Critical analysis of your own personnel leadership approach, with an Essay

Critical analysis of your own personnel leadership approach, with an action plan for developing your own leadership potential - Essay Example According to Northhouse (2003), most traits studied in leadership are of men and most people perceive leadership as for men. But it is of reality today that many great leaders are women. As much as people know the importance of a leader, in a leader's mind and heart, it is also important to assess his own leadership style for further development. In this paper, we will examine the author's personal leadership and management style. In the end, the author is hopeful to inculcate lessons regarding leadership from his own leadership style and personnel management approach and hopefully be able to find out key elements in improving his own leadership. The author as a leader is democratic. He is democratic in a sense that he gives freedom to his members. Freedom is manifested in the fact the he encourages creative thinking from his members. His members are allowed to conceptualize ideas regarding the steps needed by the organization in taking the path towards success. His members are free to suggest action plans on how the organization will move. As a matter of fact, he requires each member to submit an action plan. He also emphasized the promotion of an atmosphere of free thinking. He also banners a participative leadership. "Participative leadership consults with subordinates about decisions" (Daft 2004). He does not give much pressure to his members. He believes that free thinking can promote a healthier environment for his members and will let them achieve better ends in their endeavor of achieving success. He gives tasks in a manner that his members enjoy doing it. But he also emphasized that freedom is limited to the extent that there is always discipline in his members. The freedom that he gives is not absolute because he always wants discipline to be bannered by his members. The author's leadership also creates a spirit of trust to his employees. This presupposes an atmosphere of freedom and innovation that banners free thinking. Given that a leader must have trust to his members, this will then pave way for his members to have confidence in themselves. The confidence that they gain will now give them the opportunity to innovate and create new schemes for the organization on what they deem important and vital for the attainment of its success. Employees can now be active players of the whole brain of an organization that runs the whole system. This will not only lead to growth of every employee but also to the organization as a whole. The author is also a leader that understands that man is basically a subject. This idea is from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. A subject can transcend predications and qualities that can be embedded unto him. Subjectivity entails possibilities and potentialities that people have. One cannot be boxed or limited to a certain "this" or "that". One is more than "this" that confronts a leader or anyone, one can be anything. Thus, he is a leader that relates beyond his function. Recognizing the subjectivity of people transcends mere objective interaction. Both of the parties involved are always in the perspective of openness. Openness is the acceptance of the "other" as a being just like oneself. The "other" is also unique and full of potentialities and thus, cannot be limited to a mere function or object. There is a sense of

Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Education - Research Paper Example The younger population enrolled in academic institutions is just as important to a country as the workforce is to the organization. This is due to the reason that this youth or the children will be the workforce of the country in coming years. They will take up important positions in the society as doctors, engineers, artists, soldiers, politicians and many of them will run the primary institutions of the country. Therefore, it becomes crucial to ensure that the students are placed in the right set of subjects. It means that the student gets the support to study those courses that relates to their natural talents and they get to choose the careers of interest consequently. It is more proficient and less tedious to polish the naturals than to expect good output from them and ambition to grow in fields which oppose their in-born talents. Moreover, the need of students to get to learn in a creative environment which brings out the best in them also becomes important. However, bringing o ut the best from a student doesn’t solely rely on the curriculum design, teacher’s behavior or the environment. Everyone is aware with the power of individual’s passion and interest in subjects to excel in different fields of education. It is evident in various studies that an individual is more creative and focused to the subjects of their interest. They tend to be more willing and enthusiastic about taking challenging tasks in fields that are of interest to them and are relevant to their skills and passion. A forced attempt to study courses that the student dislikes, create negative impacts on a student’s behavior. The effects are far reaching on student’s academic performance and later on their job performance too. A student who has a clear aim in mind and tends to follow a career in a field where they are naturally talented is more competitive, views the challenges as stages of a tournament, and measures the success in terms of better grades an d self satisfaction (O’Leary, 1985). Psychologically speaking, an individual who is forced to study or persuaded a career which is not of their choice forms feeling of rebellion in them. Students who are naturally talented with numbers will take up on challenging problems with great enthusiasm. However, a student who has little aptitude with numbers will find themselves shirking away from the unpleasant task. Many times the resulting loss of grade and performance doesn’t matter to the student as long as they can avoid a subject which they don’t like. Student behavior is a vastly studied phenomenon; the studies tend to uncover the underlying reasons for student’s boisterous behavior in the learning environment. The students are known to divert their feelings of unrest and lack of confidence by adopting a rowdy behavior, by disturbing others and also by refusing to take part in the classroom activity. Learning skills and knowledge in fields which resonate w ith student’s natural talents create a feeling of confidence and self satisfaction which can’t be instilled more efficiently in the student’s behavior in any other way. Education systems are typically based on the belief that through a continual teaching students can be made to learn skills and practices related to multiple fields even if they aren’t in frequency with the natural gifts in students. We can observe from our schooling experiences that there are more

Theories on the Gender Pay Gap

Theories on the Gender Pay Gap Australian women earn about 83 ¢ cents for every $1 a man earns, according to a new report analysing the gender pay gap. Linda McDowell suggests that gendered assumptions have a range of influences on contemporary workplaces. Analyse the gender pay gap, engaging with the theorists you have studied this semester. INTRODUCTION As Linda McDowell suggests, gendered assumptions coming from heteronormative ideals and rules significantly influence contemporary workplaces. This subsequently results in the gender pay gap (1995). This paper seeks to critically analyse the influences emanating from gendered assumptions on contemporary workplaces.   Additionally, the link between these assumptions and the gender pay gap will be examined. This will be executed through examining the impacts of heteronormativity, which result in a never-ending binarised cycle that perpetuates the gender pay gap. Further, the possible challenges to gendered assumptions introduced by Judith Butler will be examined. However, to ensure a well-rounded analysis, the shortcomings of these challenges, and the subversive power of hegemonic masculinity will also be discussed. WHAT IS THE GENDER PAY GAP? The gender pay gap in society is something that is deemed ‘distressingly evident’, and continues to steadily control women in society (McDowell 2014 p.829). In Australia, the Gender pay gap refers to the discrepancy in pay between men and women in employment. Current statistics highlight that full-time working women earn 84% of a mans pay, making the gender pay gap sit at 16%. (WGEA, 2017, p.8). From this, it is obvious that progress is necessary. However, progress is not only slow, but proving to be difficult, as the gender pay gap twenty years ago was sitting at 17%, meaning that it has taken up to two decades to improve women’s pay by a mere 1% (WGEA, 2017, p.8). This is highly indicative of the stronghold that institutionalised gendered assumptions have over the workforce, even in the twenty-first century. A key theorist on the gender pay gap, Linda McDowell, states that women in the workplace have fought to ‘establish the right to be there at all’ (1995,p.80). This idea that women need to gain rights to earn money is embedded in historical ideologies that are not only out-dated but still guide the lives of many women today. Early feminist interventions to improve access to work and pay rates are still ongoing, such as the Liberal Feminist movement. The Liberal Feminist movement began in the early 1800s, with the aim of providing women with rights equal to those of men in education, the workforce and in society   (Tong, 1989). Although some of the endeavours of the movement have been achieved, such as women acquiring corporate and authoritative jobs that were once male-dominated, there are new barriers (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016). The gender pay gap is one of the most significant new barriers implemented by institutions to prevent further development of gender equality in the workforce. The gender pay gap can be seen as originating from the three ‘glass ceilings’ embedded in contemporary society, and subsequently, contemporary workplaces (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016,p. 102). The term glass ceilings refers to the invisible barriers that women confront as they approach the top of the corporate hierarchy. This term was established by the Glass Ceilings Commission, which sought to identify the glass ceiling barriers, and remove the blockages to advancement of women and minorities in employment (USDOL, 1995). The commission found there were three levels of barriers. The first barrier is relates to prejudice and bias, coming from educational opportunities, or lack thereof. The second barrier is concerned with the internal structures of a business. These structures are controllable by the business. They relate to the corporate climate and what is referred to as ‘pipeline barriers’ that come from lack of training and career development, which leads to the stunting of possible career advancement (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016,p. 103). The final barrier is concerned with the government, and the lack of law enforcement, combined with dissemination of information about glass ceiling issues (Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M, 2016, p. 103). Although these three barriers cannot solely justify the widespread hold that the gender pay gap has on contemporary workplaces, they seek to pinpoint where the gender pay gap stems from, allowing work to be done in addressing these areas. HETERONORMATIVITY IN CONTEMPORARY WORKFORCES With the fundamental aspects of the gender pay gap now having been examined, the forces that perpetuate the existence of this significant issue within society require analysis. The most pressing force is the concept of heteronormativity, which is a harmful gender assumption that has a substantial influence on contemporary workforces. Heteronormativity can be defined as ‘a body of lifestyle norms, in which people tend to reproduce distinct and complementary genders (man and woman)’ (Herz & Johannson, 2015, p.1011). In contemporary society, heteronormativity is deemed to keep women in (within its confines) and also keeps women down, that is, subordinated (Jackson, 1999). Feminist discourse surrounding heteronormativity rose in second-wave feminism, the movement that broadened the feminist debate to address issues of inequality and sexuality, as well as workplace difficulties for women (Evans 1995). However, the origins of the ‘normalised’ heterosexual label within society can go back to the historical and cultural depictions of men and women from the eighteenth century (Boe & Coykendall, 2014). Though heteronormativity has a substantial presence within history and society, its impact as a gendered assumption within contemporary workforces is substantial. As heteronormativity conditions men and women to act a certain way according to their sex (which is also historically and socially defined), it leaves women boxed in.   Heteronormativity and the strict, reinforced gender binaries within society reflect the systems of oppression, and the construction of gender hierarchies (Herz & Johannson, 2015, p.1011). In order to maintain a hold on society, ideas of conforming to hyper-heteronormative behaviours are reinforced by institutions within society. Subsequently, these societal influences reverberate into education, family-life and in particular, the workforce. Although women have gained the right to coexist with men in contemporary workplaces, strict gender binaries prevent women from career development, strengthened abilities, and subsequently reinforce the gender-pay gap. The work of Angela McRobbie, a key theorist in the area of gender inequality in the workforce is highly pertinent to this discussion. McRobbie’s concept of the post-feminist masquerade highlights the harmful impact of gender assumptions in contemporary workforces (2007). McRobbie critiques the hyper-gendered performances women have been encouraged to engage in, as they place emphasis on the sexed body, and in turn gender differences. The ‘post-feminist masquerade’ is a means for patriarchal law and hegemonic masculinity to gain dominance against feminism (McRobbie, 2007, p. 723). Hegemonic masculinity refers to the configuration of â€Å"gender practice, which embodies the currently accepted answer to the problem of legitimacy of patriarchy which guarantees the dominant position of men, and the subordination of women† (Bartholomaeus, 2013, p.280). This is done through encouraging women to engage in feminine consumer culture, so as to reinscribe their femini nity in the workplace (McRobbie, 2007). These hyper-gendered performances include subscribing to common feminine practices, such as wearing tight skirts, high heels and a face full of make up to assert their femininity (McRobbie, 2007, p.722).   As women are encouraged to perform hyper-femininity, institutions are able to reinforce fear of retribution from abandoning heteronormativity in the workplace. This forces women back within the rigid gender binary, creating an even greater divide between men and women in the workspace, ultimately perpetuating the gender pay gap. THE LINK TO THE GENDER PAY GAP AND THE REPERCUSSIONS Based on the analysis to date, the harmful nature of gender assumptions in the workplace has been examined. However, the way that these gendered assumptions impact the gender pay gap requires concentrated analysis. Gender assumptions have a direct link to the gender pay gap, as they dictate the field of work that many women are in. Women are significantly overrepresented in the lowest paying occupations, as female-dominated jobs pay far less than male-dominated jobs (Ting, 2017). Feminised jobs include those relating to care-taking or domestic tasks, such as nursing, cleaning and childcare. These sex-segregated jobs are clearly indicative of the roles ascribed to women within heterosexual discourse. These feminised jobs stems from what is known as the caregiver model. This model is a historical regime that took the inherent caregiver role of women, and limited their employment to areas relating to this heteronormative ideal (McRobbie, 2007).   As more women are found in jobs that abide by the caregiver model, the influence of this troublesome ancient structure today is evident (McRobbie, 2007, p.730) However, this caregiver model cannot explain the fact that the gender pay gap in Australia has been found to exist in more than 1,000 occupations (Ting, 2017). This is due to the fact that men in workplaces are promoted into higher positions rather than their female counterparts (Jaffee, 1989, p.377). This is problematic, as there is somewhat a double-disadvantage coming from these jobs. Women in feminised occupations are â€Å"twice disadvantaged- first by being in a â€Å"female† field, and second by being a woman in that field, since men make more than women, even in â€Å"female† fields†Ã¢â‚¬ (Bishom-Rapp & Sargeant, 2016, p. 137). Additionally, women in corporate jobs face vertical segregation. Vertical segregation refers to the exclusion of women from organisational positions of autonomy and authority, due to the sex differences within workplaces (Jaffee, 1989, p.387).   Thus, the gender pay gap not only stems from the one area of feminised jobs, but also from a lack of career advancement that is within the power of organisations in society. According to Wolf and Fligstein, the sexual differences in power in the work setting ‘are an important factor generating inequality in earnings between men and women’ (1979, 235). This highlights how ideas about the femininity of women drive contemporary workforce standards, as women are expected to perform work according to their performance of heterosexuality. Further, the long-term disadvantages that come from gendered assumptions and the subsequent gender pay gap will be critically analysed. Not only does the gender pay gap lead to disadvantage for women in social, financial and personal situations, but also leads to lifetime disadvantage. Lifetime disadvantage refers to the factors that lead to ‘the retirement ills of many women’ (Bishom-Rapp & Sargeant, 2016, p. 190). That is, the risks that women face from being unequally paid. As women go into retirement, they are at risk of experiencing the critical impact of the gender pay gap. Women subsequently earn less over their lifetime, which results in lower superannuation, and a risk of poverty in old age. In 2012, 21.7% of women aged over 65 were at risk of poverty, whereas only 16.3% of men were likely to experience poverty (Bishom-Rapp & Sargeant, 2016, p. 116). Gender inequality in the workforce not only reflects current social position and power inequalities, but it also leads to detrimental outcomes of lifetime disadvantage for women. TACKLING THE GENDER BINARY Although gendered assumptions continue to drive workplaces, there are ways to tackle this blatant discrimination that women face in employment. According to leading gender theorist, Judith Butler, there is a means to challenge heteronormativity, which forms the foundation for the gender pay gap. Butler believes that gender is reiterated through regulatory practices, and is culturally constructed through the heterosexual matrix (Butler, 1990, p.9). The heterosexual matrix refers to the re-stabilisation of gender through women repeatedly engaging in feminised behaviours and appearances (Butler, 1990). Therefore, the sexed body only gains significance from its constant reification and institutionalised endorsement within society. As the gender binary requires engagement by society, an inherent instability within this social construct can be made out (Butler, 1990, p11). Because of this, women are able to exploit gendered assumptions through their constant reinforcement, as it becomes obvious to those looking to challenge it. Women in the workforce have already taken charge in this area, as the overall gender pay gap in full-time employment decreased in 2015 to 2016 (WGEA, 2017,p.15). By viewing sex and gender as something culturally, historically and socially constructed, society will be able to define themselves with their own limitations and freedoms by challenging these constructed ideals. In particular, the feminist movement will make significant headway in this area through challenging normative heterosexuality. This effect will reverberate in the workforce, as the structures seeking to restrain women from challenging hegemonic masculinity will destabilise. The gender pay gap, in particular, has improved among men and women in trades including machinery operating and building, decreasing by 4% in terms of total remuneration between 2015 and 2016 (WGEA, 2017, p. 16). This is indicative of the progress being made by women in challenging the preconceived capabilities of their bodies. By going beyond the behaviours of gender that limit their capabilities, they are able to challenge both gender constructs and inequality in the workforce. As McDowell suggests, women’s sexed bodies are threatening in the workplace for the very reason that they are not meant to be there -‘They challenge the order of things’ (1995,p.80). Not only have women challenged order through entering the workforce; they have also challenged the very structured foundation of the order.   This provides women with the means to break through the metaphorical glass ceilings that limit equality in the workplace. Additionally, if women persevered with obtaining both equality and equity, it would ‘liberate not only women but also human personality from the straitjacket of gender’ (Herz & Johannson, 2015, p.1010). Therefore, by furthering the feminist movement, those reinforcing hegemonic masculinity and the institutions that enforce gendered assumptions will be disembodied. This includes the governing of each individual of society through the heterosexual matrix. THE PARADOX THAT IS GENDER EQUALITY In current gender studies, there are now ways to challenge gender assumptions that feed the gender pay gap. However, the gender pay gap is not in steady decline, and is expected to hold its position, if not rise in areas of managerial roles (WGEA, 2017, p. 6). As individuals are provided with the previously mentioned means to challenge the reification of gender binaries, the institutional stronghold over sex and gender conceptions tightens, finding new ways to subvert these challenges. By virtue of the fact that women are entering the workforce and fighting for equal pay, hegemonic masculinity is weakened. Because of this, institutions use any perceived gender equality improvements to set the fight back, rather than enhance it. This can be seen through the concept of ‘attribution of capacity’ enunciated by Angela McRobbie (2007). This attribution of capacity refers to the freedom given to women in the workforce. In a post-feminist context, women are provided with roles of accountability and autonomy, with the expectation of embodying a strong, can-do attitude to work. However, McRobbie argues that these improvements are instead reinscription of hegemonic masculinity, leading to drawbacks in the fight for equal pay. Women are ‘invited to recognise themselves as privileged subjects’ and are expected to be grateful for achieving   (with a fight) the fundamental human right of equality (McRobbie, 2007, p, 722). As institutions have relinquished this control over who enters the workforce, they apply new barriers under the faà §ade of equality. Women are now expected to be accomplished subjects who can come forward, however this is only on the condition that feminism fades away despit e neither equality nor equity being achieved (McRobbie, 2007, p.720). Therein lies what Raewyn Connell refers to as the patriarchal dividend, which is the advantage given to men as a group from maintaining inequality within society (2009). Monetary income from the workforce is just one of the benefits, in addition to respect, safety, institutional power and autonomy. (Connell, 2009, p.142). From the reinforcement of hegemony, the patriarchal dividend and gender binaries within society as a response to feminist movements, women are once again placed back into the labels and categories that they first sought to escape from, subverting years of feminist work. Additionally, the critique of the ‘Virgin Atlantic: 25 years: Still red-hot’ highlights the drawback that women face in the postfeminist struggle for equality (Duffy et al., 2016). The article critiques the marketing strategies used to evoke idealised gender appearances in a postmodern context in order to facilitate the perpetuation of gender binaries. The advertisement ultimately utilises ‘good old-fashioned sexism while simultaneously distancing themselves from it’, which suggests that the institutions that seek to retain a hold over postmodern feminism have utilised the newfound freedom of women and bent it to their will, making women slaves in their own emancipation (Duffy et al., 2016, p. 266). CONCLUSION Ultimately, by examining the structures within the contemporary workforce, the gender pay gap has been critically analysed. By examining the institutionalised gender binaries entrenched within society, the root causes of the gender pay gap have been established and evaluated. The analysis reveals that through heteronormativity and the enforcement of gender binaries, the gender pay gap is perpetually reified, with lifelong effects. Although Butler provides an outlet for change through challenging these binaries, the institutional stronghold over the sexed body and its link to societal outcomes proves to be rigidly in place, as discussed by a key theorist studied within the unit, Angela McRobbie. REFERENCE LIST: 1. Bartholomaeus, C (2013) ‘Colluding With or Challenging Hegemonic Masculinity’.  Australian Feminist Studies, vol. 28, pp. 279-293. 2. Bishom-Rapp, S & Sargeant, M (2016) Lifetime disadvantage, discrimination and the gendered workforce. Cambridge University press. 3. Boe, A & Coykendall, A (2014) Heteronormativity in Eighteenth-century Literature and Culture. Ashgate publications. 4. Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, New York: Routledge, pp.1-19. 5. Connell, R (2009). Gender Politics.  Gender. Pp.136–51. Cambridge: Polity Press. 6. Duffy, K, Hancock, P, & Tyler, M (2016) ‘Still red-hot? Postfeminism and gender subjectivity in the airline industry’. Gender, work and organization, vol. 24, pp. 260-273. 7. Evans, J (1995) Feminist theory today: An introduction to second-wave feminism. Sage publications. 8. Herz, M & Johansson, T (2015). ‘The normativity of the concept of heteronormativity’. Journal of Homosexuality. Pp. 1009- 10209. 9. Jackson, S (1999) Heterosexuality in question. Sage publications. 10. Jaffee, D (1989) ‘Gender inequality in workplace autonomy and authority’. Social science quarterly, vol. 70, pp. 375-390 11. McDowell, L (1995) Body work: heterosexual gender performances in city workplaces. (Routledge) 12. McDowell, L (2014) ‘Gender, work employment and society: Feminist reflections on community and change’. Work, employment & society. pp.825-837. 13. McRobbie, A (2007) ‘Top Girls? Young women and the post-feminist sexual contract’. Cultural Studies. pp.718-737. 14. Ting, I 2017. ‘The gender income gap in more than 1000 occupations, in one chart’, The Age. Viewed: 22 April 2017.

Ramsey vs. Fletcher :: essays research papers

As a student at Southern Methodist University, I have acquired knowledge from requisite classes to not only better myself, but also for the betterment of my community. I feel, as apart of the human race, that we should continue to strive for an enhanced community by gaining information from other humans. However, in order for this greater sense of community to occur, we must realize there are morals to withstand. Socrates posed the question â€Å"have we learned how to teach virtue?† I believe that it is a work in progress. Although, ethics did not have a primary role in society until the mid twentieth century, I feel that we are making progress leaps and bounds to achieve this goal in a short amount of time. After reading ethicists Paul Ramsey and Joseph Fletcher’s words many questions were raised that would seem to have contradicting answers. Therefore, other ethicists and students are obligated to lean toward one side or the other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Paul Ramsey’s preface to The Patient as Person, we get a clear depiction of where he stands on ethics today. Ramsey says that it is important to keep the covenant between man and man and man and God. The covenant between man and man is that men need to have a kind of faithfulness to each other that is righteous (Pg. 53). For example, when you visit the doctor you, as a patient, have an obligation to trust the doctor. The doctor has an advantage because he/she has been educated in the field of medicine. . You have faith that the doctor will do what is right for the enhancement of your health. Sometimes doctors abuse that aspect of their profession and use it to better science. James P. Scanlan uses the argument of finding the valuable truth and scientific knowledge which is morally impossible to obtain (Pg. 55). Ramsey responds by saying, â€Å"These are salutary warnings precisely because by them we are driven to make the most searching inquiry concerning more basic ethical principles governing medical practice.† While becoming a doctor, one may feel as if they must constantly better the field of health using science. â€Å"Doctors†, Ramsey says, â€Å"Need to become moral philosophers† (Pg.55). If the doctors do not think morally, then medical ethics will slowly become scoured till there is nothing left. Granted, there are doctors and medical students who have looked at this situation from a moral perspective, but I believe, as does Ramsey, that doctors will get caught up in the â€Å"omnivorous appetite of scientific research. Ramsey vs. Fletcher :: essays research papers As a student at Southern Methodist University, I have acquired knowledge from requisite classes to not only better myself, but also for the betterment of my community. I feel, as apart of the human race, that we should continue to strive for an enhanced community by gaining information from other humans. However, in order for this greater sense of community to occur, we must realize there are morals to withstand. Socrates posed the question â€Å"have we learned how to teach virtue?† I believe that it is a work in progress. Although, ethics did not have a primary role in society until the mid twentieth century, I feel that we are making progress leaps and bounds to achieve this goal in a short amount of time. After reading ethicists Paul Ramsey and Joseph Fletcher’s words many questions were raised that would seem to have contradicting answers. Therefore, other ethicists and students are obligated to lean toward one side or the other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Paul Ramsey’s preface to The Patient as Person, we get a clear depiction of where he stands on ethics today. Ramsey says that it is important to keep the covenant between man and man and man and God. The covenant between man and man is that men need to have a kind of faithfulness to each other that is righteous (Pg. 53). For example, when you visit the doctor you, as a patient, have an obligation to trust the doctor. The doctor has an advantage because he/she has been educated in the field of medicine. . You have faith that the doctor will do what is right for the enhancement of your health. Sometimes doctors abuse that aspect of their profession and use it to better science. James P. Scanlan uses the argument of finding the valuable truth and scientific knowledge which is morally impossible to obtain (Pg. 55). Ramsey responds by saying, â€Å"These are salutary warnings precisely because by them we are driven to make the most searching inquiry concerning more basic ethical principles governing medical practice.† While becoming a doctor, one may feel as if they must constantly better the field of health using science. â€Å"Doctors†, Ramsey says, â€Å"Need to become moral philosophers† (Pg.55). If the doctors do not think morally, then medical ethics will slowly become scoured till there is nothing left. Granted, there are doctors and medical students who have looked at this situation from a moral perspective, but I believe, as does Ramsey, that doctors will get caught up in the â€Å"omnivorous appetite of scientific research.

Positive changes to the communication environment Essay

There are many positive changes to the communication environment which can be made to support the communication development of children with BSED, and some have already been outlined in Assessment 2.2 and 2.3. Other positive changes may include using visual support in the form of picture cards, makaton signs or even pointing to objects when speaking. This gives further clarification to our speech and helps a child with communication difficulties understand what is being taught or requested of them, which in turn will prevent any confusion and misunderstanding which could lead to undesired behavior being displayed. To assist a child’s understanding of our instructions, we should also speak clearly and slowly, using simple age appropriate language in simple sentence structures. Asking the child to reiterate what is being asked of them can help ensure they understand, although in some children they may not have the vocabulary to do this. With those children, we could demonstrate our request i.e. asking ‘please help tidy up’ can be reinforced by picking up blocks and putting them in the box and indicating for the child to assist. In older children using written and verbal language, we should again ensure they understand by reading through any signs or written documents with them, pointing out and explaining any key words and reiterating any importance. Similarly, storage for toys and equipment could be labeled with words and pictures, so each child knows where items belong when they need to be put away, and also where to find them if they need them. Staff, including volunteers could offer regular one to one direct support to the child for their communication skills whether this is assistance with reading or phonics. This allows the child to learn in a quieter and less pressured environment and gives them extra precious time to potentially develop the skills which their peers already have. All staff should be given extra training and be made more aware of the difficulties that children with  SLCN and BSED experience in order to offer extra support successfully. As already mentioned, creating a calmer and quieter environment with fewer distractions can help most people concentrate better, but will work exceptionally well for a child who is already easily distracted due to their BSED. Minimal distractions allow the adult to spend more quality time supporting the child, making it easier to communicate as the child is more focused and therefore more receptive to learning. In any environment there needs to be clear boundaries and rules, and these need to be made easy to understand and achieve for children of all ages and abilities. A consistent approach to dealing with conflicts regarding rules helps to avoid any misunderstanding for the child. As already mentioned, a child seeking attention will gain this in the way easiest to him or her, and if attention is usually only given following negative behavior, then this how the child is likely to behave. Positive encouragement and praise should be given as often and as emphasized as negative comments as this will help the child acknowledge that good behaviour is just as, if not more so rewarded than undesirable behaviour. Unfortunately in society there is a stigma attached to people with SCLN and/or BSED, and a less than favourable opinion can be formed by a child when witnessing how an adult deals with a child’s behaviour. It is therefore imperative that we show no discrimination towards a child with SLCN or BSED, nor make them feel any different or inferior to their peers. All children can benefit from having information clarified and reiterated especially rules and boundaries, so this doesn’t need to be a direct communication just towards the child with extra needs. If a child is made to feel different than their peers in a classroom, they may react to this in a negative manner as it accentuates their extra needs and draws attention to them which may be unwanted. Their reactions may be to become more withdrawn and show less pro-social skills, or to display disruptive or even aggressive behaviour in order to express their feelings of upset. A child with BSED and communication difficulties may not understand their work or what is required of them and we must encourage ways of the child asking for help, as well as  us pro offering support. One way to do this within a classroom environment could be to use playing cards, with each pupil having a card each, and if they require help they can turn the card over on their desk, so only the teacher can see, avoiding drawing attention to themselves by having to put their hand up and request help and reducing any embarrassment they may feel. Simple reward charts work well with most children but need to be realistic regarding expectations and consistent in recognizing achievements. This could be done as an overall class chart or individual charts for each child aimed at specific development areas. The school my 5 year old daughter attends uses a ‘traffic light’ system to acknowledge good and negative behaviour. All children begin with their name tag on green, however if negative behaviour is witnessed then they move to amber – if the behaviour improves, they move back to green, if it proceeds as negative behaviour then move to red. Each time a child moves to amber, they lose 5 minutes from their playtime, and if on red, they lose their ‘golden’ free play time on a Friday. If the child is on green all week, they receive a treat on a Friday (usually a sweet, lollipop etc) and for those displaying exceptional hard work or efforts, a certificate of merit is given. The children respond well to this as their ‘punishment’ for negative behaviour is immediate (or as near as can be) so they quickly learn to display alternative behaviour. It is important to remember that a child with BSED may not recognize boundaries and the cause and effect of their behaviour or a reward scheme and therefore a tailored approach would be required. Teaching a child with BSED techniques on how to deal with their emotions before they reach a crisis point can help the child manage their behaviour and develop their emotional and social skills at the same time as their communication skills. Ways of doing this could include teaching the child a way in which to communicate to their key worker or teacher that they require help or that they are angry or frustrated. This allows the key worker or teacher to support the child before the feelings escalate. Other ways may include helping the child to use a ‘time out’ facility whereby when the child is feeling anxious or angry, they go to a quiet corner until they feel calmer and someone can support them. Using play or activities which the child has a specific interest in (or even using favourite toys or characters within the activity) will help the child maintain their interest and allow them further opportunities to interact, increasing their communication and social skills. Finally, reiterating the day’s timeline can help children understand what is happening next or when certain activities will take place. Many young children have little concept of time, and for a child who is unsettled and finding it difficult to conform to the boundaries within the setting, it may help them feel more at ease and less anxious if they know what to expect next. The timeline could be repeated verbally or simple pictures could be displayed to show what activity will be happening soon i.e. lunchtime (a picture of a sandwich and drink), outdoor play (picture of trees and a ball) or home time (a picture of a coat). Many different ways can be implemented but they may require a lot of time, and a great deal of extra effort from staff before a child begins to display any positive changes and this should be taken into account before deciding that a specific strategy appears to not be working.

Brighton Rock †Sympathy Essay

â€Å"Greene does not encourage us to find much sympathy for any of the character† At the beginning of the novel, from the reader’s perspective Spicer gives the impression of being a young boy, in particular with his refusal to eat after they have murdered Hale. â€Å"I’ll be sick†¦if I eat† The Boy then responds with â€Å"Spew then†, this suggests that Spicer has a weakness especially within the group. As well as this it implies that Spicer regrets or feels a large amount of emotion towards the act they have just committed unlike Pinkie who seems totally unfazed. However, as the book continues we learn that Spicer is an older man as we are told of his â€Å"spots† that appear as well as â€Å"upset†¦bowels†, his â€Å"carroty† hair and his â€Å"scarred† nose. The sympathy the reader felt before then changes to loathing, as these new descriptions create an unattractive image for the reader. As well as this his earlier weakness now comes across as spineless and almost pathetic. We also learn that Spicer used to be a Jew â€Å"but a hairdresser and surgeon had altered that†. This reiterates the point that Spicer is spineless as he can’t even stand by his religion unlike Pinkie who has very strong religious views. Green does not actively encourage us to find sympathy in Pinkie by referring to him as either Pinkie or The Boy neither are his real name which creates a barrier between him and the reader which means that the reader has a lesser connection with him from the beginning compared to characters like Ida. As well as this Pinkie comes across as emotionless and therefore inhuman, for example there is no indication that Pinkie feels any remorse for arranging Hale’s murder. In addition to this Pinkie’s eyes are described as â€Å"slatey† which gives the impression they are cold and emotionless, this makes the reader feel disconnected from Pinkie as he is so disconnected from human beings. Pinkie is also hard to understand as he does not behave as expected, for example he reacts negatively to anything with warmth like romance, sex and even music, this is shown when dancing with Rose at Shelley’s as the music and intimacy conjures violent thoughts as it is said that he â€Å"caresses the bottle of vittorol†. Therefore it is hard for the reader to connect at all with Pinkie let alone with sympathy. Although when Pinkie’s age is mentioned it conjures up some sympathy, as it reminds the reader that Pinkie is only a boy trying to compete in man’s world. This is shown metaphorically when Greene mentions Pinkie’s suit being â€Å"a little too big for him†. As the focus of the characters is male heavy there is little emotion conjured with the two female characters. There is little written solely about Rose but the reader, especially female readers while sympathise with Rose’s side of her relationship with Pinkie as it the typically case of falling in love with the wrong man. Ida on the other hand conjures little sympathy because she is not a weak, dependent character like Rose but is incredibly strong-willed and independent. Overall I agree with the statement as Greene creates little sympathy towards his characters as you therefore feel the correct emotion toward the characters and not fazed by a â€Å"sob story†.