a change agent that entails changes that starts from oneself (Harris, 2002, p. 123). Also a good leader is confident and is open for criticism. Criticisms are analysed to change and become stronger as a leader (Harris, 2002, p. 124). There are several types of leaders. Formal leaders have the official authority of the position chosen by organization. Formal leaders may be formed through special trainings and have high accountability due to specific and defined responsibilities tasked upon the position. On the other hand informal leaders are an assumed role and have no official authority but have the ability to influence others. Informal leadership can affect formal leadership in an organization due to influence over people that can generate support or resistance within an organization. Both formal and informal leaders are essential in the success of customer service. Formal leaders can create a culture that empowers employees to serve as positive examples in the company performance. Informal leaders on the same context can create customer friendly culture, motivate co-workers, boost morale and can relate to co-workers in areas that a formal leader may

Gonorrhea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gonorrhea - Essay Example of this that women are the ones that tend to suffer most in the long run when diagnosed with gonorrhea; when they ignore the symptoms, the infection spreads, causing severe complications within the reproductive organs. In males, it can take anywhere from two days to a month before there are obvious signs of gonorrhea after the infection has formed. In females, it is hard to pinpoint how long it can take for symptoms to appear in regards to the onset of the infection, as many women do not even show signs of the disease (Michaud, 2006). Only a small percentage of males do not show any signs to having the infection, as opposed to a larger percentage of females. The signs and symptoms in males include a yellow-hued discharge from the penis, as well as frequent and painful urination. The signs and symptoms in females are vaginal discharge, pain in the lower abdomen, and irritation of the genital region, which can also lead to painful urination and possible bleeding between menstrual cycles. Due to the period-esq symptoms of gonorrhea in females, many females ignore their symptoms until the infection worsens, strengthening the pain and the intensity of the symptoms. Other signs and symptoms, in both males and females, include fever and vomiting, as well as sterility and infertility. The longer the symptoms go unnoticed or untreated, the more parts of the reproductive systems get infected. The worse it becomes in females, the greater the chance is that they pass it on to their child if they are pregnant or become pregnant around the time of developing the disease. Within women, the infection can also cause damage to more than just the reproductive system, such as arthritis or blindness (Kolesnikow, 2007). In diagnosing gonorrhea, there are two methods that health care workers resort to. The first test, a staining sample, is the least accurate of the two. A staining sample involves taking a dab sample of the discharge from the infected area, dyeing it, and examining

Bilingual Versus Dual Curriculum Instruction Essay

Bilingual Versus Dual Curriculum Instruction - Essay Example The essay "Bilingual Versus Dual Curriculum Instruction" talks about the history of bilingualism in education which can be categorized into four major stages: permissive, restrictive, opportunist and dismissive. Prior to the arrival of the European immigrants, United States was home to a variety of native languages, and after the advent of foreign immigrants into the country, the number of languages spoken within its territory increased to approximately two hundred. Throughout the nineteenth century till the beginning of the First World War, the existence of such diverse languages was commonly assimilated throughout the country. Language diversity was acknowledged as the custom and promoted via religion, print media such as publishing of newspapers in diverse languages, as well as using education as a tool to promote language use. Evidence of such permissive period in the history of bilingual education in the country can be found in the various schools which exist throughout the United States. During the early nineteenth century, the government endeavored to suppress certain indigenous communities such as the Indians, by laying out regressive policies which sought to restrict them to their reservations. Furthermore, several institutions, such as the American Protective Association, were established which strongly encouraged an English-only system of education. The Immigration Restriction Leagues was established during the same period, which aimed at eluding the immigrants from entering the U.S.

Israeli Intelligence Agencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Israeli Intelligence Agencies - Essay Example There are a number of theories provided regarding Pollard’s decision to betray his country of birth unto the Jewish state; nonetheless, the fact that Pollard betrayed his country of birth to Israel is away from all doubt. His defense was that he never spied so much against the United States; rather, he spied for Israel by sending those documents, which according to him, the US should have eventually shared with Israel. Pollard lacked the authority of making a decision regarding what documents Israel must have; however, based on his position of trust in the US Navy Pollard succeeded in delivering over 1000 classified documents unto Israel whereby his payment was super. Those documents contained the names of over 150 US agents found in the Mideast, converted into agents for Israel. Nevertheless, the most egregious harm brought about by Pollard was stealing classified documents concerning the US Nuclear Deterrent comparative to the USSR and sending them to Israel. Sources in the US State Department reveal that Israel then went ahead to trade those stolen nuclear secrets unto the USSR, in return for enhanced emigration rations from the USSR to Israel. Apart from that, there was other information, which slipped from the US to Israel and eventually to the USSR resulting in the loss of American agents, who were operating within the USSR. This damage done to the United States was enormous; therefore, it was extremely difficult to envisage of a greater harm to national security compare to that caused by the treasonous behavior of Pollard. 2 This is a clear indication that Israel’s spies are far from being harmless. The cost of building and maintaining United States’ nuclear deterrent estimated at five trillion taxpayer dollars in the 50s and 60s, and below $100,000 to be undermined by Pollard. Although Israel waited 13 years to confess that Pollard had been their spy, they eventually granted him Israeli

Law Legal Authority Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law Legal Authority - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that the lawyers present policy and legal issues before a group of judges or a single judge in the persuasion of the judge in a bench trial or jury in a jury trial. In addition, judges in the Appellate courts reviews materials collected and compiled from the original trial to determine whether the decision of the lower court was correct.This paper outlines that a court opinion is considered a precedent when a previous ruling by a particular court is used to rule a current case. Precedent court opinions are used in ruling cases in the court because court decisions in similar cases should be similar or same. Published judicial opinions are used by judges to rule out similar cases in the court. The highest court in the U.S is the State Supreme Court. It was created under Article III of the Constitution of the United States. The State Supreme Court has exclusive and original jurisdiction of all controversies related to the state or between two or more sta tes. The State Supreme Court has original jurisdiction of all proceedings involving ambassadors, consults and public ministers. In addition, controversies between the U.S. and a State are ruled by the State Supreme Court. The State Supreme Court has jurisdiction of all proceedings or actions by a State against aliens or citizens of another State.  The state court of appeals handles proceeding and ruling over appeals received from district courts within the State.  

Contact And Exchange Between Peoples And Cultures Essay Example for Free

Contact And Exchange Between Peoples And Cultures Essay Occupation is not a victory, yet, discrimination and oppression evoke acrimony among the native people, which impedes European imperialists from conquering the native people. The Metis, a native group originally scattered across Canada as well as parts of the northern United States such as Montana, North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota. However, the Metis and other aboriginal groups suffered injustice in European colonialism, which is the main focus of this paper. The Aboriginal peoples were the original residents of Canada. It is a collective word for the diversity of the indigenous people. The word was incorporated in the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 and concerns to the Inuit and the Metis people. The term aboriginal has provided a sense of unity among the indigenous peoples and also served the role of erasing the different historical, cultural practice, sovereignty and languages of over fifty countries that lived in Canada preceding to European colonization. It is believed that the Metis fatherly ancestry originated from different nationalities; Irish, French, English and Scottish while the mothers came from the Native Indian. So the Merits are of mixed blood. Nevertheless, the Metis were able to adopt both the European and the Indian culture through utilizing what was suitable to their necessities. However, the European colonization led to their suffering and injustice. During this time the Metis suffered prejudice, racism and injustice. The Relationship of the Metis To their Land and the Manitoba Treaty The Metis practiced the concept of communism, meaning personal ownership of land were prohibited. They resisted external pressures to abandon this concept. However, with the European colonization, the Metis was denied the freedom to live the way they wanted, thus, they were forced to abandon the communism concept. As a matter of fact, the Metis who had occupied the lands in North America for decades before the European colonization were deprived during the European colonization, which in turn is still today whereby the political and legal approached deprive Metis societies of fundamental human rights The European solidified their attitudes towards race in their experience with the Metis. The clash between England and Ireland went beyond rivalries between the two developing nations. This was a clash between the semi-nomadic pastoralist and those who were settled on the land as farmers and grew a sedentary culture. The treatment of the Metis people in Cnanda was extremely similar to the treatment of the other Aboriginal peoples. As a matter of fact, the European established a hierarchical view of the earth where the value of other communities was judged against the image of their own, whereby human beings were viewed as continuing through different regular and specific stages of growth ranging from savagery to civilization. Furthermore, it was not only a social philosophy, but a moral Christian obligation placed on the European to guide the Metis who was regarded as uncivilized beings to the pinnacle of civilization. The European presented the capital structure, which embroiled racial segregation. This was opposite to what the Metis and other Aboriginal groups practiced. As a result, this concept led legitimacy to the undertaking of the dominant power whereby the European dominated the Metis. Through racial segregation, the Europeans were able to push the Metis out of their land, and exert control over all the aboriginal groups in North America. Indeed, race became a social norm and an unquestioned reason to privilege. It was one employed with great insight against the Metis people in Canada. Thus, although most of the treaties had different positive effects in the aboriginals, most of them caused these communities a devastating effect. The treaties cost the Aboriginals a lot, including their land. Besides being forced to give up their culture, they ended up with a much smaller tract of land as a result of improper negotiations. Also, though the provision of education and health care has been cru cial in maintaining the Aboriginal cultures, other benefits such as farm implements and the right to utilize land were much smaller compared to the tracts of lands given in their exchange. Furthermore, the implications resulting in the signing of treaties caused a large number of deaths among them. According to Miller (2000), prior to 1870, the Aboriginal population decreased by about 75percent under the hands of the European settlers. The Fur Trade Canada expanded in a unique manner whereby it traded fur with other countries. Fur trade played a significant role in creating boundaries, which still exist today because borders are grounded on its dissimilar resilience in the North America. As a matter of fact, the importance of the fur trade lies in its commitment of the geographic platform. Through this trade, the development of the Metis emerged with their own language and culture. Indeed, the trade depended on the productive skill and the organizational capabilities in the Metis people. Therefore, the Metis and the Indians regulated the fur trade and only traded when it was convenient for them to do so. Moreover, the Metis were sought to travel through canoe into the interior to carry out trade with the Indian community. The fur trade helped the European to penetrate to Canada, and as a result, they started assimilating the Metis community. They disregarded their culture, beliefs and norms and waged to change their culture as w ell as their behavior. The Metis were culturally undistinguished from other Canadainas. The Land Scrip During the 18th century in Canada, the government gave out scrip certificate giving the right holder to either a certain acreage of land or an amount of money that could be used to the buy on land. These certificates were given out to individual Metis to fulfill their claim to land ownership. However, most people did not get the scrip who eventually was the original inhabitants of the land, meaning that the entire Metis communities who had stayed on the land for decades were sidelined of their rightful heritage. Moreover, it was not only the manner in which the Metis was deprived of their original land. Likewise, the Juvenile Act of Manitoba was modified to permit Metis minors to sell or dispose of their script, thus creating an opportunity for abuse. The government also opposed to a powerful Metis constituency and enterprise interests desiring to gather vast tracts of land colluded to ensure that the Metis of the West of forlorn become landless people. The Metis was not included, fr ightened, swindled or made to kill of the land consisting rudimentary way that consecutive Canadians would follow to open up Canada. As a result, the Metis were forced to live on unutilized parts of the land, which is the reason that they were referred to as the â€Å"Road Allowance People† meaning that they were bound to make their geographical area on the government land on either side of the road. Louis Riel and the Manitoba Drawing from Louis Riel who was the founder of Manitoba and a Metis leader, it is clear that the Metis were harassed unjustly. Riel was murdered by the government for treason. He had united the Metis community and led to a famous Metis government that was central in taking Manitoba into Confederation, but his aim was to preserve the Metis community from the Canadian authority. Riel also led the Metis at the Red River whereby the Canadian government had appointed McDougall as the governor whose mission was to re-stake the Metis land. The Metis opposed him through Riel so as to preserve their cultural, social and political status of the Metis in the Red River as well as the Northwest. As a matter of fact, intermarriages between the Europeans and the Metis or the aboriginals was prohibited. Riel was considered a hero because he defended the Catholic faith and the French culture in Manitoba. It is for this reason that went back to North America after being in exile for four months in the United States. The British and the Canadian government did not support the Metis beliefs and wanted to establish the Protestant beliefs. Nevertheless, the opposition from the Metis through the influence of Riel did not last long when he was captured and executed. Riel was executed without any trial with British or Canadian law for his section in the Red River resistance. The Residential Schools Just like other Aboriginal peoples, the Metis were placed in residential schools over the course of a hundred years. These schools stripped children of their languages and culture so as to eliminate the Metis problem and assimilate them into the society. The Metis in residential schools survived sexual as well as physical abuses, loss of identity as well as language. As a result, many of the Metis children as well as other Aboriginal people’s did not survive at all. Indeed, there are still unrequited questions about how some kids vanished. Nevertheless, the current dispute resolution program in North America, especially Canada does not address the fundamentals harms suffered by Aboriginal peoples as a result of the Indian Residential Schools system that was expressly introduced to remove Aboriginal languages and culture, and to murder the Indian in the child. The government’s strategy for accomplishing its policy aim concerned removing children from their families, puni shing them for speaking their aboriginal language and denying them the right to follow their spiritual teachings and traditional celebrations and failing to give them adequate education. In conclusion, from the above discussion, it is clear that the Metis as well as other Aboriginal communities in North America suffered injustices. They were killed because of their language and beliefs, disregarded because of their culture and mixed blood, they were racially segregated and denied their right to own land. As a result, they ended up in the Manitoba reserve with small parts of land and some none. Neither were their appreciated in residential schools whereby their kids were physically and sexually abused. And though all these things are known by the government, nothing much has improved in Canada for the Metis as well as other aboriginals. References Brown, D., Kingston, O. (1992). Aboriginal governments and power sharing in Canada. Kingston, Ont.: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Queens University. First Nations in Canada. (1997). Ottawa: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Howe, P., Bedford, D. (2007). Electoral participation of Aboriginals in Canada.Noble, T. (2008). Western civilization: Beyond boundaries (5th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Rambaut, T. (1987). The Hudsons Bay Half-Breeds and Louis Riels Rebellions. Political Science Quarterly, 135-135. Source document

Performance Evaluation and Enhancement of Mobile Node: MIH

Performance Evaluation and Enhancement of Mobile Node: MIH PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF MOBILE NODE USING MIH CHAPTER 4 NETWORK SIMULATOR 4.1 Introduction NS2 is associate open-source simulation tool that runs on Linux, its a discreet event machine targeted at networking analysis and provides substantial support for simulation of routing, multicast protocols and informatics protocols, like UDP, TCP, RTP and SRM over wired and wireless (local and satellite) networks. Its several blessings that build it a great tool, like support for multiple protocols and therefore the capability of diagrammatically particularization network traffic. In addition, NS2 supports many algorithms in routing and queuing. Local routing and broadcasts are a part of routing algorithms. Queuing algorithms embody honest queuing, deficit round-robin and FIFO. NS is associate object oriented machine, written in C++, with associate OTcl interpreter as a frontend. The machine supports a category hierarchy in C++ (also referred to as the compiled hierarchy during this document), and an identical category hierarchy inside the OTcl interpreter (also referred to as the taken hierarchy during this document). The 2 hierarchy’s square measure closely associated with every other; from the user’s perspective, theres a matched correspondence between a category within the taken hierarchy and one within the compiled hierarchy, the basis of this hierarchy is that the category Tcl Object. Users produce new machine objects through the interpreter; these objects square measure instantiated inside the interpreter, and square measure closely reflected by a corresponding object within the compiled hierarchy. The taken category hierarchy is mechanically established through strategies outlined within the category TclClass. User instantiated objects square measure reflected through strategies outlined within the category TclObject. NS2 is extensively utilized by the networking analysis community. It provides substantial support for simulation of communications protocol, routing, multicast protocols over wired and wireless (local and satellite) networks, etc. The machine is event-driven and runs in a very non-real-time fashion. It consists of C++ core strategies and uses Tcl and Object Tcl shell as interface permitting the computer file (simulation script) to explain the model to simulate. Users will outline arbitrary network topologies composed of nodes, routers, links and shared media. A chic set of protocol objects will then be hooked up to nodes, sometimes as agents. The machine suite conjointly includes a graphical beholder referred to as network animator (NAM) to help the users get additional insights regarding their simulation by visualizing packet trace information. NS is an occasion driven network machine developed at UC Berkeley that simulates style of informatics networks. It implements network protocols like communications protocol and UPD, traffic supply behavior like FTP, Telnet, Web, cosmic microwave background and VBR, router queue management mechanism like Drop Tail, RED and CBQ, routing algorithms like Dijkstra, and more. NS conjointly implements multicasting and a few of the mac layer protocols for computer network simulations.    4.2 A Short History   NS2 started as a variant of the $64000 network machine in 1989 (see Resources). REAL could be a network machine originally supposed for the real the dynamic behavior of flow and congestion management schemes in packet-switched information networks. NS2 is associate degree object-oriented machine developed as a part of the VINT project at the University of American state in Berkeley. The project is funded by government agency together with XEROX Palo Alto research center (PARC) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). NS2 is accessible on many platforms like Linux, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, SunOS and Solaris. NS2 conjointly builds and runs underneath Windows. Large scenarios benefit from large amounts of memory. Additionally, NS2 requires the following packages to run these scenarios Tcl has released Tcl8.3.2, Tk has released Tk 8.3.2, OTcl has released OTcl 1.0a7 and also TclCL has released TclCL 1.0b11. 4.3 C++ and OTCL Duality In this means, the controls of the C++ objects area unit given to OTcl. It’s conjointly attainable to feature member functions and variables to a C++ connected OTcl object. The objects in C++ that dont have to be controlled during a simulation or internally utilized by another object dont have to be connected to OTcl. Likewise, associate degree object (not within the information path) is entirely enforced in OTcl. Fig 4.1: C++ and OTcl: The Duality In this means, the controls of the C++ objects area unit given to OTcl. It’s conjointly attainable to feature member functions and variables to a C++ connected OTcl object. The objects in C++ that dont have to be controlled during a simulation or internally utilized by another object dont have to be connected to OTcl. Likewise, associate degree object (not within the information path) is entirely enforced in OTcl. Figure 5.1 shows associate degree object hierarchy example in C++ and OTcl. One factor to notice within the figure is that for C++ objects that have associate degree OTcl linkage forming a hierarchy, theres an identical OTcl object hierarchy terribly just like that of C++. NS was inbuilt C++ and provides a simulation interface through OTcl, associate degree object-oriented idiom of Tcl. The user describes a constellation by writing OTcl scripts, so the most ns program simulates that topology with mere parameters. The NS2 makes use of flat earth model within which it assumes that the atmosphere is flat with none elevations or depressions. But the real world will have geographical options like valleys and mountains.NS2 fails to capture this model in it. Many researchers have planned the additions of latest models to NS2.Shadowing Model in NS2 makes an attempt to capture the shadow impact of signals in real world, however will that inaccurately.NS2s shadowing model doesnt think about correlations: a true shadowing impact has sturdy correlations between 2 locations that area unit near one another. Shadow attenuation ought to be sculptured as a 2 dimensional log-normal random method with exponentially decaying spacial correlations. 4.4 Screenshot of Network Animator Fig 4.2: Network Animator Window NS animator window is shown in the above figure 4.2 which can be used to view the connection between the mobile and the network towers, it shows the movement packet drops which take place during simulation. 4.5  NIST’s Media Independent Handover module 4.5.1  Introduction Wireless network types Handover are off two types, Horizontal handovers also called Homogenous Handover and Vertical handovers also called Heterogeneous handovers. If Handover take place in same access technology (WiFi WiFi) or (WIMAXWIMAX) is Horizontal and if Handover takes place within the different access technology (WiFi WiMAX) or (WIMAXWIFI) is Vertical Handover. If Longer the handover duration, then higher the packet drop and poor QoS [7]. IEEE with 802.21 MIH addressed vertical handover, which separates the different access technology in a mobile device from the upper layers in the protocol stack. NIST has provided the 802.21 MIH add-on modules [3] for network simulator (ns2.29). These module support the two of the MIH functions, events and commands. 4.5.2  Supporting Technologies of 802.21 in ns-2 Ns-2.29 supports the access technologies in IEEE 802.21 scenarios are: WiMAX (802.16), Wi-Fi (802.11), UMTS and Ethernet (802.3). 4.5.3  Implementation of Nodes with Multiple Interfaces in ns-2 NS-2 does not support the heterogeneous multiple interfaces of a mobile node (MN), because node structure do not necessarily follow the same as the one defined in the basic model by external packages. Hence to resolve this issue, NIST add-on module created the concept of multiFace node also called super node, which is a mobile node which can links to other mobile nodes, these interfaces for the multiFace node, and the multiFace node can be viewed as as â€Å"supernode†. This concept is illustrated in Fig. 4.1. Fig. 4.1: High Level View of MultiFace Node Fig. 4.2: Power boundaries defined in NS2 The interface nodes activate the events and forwards them to the super node. The MIH Users on the super node are often ready to register and to receive these events. 4.5.4  Power Boundaries are often outlined in Wifi and WiMAX Cells In order to spot power boundaries which may be utilized in the simulation, 3 variables are outlined in ns-2.29, that is shown in Fig. 5.2. Theses variable are often outlined as: †¢CSTresh: accustomed outline the minimum power level to sense wireless packets and conjointly switch the mac layer, if mac layer is idle then it are often switched to busy, †¢RX Tresh: are often accustomed outline the minimum power level to receive wireless packets with error free; †¢pr_limit: are often perpetually equal or superior to one and is employed within the equation (RX Tresh) * (pr_limit), then this equation are going to be shaping the minimum power level that Associate in Nursing interface senses Link taking place event before triggering. In the above figure Fig 4.2, shows the ability boundaries between WLAN and WiMAX base station with its vary wherever the highest most layer is Cs thresh_, middle layer is rx thresh_ and also the inner layer is rx thresh_ * pr limit_. Dept. of CSE, VKIT 2014-20151 Education and Fertility | Literature Review Education and Fertility | Literature Review The relation between the education and fertility of women is a topic that has received much attention in the last decades. Some scholars have found that there is an inverse relation between the education and fertility, however, it is still unknown if this relation is causal or not. But in general, across countries, when women acquire more education, this decreases the number of children. The spread of education around the world has been linked to decreases in fertility that incremented women rates of enrollment and completion of secondary education. In point of fact, women with secondary education have on average one less child (Leà ³n, 2004). When estimating the relationship between education and fertility there are unobserved characteristics that affect schooling preferences and are correlated with unobserved variables that encourage to have a child or not. To better clarify this criteria, we have to analyze the next example. When a woman has wishes to work, attend college, make a professional career, this will impact negatively the number of children that she wants to have. On the contrary, women with access to the credit market, are more likely to have more years of education and also to children. As we observe, there is no only a negative relation between fertility and education, but it also may be positive (although is not common). In addition, when analyzing the effect of education on fertility we have to take into account the welfare policy consequences. When the total fertility rates decreases and the life expectancy increases, this may cause an ageing of the population. Therefore, the ratio of retirees to working-age adults increases and this create a serious problem on spending of governments on health care and pensions. This is the case of developed countries. By the contrary, in developing countries (specially Latin American countries), when the total fertility rate decreases, the risk of health between women and children decreases leading to a improvement in the welfare conditions. In the recent years, programs such as the World Banks Female Secondary Schooling Assistance Project seek to motivate the education of women around the world. Given these facts, the hypothesis than education affect fertility levels of women is valid. Not only the education of women affect their fertility rate, but also the marriage, which is delayed because women desires to enter to the labor market or to increase their education. The theoretical aspects concerning to the relation of fertility and education is very broad. In order to explain this relation with more accuracy it is important to analyze the studies of Barro and Becker (1988), Livi-Baci (1997) and Willis (1973). They agree in the fact that women with more education diminishes their fertility because of the increment in the cost of opportunity of time. Other models point out the wage of women as the main factor in explaining the cost of opportunity of childbearing. Montgomery and Trussel (1986) analyze the children as normal goods. Here and increment in the education of women produces an increment in the parents income, which lead to an increment in the spending of normal goods (children), dominating the wage effect. It is also important to analyze the models that explain the fertility as stochastic processes (Wolpin (1994), Newman (1988) and Hotz and Miller (1988), however, this studies have no provided any result about the empirical specification for the life cycle fertility. They just agree in the fact that the returns of more years of education are positive and that this produces an inverse relation between education and fertility in women. Reviewing the literature between education and fertility, we have to highlight the contribution of the studies done by Becker. Becker (1960) and Becker and Lewis (1973) analyze the child quality fertility model, which is one of the most used model in explaining the relation between education and fertility. This model analyze the role of income of parents in the quality and quantity of children. That is to say that when the income of parents increases, the quality and quality of children also increases. Becker argues that the income elasticity of the quantity of children is small related to the income elasticity of the quality of children. Given the fact that the spending on children increases, it leads to a prevalence of the higher quality. In this case, the substitution effects subdue to the income effect. Following this criteria, Easterlin and Crimmins (1985) formulates the theory of the demand of children, referring mainly to the desired family size of parents but taking into consideration that the knowledge of birth control instruments is general and does not imply any cost. Moreover, the supply of children refers to the quantity of children that parents would experience, without limiting the family size. As we can observe, all the theories mentioned above deal with the negative relation between fertility and education, just with the exception of the supply theory that connects the health and the fecundity. Therefore the role of education is very important given the fact that help women to have more knowledge about contraceptive methods, and gain different perspectives of life. In addition, according to the economic theory, the relation of education and fertility has consequences for the welfare policies of the countries. An analysis in Developing Countries The fertility rate has decreased in Latin American countries through the years. According to Weilti (1993) the industrialization and modernization have been drivers in this reduction. On the one hand, with the industrialization the technology, communication, infrastructure and transport was improved. On the other hand, modernization has had a greater impact on fertility, improving of health care, education, urbanization. The arguments in explaining the decrement in fertility are mainly two: gender equality and education of women. Gender equality refers to the control of women on their lives (in all aspects) and education promote all of this independence of women. In recent years the inquiry about if educated women are selected for additional features that could be related to lower fertility such as income, earning of husband has brought lot of discussion. All of these additional features including on the analysis appears to be as indicators of a negative relation between fertility and education. Also it is important to mention that the autonomy of women is an important aspect when decreasing their fertility (Dyson and Moore, 1983). This implies that educated women has more independence in taking decisions in their life ((Basu (1992); Morgan and Niraula (1995); Vlassoff (1996)). The literature about the negative relation between fertility and education is very broad. Currently, there is lot of discussion about the reduction on mortality and the increasing aspirations from the women as main factors in explaining this relation. The decrease in fertility according to demographers is explained by reductions in infant and child mortality. The increasing aspirations of women is another important factor in explaining the negative relation between education and fertility. This model, that relates the decreasing in fertility levels with the increasing in aspirations of women, tries to explain mainly the resources in the market that women spend in children and in goods and this decision on how much to spend in each thing depend on preferences of women. According to the DHS survey carried out in the 80s, one of the most powerful tools of fertility is the access to mass media in developing countries, especially when talking about contraceptive methods and family size. The access to mass media it is really important in the family planning of households. But according to some authors as (Ramesh et al. (1996, Westoff and Rodriguez (1995) the education should increase along with the increase of the material aspirations. As reductions in fertility (at macro-level) are given by increments in educational, we expect that education has a connection with rising aspirations (United Nations, 1995). In fact, in South Asia, accoring to Basu (1999), the decrease in fertility is linked to increments in dowry. As we can observe, the relation between education and fertility seems to be explained with the theory about material aspirations of women. Following this theory of the material aspirations of women, we come to the conclusion that the increment in material aspirations and more investments in the schooling of daughters can provoke a decline in fertility in the couple. The impact on Latin American Countries According to the International Family Planning Perspectives, 21:52-57 80, 1995), women that have no education have on average bigger families of 6 or 7 children, while women that have education 2 or 3 children. The knowledge about contraceptive methods is more favorable to educated women (Demographic and Health Surveys for 9 Latin American countries). It is important to point out that the negative relation between education and fertility stopped being as an automatic progress after the World Fertility Survey in the 70s when the results gave a broader idea that the fertility reductions are explained by the development, gender stratification of the society. The impacts of education on fertility can be explained for the following aspects. In first place, the education acts as a source of knowledge, given the fact that schooling improves the knowledge of women about different lifestyles and a major access to information about fertility elections. Secondly, education is a tool for the development of a country. The education is a cover letter to entry formally to the labor market. And finally the education acts as a transformer of attitudes, specially aspirations in life. It is known that Latin American is the most unequal society in the world. The gap between the rich and poor people has increased in the last years and this situation seems to not come to an end. In some Latin American Countries the access to a good education is given mainly by the social origins. Not always, but in most of cases, poor people has no access to an education because of the lack of money and opportunities. But this situation has improved in the last decades with the free access to public education and improvements in the literacy rates of Latin American Countries. However, in countries such as Guatemala, 42% of women have no formal education (Indicators of female educational attainment in Latin America, by country, 1985-1989). As we observe in the table below, the 1/5 of the people in Bolivia and El Salvador has no education, which is a extremely bad indicator. In the rest of the Latin American countries the years of schooling show a better performance, reaching 10 years of education roughly. As we mentioned above, the improvements in education has been a major concern in Latin American Governments in the recent decade. As we observe in the table, countries such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and Mexico has showed substantial progress in the school attendance (1.4, 1.7, 1.4, 2.2. and 3.4 years respectively). The relation between fertility and education in Latin American is considered as the most powerful in the world. This is explained by the differential in reproductive strategies inside this society. If we refer to pretransitional societies, the behavior of women with no education is similar to the one of that societies, having on average 6 or 7 children, while women with better education have on average 2 or 3 children. In table 2, there is a surprising fact in which the fertility patterns (desired family size) are almost the same among poor (educated) women and educated women, but in practice they differ a lot. Referring to the contraceptive knowledge, here we find a big difference. The difference between uneducated and educated women in Colombia and Dominic Republic is 20% and 40% in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Mexico.

Play and Learning in the Early Years

Play and Learning in the Early Years In English preschools, play is an integral part of the curriculum, founded on the belief that children learn through self-initiated free play in an exploratory environment (Hurst, 1997; cited in Curtis, 1998). It was only in the early 1920s that play was linked directly to childrens development. The writings of such early educationists, as Froebel, the Macmillan sisters, Montessori, Steiner, and Susan and Nathan Isaacs, sowed the seeds for play being the basis for early childhood curricula. According to Froebel, play is the work of the child and a part of the educational process (ref). The Plowden Report (CACE, 1967) suggests that play is the principal means of learning in early childhood. In play, children gradually develop concepts of causal relationships, the power to discriminate, to make judgements, to analyze and synthesize, to imagine and formulate (The Plowden Report (CACE, 1967 (p.193). In our society, play serves countless important purposes. It is a means by which children develop their physical, intellectual, emotional and social skills. Much has been written about the definitions, functions and characteristics of play, for example Janet Moyles (1989) writes that Play is undoubtedly a means by which humans and animals explore a variety of experiences in different situations for diverse purposes. (Moyles 1989, p i). There are two conflicting opinions on the value of play, Early Years practitioners and some parents consider that play is the best way for young children to get a concrete basis for later school and life success. While other parents, practitioners and politicians believe that play is a waste of time. (quote). As a practitioner it is important to understand the true value of play and to advocate childrens right to play. This essay analyses the elements of an early years setting that support and encourage learning, comparing it with an alternative early years settings, while evaluating the importance of effective communication with babies and young children. It will also debate the importance of differentiation and inclusion in planning the early years curriculum. In addition the essay will include compare and contrast different settings to see how they relate to known theories of child development. Furthermore plans of play-based activities will be included to show support of the curriculum in the setting. Profile of setting. The school where I am currently in placement is situated within a woodland area surrounded by houses in Colchester, Essex. The school is currently providing education for 4-11 year olds and has approximately one hundred and sixty children on role. The school was originally formed in 1890, but was moved to its current site in the 1970s after a fire broke out. The school is a Church of England school and encourages the children to have a Christian view, with assembles and signs around the school. The feel of the school is a friendly, supportive, family originated environment, which is child focused. The type of child who attends the school is on average a child who will always do their best no matter what their background. The schools community is mixed race but has a high percentage of mainly white British families, the school has 38% free school meals, in August 09 had the highest jobseeker allowance attendance and has a high percentage of families on housing and benefits. The area t hat the school is situated is a renovation area that the Local Council are trying to regenerate. Within the two wards Essex County council and Colchester Borough Council the community have 2.3% rented housing and 10.5% housing. The Local Authority average is 11.85% which has almost double over the years. The school is above Local authority avenge and above national avenge which explains the percentage of free school meals. Lots of the house holds in the community have no formal education and there is a high percentage of children that are involved in social care. There are 4 children on the child protection register, 3 children which are looked after and 1 child on the child in need plan. The school has an equal amount of boys and girls in each class but there are one or two classes that have slightly more boys than girls which can inflict on learning styles and standards. The vision of the school is: We are a welcoming, happy and caring church school, where creativity is encouraged and everyone has confidence in their own abilities. We promote good social skills and participation in the Christian ethos of our school. We value others whatever their background or beliefs and respect our environment. We always aim high and do our best, cherish our friendships and respect everyones right to learn. We ensure that the key skills, vital for a successful future are taught to all of our children. We strive for a bright and wonderful future! (Ref) The school works with a number of organisations in the community. One is Child First, which is the collaborative name for the three Local Delivery Groups (LDG) of the schools in Colchester. The group first emerged out of the desire of Head Teachers in East Colchester, who wanted to improve the life chances for the children in their schools. With the arrival of the Extended Schools Agenda, it was a natural progression to extend the group to include all schools in Colchester. Also lying at the heart of the community is the church, which has a congregation of around 100 people. With differing ages, a variety of backgrounds and Christian experiences, the school finds itself strongly united to the church as a reverend from the parish visits the school regularly. Also the Ormiston Children and Families Trust works with the school to promote the wellbeing of children and young people through projects based around the Eastern Region. The Ormiston Centres work in partnership with Essex County Council, voluntary and statutory organisations, families and communities they are managing the seven Childrens Centres in Colchester. LO1 Compare setting with an alternative analyse the elements of a chosen early years setting that support and encourage learning, comparing it with alternative early year settings. What does the setting do to support and encourage learning? Current setting: The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) applies to children from birth to the end of the reception year. In our school all children join us at the beginning of the school year in which they are five. At present we have an intake of 28 children. Most have been to settings that exist in our community and many have attended the pre-school located on the school campus. At the school we recognise that every child is a competent learner who can be resilient, capable, confident and self assured. We recognise that children develop in individual ways, at varying rates. Childrens attitudes and dispositions to learning are influenced by feedback from others; we use praise and encouragement, as well as celebration/ sharing assemblies and rewards, to encourage children to develop a positive attitude to learning. In the Foundation Stage we set realistic and challenging expectations that meet the needs of our children. We achieve this by planning to meet the needs of boys and girls, children with special educational needs, children who are more able, children with disabilities, children from all social and cultural backgrounds, children of different ethnic groups and those from diverse linguistic backgrounds. We meet the needs of all our children through: Planning opportunities that build upon and extend childrens knowledge, experience and interests, and develop their self-esteem and confidence; Using a wide range of teaching strategies based on childrens learning needs; Providing a wide range of opportunities to motivate and support children and to help them to learn effectively; Providing a safe and supportive learning environment in which the contribution of all children is valued; Using resources which reflect diversity and are free from discrimination and stereotyping; Planning challenging activities for children whose ability and understanding are in advance of their language and communication skills; Monitoring childrens progress and taking action to provide support as necessary. At the school we recognize that the environment plays a key role in supporting and extending the childrens development. This begins by observing the children and assessing their interests, development and learning, before planning challenging but achievable activities and experiences to extend the childrens learning. We make regular assessments of childrens learning and we use this information to ensure that future planning reflects identified needs. Assessment in the EYFS takes several different forms. These provide information which is then combined to inform detailed pictures of whole individuals. The classrooms are organized to allow children to explore and learn securely and safely. There are areas where the children can be active, be quiet and rest. The school has excellent outdoor area provision. This has a positive effect on the childrens development. Being outdoors offers opportunities for doing things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors. It offers the children to explore use their senses and be physically active and exuberant. We plan activities and resources for the children to access outdoors that help the children to develop in all 6 areas of learning. At the school we recognize that children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. We believe that all our children matter and we give them every opportunity to achieve their best. We do this by taking account of our childrens range of life experiences when planning for their learning. Active learning occurs when children are motivated and interested. Children need to have some independence and control over their learning. As children develop their confidence they learn to make decisions. It provides children with a sense of satisfactions as they take ownership of their learning. Children should be given opportunity to be creative through all areas of learning, not just through the arts. Adults can support childrens thinking and help them to make connections by showing genuine interest, offering encouragement, clarifying ideas and asking open questions. Children can access resources freely and are allowed to move them around the classroom to extend their learning. Different setting: The Montessoris principle insight was that children are not merely small adults they have distinct and different thought processes and desires. What we may call play is a young childs work. The role of the educator is to provide the child with the opportunity to fulfil their desire to learn, both academically and socially. To use the latest educational catch phrases, Montessori education is multi-modality, differentiated instruction. (Ref). The Montessori method is split into five areas. Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Cultural. The Practical Life area improves the childs coordination and motor control, developing the pincer grip which is a requirement of writing. The Sensorial area refines the childs senses of the world around them, again preparing for language, and also for maths, serializing length and other physical characteristics. The Mathematics area provides numerical concepts in concrete form, using beads, cards, and spindles. The Language area teaches letters, then their phonetic sounds, and then builds words. The Cultural area extends the childs understanding beyond the classroom, teaching science, geography, botany, zoology and history. The teachers at a Montessori school observe their children in great detail asking the questions, what does this child understand? What is the next concept this child needs to learn? Obviously, a Montessori classroom will not look like a normal classroom. Rarely, if ever, will you find the whole class sitting with their books out looking at the teacher show them how to fill in a worksheet. Instead you will see children, some in groups, some by themselves, working on different concepts, and the teacher sitting with a small group of children, usually on the floor around a mat. Some people talk about the lack of structure in a Montessori Classroom. They hear the word freedom and think chaos or free for all. They seem to think that if all children are not doing the exact same thing at the exact same time that they cant possibly be working or that they will be working only on the things that they want and their education will be lopsided. Children will be given a work plan or a contract and will need to complete an array of educational activities just like in a more traditional classroom. The main difference being that the activities will be at each childs maximum plane of development, will be presented and practiced in a way that the child understands, and the child will have the freedom to choose which he/she does first. LO2 Communication Evaluate the importance of effective communication with babies and young children. Communication is a complex and important skill that is fundamental to human relationships, because humans appear primed to communicate from birth and we often underestimate the skills that must be developed if babies and children are to become sociable and effective communicators. The play experiences children need in order to become skilful communicators are those that encourage them to want to communicate with others and include not only verbal but also non-verbal responses such as movement of their whole body. LO3 Differentiation Differentiation is the recognition of and commitment to plan for student differences. A differentiated classroom provides different avenues to acquire content, to process or make sense of information and ideas, and to develop products. Differentiation can be referred to as an educational philosophy that requires teachers to modify their learning, teaching and assessment whilst adjusting the curriculum to the needs of children with SEN rather than expecting pupils to fit the existing curriculum (Cole 2008 cited in Rogers, 2007). The history of differentiation in education can be linked to two influential psychologists. Vygotsky proposed that learning can be mediated through the intervention of others. This recognises that by having knowledge of what a child already knows should inform the next stage of learning and what interventions are necessary to enable successful learning. Gardner (1993) proposed a theory of multiple intelligences in which people have different intelligences and learn in many different ways. Gardner conceived that schools should therefore offer individual-centred education (Florian et al, 2006 cited in Humphreys and Lewis 2008b) in which learning is tailored to the childs individual needs. Lo4 2 different early year curricula. The idea behind Forest Schools is that it is a long term sustainable approach to outdoor play and learning. Its about providing children with holistic development; it looks at every area in terms of their physical development, intellectual development and cognitive skills, also looking at their linguistic and language, both verbal and non-verbal. Forest Schools also looks at their emotional, social development and spiritual development. Whats interesting about the culture in some Scandinavian countries is being in and out doors are a part of how the family and culture works. But in Britain children are getting more and more isolated from the natural world. Forest Schools is very much about giving children the opportunity to learn in and from nature. Forest Schools is also about free play, its about self directed learning but its also about allowing the children to develop freedom and choice in order to be able to become competent and effective adults. In Every Chid Matters it states that every child should make an equal contribution. (Ref). The only way that children can do this is if they have sound self-esteem and sound emotional well-being and sound social skills and function in as many social situations as they choose. Forest Schools is about allowing children given their developmental dependant age the ability to be able to achieve social comfort. Forest Schools is an inspirational process that allows children to access the outdoor space in order to grow and develop into successful, happy rounded individuals. There is a misconception that Forest Schools is for Early Years; some of the most successful projects have been with older young people, adults with mental health problems and children in secondary education. (Ref). The .about allowing children and young people to grow with a sense of value of who they are and giving a positive contribution. Its all about using nature as the teacher as opposed to being adult lead. LO5 Activity Plans and Evaluation. Plan (see appendix .), Rationale behind choice of activity and Learning Objective. This activity was chosen as the reception class were looking at the Handa Surprise book and focusing on healthy foods. The day the activity was carried out a new student was present with his mother which added extra pressure for all the professionals. The learning environment offered opportunities for the children to experience tasting different fruits as the kitchen area was adjacent to the table in which the activity was carried out. It setting also had a large copy of the story so all the children were able to see the story (for Communication, Language and Literacy) and had the provisions to create the masks (Creative Development). I thought the topic would lend itself to the next days topic of healthy lunchboxes, which the whole school were focusing on. I chose to focus on any existing knowledge the children may have of different fruits and try and extend their understanding of way fruits are good for us. This leads into Early Learning Goal () of ..'(QCA, 2000). My main learning objective, therefore, was to introduce the children to new fruits and tastes, using language and listening to each other to find out what each child thought, in an accessible and enjoyable environment, so to encourage respect for each others views and turn taking. What happened? The week before carrying out the activity, i prepared the resources needed in school and discussed the other activities that my fellow practitioners would carry out. This involved printing, cutting and laminating the necessary pictures and masks. Also finding all the different fruits that were in the story. One fruit in particular i was unable to find but i improvised with a fruit drink that was made from the fruit so at least the children were able to taste the favour. I carried out this activity with a mixed ability group of 9 children. I began by asking the children to wash their hands as they were going to be eating fruit. When all the children were back in their seats, i gave each of them a bowl and a cup. I asked the children if they could remember the fruits in the story of Hands Surprise which was read earlier. The children seemed to have a positive attitude about being able to remember. With a small copy of the book i asked the children which was the first fruit that the monkey took out of Handas basket. When answered in cut the banana in pieces and gave each child a piece and asked questions such as what does the banana taste like? How does it feel? Do you like the banana? The children gave mostly good descriptions of the fruit and used appropriate vocabulary such as creamy, slippery and lovely. I carried out the same routine of cutting the fruit into sections and passing a section to each child and asking them to describe what it tasted l ike and how it felt and whether they enjoyed it. With the Guava fruit which was the fruit i could not purchase i informed the children of the situation and showed them the picture of the fruit on the carton of juice. I gave each child a taste and asked their option, the overall option was that the fruit tasted delicious but one child said that they didnt like it. The most interesting discussion came when i asked the children what they thought the passion fruit would look like inside, one child said that it might look like an orange, the same child that said the banana was creamy (extension). Overall most of the children enjoyed the fruit tasting apart from one (standard) child who kept giving negative reactions to the fruit saying that he doesnt eat fruit at home. I was happy that a least he tried some which i gave great encouragement to. While the fruit was being eaten i passed around picture cards of the fruit and asked each child in turn to pronounce the name of the fruit after me, most children had no problems with the pronunciations but one child struggled with avocado. I encouraged each child to have a little taste of each fruit and if they didnt like it then they didnt have to eat it and well done for trying was always encouraged. The extension child suggested that trying different fruits was good for us, as fruit was good for us. Which then lead a child that was refusing to try a certain fruit, tried it? At one point the dismissive child asked if we were finished and could go and play. Once all the children had tried all the fruit and we had discussed them and i asked the final question which was everyone favourite and their least favourite, the overall result being orange best, avocado worst. I explained that the children could go put their bowls in the sinks and wash their hands and then go and play. Evaluation. I believe this activity resulted in all the children achieving the main learning objective of introducing the children to new fruits and tastes, using language and listening to each other to find out what each child thought and to encourage respect for each others views and turn taking. The idea that the childrens peer could influence the decision of another child .. An effective learning environment does not leave children entirely to their own devices, but builds on what they can already do and challenges them to try new things. The role of the practitioner is vital in this process and sits within the social constructivist approach to learning. This theory was popularised by Vygotsky (1978, in Smith, 1999), who identified the zone of proximal development, (ZPD) as being a reason why childrens learning can be helped by others. Smith (1999) explained: The ZPD is the distance between the childs developmental level and his or her potential level of development under the guidance of adults or more competent peers (Smith, 1999: 429). As this was a hands on activity, the children were taking an active part in their own learning progress. It was Piaget (1966, in Smith, 1999) who first postulated that the child is a lone scientist, processing information and constructing meaning through encounters with their world. Most of the children focused their attention to the fruits they enjoyed using positive language and engaging in the ability to use words to describe what something tasted like or felt. One child tried to extend the activity to see who the fruit sounded when bounced on the table saying the orange sounded like a ball, this then encouraged the children to continue testing the sounds of fruit by knocking on them. The (extension) child asked if there was nothing in the fruit would it sound the same? The relative success of this activity highlighted that children of this age learn best through concrete experiences. When working with children of this age group it is preferable to adopt teaching strategies which allow for plenty of practical activities and exploration. The fact that one child lost interest in the activity, implies that I might need to develop this activity in some way to keep the attention of the less able or enthusiastic children. This was particularly notice when asking some children to use descriptive words to describe the fruit, as some children just repeated the word that their peer before them used. The language of one child was not as developed as the other children in the group, and this excluded them from full participation. On reflection, a different teaching strategy could have been employed to involve them more fully into the activity. It could be that they were more of a kinaesthetic learner than the others, as he keep looking at the children playing, so maybe using an activity that involved movement may have kept his attention. Also the activity was extended longer than anticipated as i had the cut each individual fruit into segments. If this activity was done again in the future maybe cutting the fruit into segments before the activity took place would be a more successful approach. As a result of this evaluation, i would have changed my plan to include more opportunities for the children to be involved in the activity in a more physical way, perhaps by using safety acceptable knives the children could help me cut the fruit. This may help some of the children with their fine motor skills as well. Also another way of engaging less able children might include asking them to participate in the preparation of the resources, maybe by asking them to bring their favourite fruit from the story in so they feel they have a more personal involvement. Finally, the only thing I would change would be to ask the children to put on aprons, as it got very messy, including me, as i too got very messy. Conclusion In conclusion recently there has begun to be a realization in the UK that play is important. There has been a surge of initiatives funded by government , such as Arts Council projects on creativity in schools and communities, the publication of Excellence and Enjoyment by the National Primary Strategy (DfES, 2003). This is putting a major emphasis on the importance of embedding the Foundation Stage and the Birth to Three Matters Framework in the work of local authorities across the maintained, voluntary and private sectors. Increasingly, research findings indicate the importance of the first years of education. Childrens ability to use spoken and written language fluently and with confidence and for a range of purposes enables them to access at an early age what education has to offer. The adults working in early years settings and classrooms have both the opportunity and responsibility to affect the future learning of their pupils in a far reaching and powerful way. Play is, it seems, about the universe and everything. It often has to function in a hostile environment, but when it is encouraged, supported and extended, it makes a major contribution to, and sophisticated impact on the development of individuals and humanity as a whole.