Ruperts Land: The Division Lies Only in Interpretation :: American America History

Rupert's Land: The Division Lies Only in Interpretation I sit here and I consider myself a young and developing Historian. I consider Frits Pannekoek and Irene M. Spry to be similar historians, yet with more knowledge, age, and experience. What I am sure does not differ between myself, these Authors and other related Historians, is a certain degree of ability to take a piece(s) of work and critically canalize it. I have done just that recently. I have taken the essays, The Flock Divided: Fractions and Feuds at Red river by Frits Pannekoek and The Metis and Mixed-Bloods of Rupert's Land before 1870 by Irene M. Spry, and I have done my own critical analysis. I believe that both Authors are very persuasive in their respective essay, however when analysed and broken down the reader can see that aspects of both essays can be used to determine that just like any groups of a society the two Native groups of Rupert's land were at times separated other times they were not. I would tend to sway more to Spry's well researched essay, but Pannekoek's positive points must also be mentioned to get a broad picture. This is best done by addressing the respective essay one at a time, then bringing some ideas together. Before I get right down to analyse Pannekoek and Spry I must give the general background that the two essay use as their base. The Rupert's Land of Red River has many ethnic groups. The two that are concentrated on, as Pannekoek I believe accurately puts it, are the English speaking Protestant mixed blood (Half-breeds, respectively) and the French speaking Catholic mixed blood (Metis, respectively) . It must also be know the location of Rupert's Land to get a proper mental picture of the events. Rupert's Land, Red River, was in what today would be (fill in later when you find location). The main point that Frits Pannekoek makes in her essay is as follows. Panekoek reasons that there are differences between the Metis and the Half-breeds that led them to form to groups apart from each other, with a bitter relationship between the two . Pannekoek believes that "In fact there was little unity between the two groups during the Riel Resistance" . I must start of my first main point by saying that essential there is much reliability to what Frits Pannekoek is saying.

Learning Outcome Essay

Be able to conduct and record assessments in accordance with internal and external processes and requirements 2.1 Review the assessment requirements and related procedures of learning programmes (AQA. 2012).Assessment is the process by which a learner’s skills and knowledge are reviewed in order to evaluate what they have learnt or in the case of NVQs, how they are performing against the competencies they are required to demonstrate. I see classroom assessment as having four main purposes. The first three include: Diagnostic or needs assessment purpose: To determine what students already know so teachers can decide the topics and approaches to use. Formative purpose for teacher: To assess student knowledge or performance on some key topic or dimension to inform instructional plans. Summative purpose: To judge or evaluate student performance (i.e., give a grade). In addition, research is increasingly clear that the quality of the feedback teachers give students relative to how to improve is an absolutely critical aspect of classroom assessment.(Serve, 2006) This leads to the fourth purpose: Formative purpose for students: To help students develop the skills to reflect critically on their own work. By asking students to assess themselves, teachers encourage students to engage in the type of higher-order thinking necessary for life today. The aim of assessment therefore is primarily to educate and improve student performance, not merely audit it. Assessment will ensure that learners are fairly, accurately and regularly assessed in a consistent manner, provide diagnostic information that assists both staff and learners/ candidates to provide, appropriate support to enable achievement of the learning outcomes (initial assessment), allow learners/ candidates to monitor their own progress, enable tutors to review and develop their learning programmes to achieve their intended learning outcomes, provide evidence of progress and achievement to enable accreditation and progression to take place, enable a dialogue between the learners/ candidates and tutor / assessors to ensure progression within the provision (tracking) and provide a measure of the learner’s achievement on qualification based courses (grades). (Barnet College Assessment Policy, Jan 11, 2010) FIG.1 Scheme of Assessment It is imperative that internal assessments are conducted by staff that have the appropriate knowledge, understanding and skills, that assessment evidence provided by candidates has been produced and authenticated according to the requirements of the specification and also that the consistency of the internal assessment is secured through internal standardisation as necessary. (www.llantarnamschool.net/). In recent years, assessment of student achievement has been receiving the attention of teachers, parents, researchers and education systems. This attention has highlighted assessment as integral to the teaching and learning process. Current assessment practices need to reflect changes based on new understandings of learning theories, new curricula that are being developed, new knowledge and skills that are necessary for the 21st Century and the accountability requirements of systems and governments. In this respect assessment of student achievement is changing as today’s stude nts face a world that demands new knowledge, skills and behaviours that have not yet been defined (Segers et al 2003). Students, in this fast and ever changing context, need not only develop deep understandings of disciplines but also develop the ability to analyse, synthesise and make inferences as well as think critically and problem solve. Assisting students to develop these knowledge, skills and behaviours and become life-long learners requires changes in the assessment processes at the school and classroom level. Assessment may be initial, formative or summative. (Hampshire Learning Policy and Procedures for Assessment and Internal Verification, Nov, 2012) As a history teacher I use different types of assessments to assess whether teaching has taken place in my lessons. When teachers’ classroom assessments become an integral part of the instructional process and a central tenet in their efforts to help students learn, the benefits of assessment for both students and teachers will be boundless. The purpose of these assessments is to ascertain the student’s levels of understanding and see if there is any room for improvement and whether there are any weaknesses so as to be able to correct them. My focus is to improve my assessments to make them motivating and to enhance student learning. Assessment challenges that have been identified are as follows: Figuring out what really is important  for students to know and be able to do in history. Teaching the skills of â€Å"doing history† in a world of testing that often seems to value only factual knowledge. Identifying and using assessments that provide teachers with better information than only multiple-choice exams. Getting students motivated to do a good job on essays and other written work. Helping students learn to improve their own work and produce quality products. Holding students accountable for quality work, as opposed to them just turning in something. The assessments have to be conducted and recorded in accordance with internal and external processes and requirements. I use these assessments to evaluate my practice and to identify any opportunities for improvement. FIG. 2 Assessment objectives Good assessments should follow these basic principles or the acronym AVRFI. Authenticity: All assessment activity must have in place processes to ensure that the achievement is the learner’s/ candidate’s own work. Learners/ candidates must sign a statement to this effect. Awarding Bodies boards have their own rules and regulations about authenticity and tutors/ assessors must make themselves familiar with them and abide by them. Validity: The method of assessment and the evidence provided must be appropriate and capable of demonstrating the achievement of learning outcomes/ competencies and related assessment criteria of the provision at the appropriate level. Reliability and consistency: The assessment results should be standardised across levels and provision. Moderation and standardisation must follow the College and Awarding Bodies board procedures. Fitness for purpose: Assessment must be fit for the learners/ candidates and the learning. The assessment strategy must be clearly appropriate for the target group of learners/ candidates in the correct context in which they are learning e.g. homework must be supportive, or initial diagnostic must not be intimidating. The criteria and methods which are being used to judge the work must be clear to the learner, staff and internal and external moderators /verifiers and meet and exceed the requirements of QCA/QAA, the awarding bodies and our learner/ candidate charter. Inclusiveness: Assessment should be based on learners’/ candidates’ needs. It must allow all learners/ candidates to demonstrate their achievements regardless of individual circumstances. Students, in this fast and ever changing context, need not only develop deep understandings of disciplines but also develop the ability to analyse, synthesise and make inferences as well as think critically and problem solve. Assisting students to develop these knowledge, skills and behaviours and become life-long learners requires changes in the assessment processes at the school and classroom level. Current learning theories attempt to capture all the parameters of human learning and provide information on how people learn. Common threads through learning theories indicate directions that have important implications for the educative process. (www.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk/ ) My assessments are divided into three distinct classes, which are: initial/diagnostic, formative and summative assessments. Initial/diagnostic Assessments: This is a crucial part of the learning process that provides the information needed to decide a learner’s starting point. These assessments take place prior to the course commencement and it helps teachers to know and recognize about learners needs or aspects. Practically it helps me to identify the learners prior knowledge, such as learner needs or difficulties for which I may plan an additional support for them (Reece, I. and Charlton, M. 2007). This can also help me to check if they have any evidence based recognition of prior learning (RPL). Initial assessments can assist me check their literacy, numeracy and ICT levels and are considered to evaluate student skills, knowledge, strength and areas for developments. Formative Assessments: These are on-going assessments that take place throughout the course process. Formative assessment is focused on improving student motivation and learning with the goal of producing higher–quality work or thinking. There are two different audiences for formative assessment. One audience is the teacher. That is many teachers might check student understanding by asking questions or by observing students as they discuss a topic in small groups. These teachers are informally collecting data that will help them determine what needs to happen next in instruction. So the teacher is therefore the data user. The second audience for formative assessment is the student. Students need to know what will move their essay answer on a particular question from a C to an A. They need to know what it means to read content deeply for understanding and how their strategies for studying content can be improved. Research shows that providing students with effective feedback can increase  student achievement significantly (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). Feedback is most effective when it is timely, occurring within one to two days of the work; when it provides feedback specific to the student’s work; and when it is relative to a criterion or standard. Formative assessment can therefore be said to assess learners’ performance and understanding levels during the course and learning session. In my classes I use different methods to assess my learners. They can be questions and answers (Why, When, How, What), multiple choice questions (A, B, C, D), Practical tests, Assignments, and the final project (Reece, I. and Charlton, M. 2007). These assessments can be set as an internal assessment, for example before I start my lesson, I can do a ten minutes quiz test on my pervious lesson in order to find out and monitor my students learning process (How much they understand), highlight any areas which need further development, and lastly to see if they are able and ready for the last assessment on the course or what’s so called summative assessments. Types of Formative Assessment There is a large range of formative assessment methods available. This includes, Question and Answer in the Lesson This is perhaps the most commonly used method and is almost instinctive for teachers. It gives instant feedback, can be used to develop motivation but is largely ephemeral – that is to say that it is momentary and difficult to record. Short Tests and Quizzes These are either from textbooks or devised by the teacher. These are informal, can be fun and marks can be simply recorded. Used with care they can become part of everyday teaching and learning. Homework Exercises These vary in purpose, design and complexity. ‘Purpose’ is the key word here. Students will make good use of homework if they feel it is useful, for example, preparation of material for a class discussion, seeing how a piece of writing ends, developing a skill, are all appealing tasks. Skills Assessment using Formal Assessment Criteria These may be the foundation for many skills-based courses. This method  requires experience in ‘on the hoof’ assessment and systematic recording. Observation of Performance This is often used in the arts such as music and skill assessment such as team and leadership exercises. It needs expert and experienced assessors. Assignments This term spans a vast range of tasks but an example might be individual research assignments say for a group project. A very useful and increasingly used method, especially in conjunction with homework. May involve library and internet investigations, visits and interviews. However it is difficult to manage and assess. Projects Increasingly used in modern education as it is felt that developing your own learning material/methods gives you an ‘ownership’ of your own learning experience. The assessment methods of the various project components need careful design and clear communication to the students. Written Questions / Exercises with Short, Extended or Multiple-choice Answers Very widely used. Easy to design, mark and assess. Simulations, Business Games Almost guaranteed to produce lively learning sessions. Can teach a number of skills imaginatively and effectively. The better ones contain useful directions to possible methods of assessment. May well be time-consuming. Conferencing / Reviews / Audit This involves sitting down with learners and reviewing their written work/homework/progress in general. A very useful and beneficial process for teachers and students. Can be used to introduce care, involvement and motivation into the teacher-learner relationship. Three points to watch when operating it as a method. 1. It can be time consuming as you have to give all students a review session. (If you do not – those who are omitted will feel rejected!) 2. If you do it in class you must ensure that those not involved have something useful to be getting on with. 3. Make notes on student performance immediately after the review, not during it. Summative Assessments: Summative assessment looks at whether a student has achieved the desired learning goals or met standards. In the classroom, summative assessments usually occur at the end of instruction and document what  students have learned. Looking at the grades in a teacher’s grade book should give an idea of what the ke y instructional goals or outcomes were for a grading period. These grades most likely represent summative assessments (tests, quizzes, projects, reports, written assignments etc) that tell the teacher whether the student has mastered the skills or learned the content. A key aspect of summative assessment is determining which level students need to master the content or thinking. Tests that define mastering content at the level of memorizing events, names and facts are less likely to building students’ thinking skills than tests that ask students to write about big conflicts or themes that recur over time. Therefore good summative assessments are useful. The assessment must provide you with useful information about student achievement in the course. The assessment must be tied to the learning goals you have and those learning goals must be important. If you assess unimportant or trivial concepts or just use chapter tests without really looking at the items critically in terms of whether they reflect your teaching, what have you learned a bout what your students know? Valid for your purposes, the assessment must measure what it is supposed to measure. For example, if you ask students to draw a map reflecting the change in U.S. borders from 1789-1820, you will need to ensure that the assessment is scored based on students’ understanding of the concepts not based on their ability to draw. Sometimes, the way the test is presented (e.g., small print with lots of complicated or confusing directions or too many items) can make it a less valid measure of the content being tested. It may be more a measure of student persistence than a measure of their knowledge of the content. As a teacher, taking a test yourself before giving it to your students will help ensure that the items reflect content you actually taught. It will also help you to decide if there are some aspects of the questions or layout that are content irrelevant, representing extraneous hurdles for students that could be simplified. Reliable, reliability has to do with the extent to which the score you give a student on a particular assessment is influenced by unsystem atic factors. These factors are things that can fluctuate from one testing or grading situation to the next or from one student to the next in ways that are unrelated to students’ actual achievement level (e.g., luck in guessing the right answer, lack of time to complete the assessment on a  particular day, teacher bias or inconsistency in scoring of essays across students or from one test to the next). Thinking about how to reduce these factors such that the scores given are likely to be the most accurate reflection of students’ true achievement levels on the task or test should be an on-going process for teachers. Fair. The assessment must give the same chance of success to all students. For example, a large project that is done at home can be biased against low-income students, favouring students whose parents have extra time to help them over those whose parents need to work. In this type of assessment I can participate in forming and marking final examinations, selection type questions (Explanations, Definition and Diagrams), nature type questions (Alternative, Multiple choice, or Compulsory), and dissertation assessments (Reece, I. and Charlton, M. 2007). Whether learning can be called the process of human change and transformation or the acquisition of knowledge and expertise, it â€Å"always entails participation in relationship and community transformation both of the person and of the social world† (Packer & Goicoechea, 2000). Summative Assessment Methods currently in use include: Unseen Examination in controlled conditions (e.g. 3 questions in 3 hours) Seen exam paper in controlled conditions (as above, but you know the question(s) in advance) Open Book or Take-Away exam Multiple Choice Test in controlled conditions (paper-based) In-class test Essay or Report (e.g. on an individual or group project) Portfolio Dissertation Presentation (may be peer-assessed and/or tutor-assessed) Performance (e.g. musical or dramatic) Oral examination (e.g. foreign language speaking skills) Attendance Participation in lectures and/or seminars/online discussion boards, or group work (may be peer-assessed and/or tutor-assessed) Creation of a web page Learning theory emphasises learning with understanding. This means that teaching approaches should emphasise understanding rather than memorisation and teachers should assess for understanding rather than surface knowledge  and recall of facts. Current learning theory emphasises the importance of earning with understanding (Bransford et al, 2000). Bruner (1915-) supports this with his discovery learning theory. This is an inquiry- based, constructivist learning theory that takes place in problem solving situations where the learner draws on his or her past learning experience or and existing knowledge to discover facts and relationships and new truths to be learned. He states that children are better off discovering facts and relationships for themselves. This means that curriculum and teaching approaches should emphasise understanding rather than memorisation, should provide opportunities for in-depth study to allow for firm foundation of knowledge and conceptual development and should enhance student abilities to recognise and use meaningful patterns of information. Assessment processes, then, demonstrate deep understanding of concepts rather than surface knowledge and recall of facts. Learning Outcome 3 Understand expectations in relation to the minimum core in assessing learners in lifelong learning 3.1 Review ways in which minimum core elements can be demonstrated in assessing learners in lifelong learning. Key skills have become established as an integral part of the vocational curriculum. They are also becoming an increasingly important part of many academic programmes. There has been a longstanding concern in this country with the standards of literacy and numeracy of the population. The 1992 DES discussion paper on Curriculum Organization and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools stated that to function effectively in the 21st Century, our children will need higher standards of literacy and numeracy than ever before’ (DES, 1992:11) and led to the introduction of the literacy hour in schools in 1998 and the establishment of the teaching assistant role in an attempt to raise the standards of literacy and numeracy. Functional skills now form a core part of all four of the different qualification routes open to young people such as GCSE/ A Level, Foundation, Diploma and Apprenticeship as well as being a stand-alone qualification in their own right at Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2. The minimum core identifies two requirements placed on teachers working within the sector. The first of these requires teachers to recognise the ways in which low levels of  literacy, numeracy and ICT skills might constitute a barrier to the learning of their students. This means that within the teaching of their own particular subject specialism, teachers should be able to support learners in these areas, which then leads to the second requirement that they themselves should possess a minimum level of personal skills in these areas, currently set at level 2. FIG.3 Functional Elements In my practice, I formally and informally assess the learners’ literacy skill by demonstrating the ability to read, write clearly and improve on their vocabulary during the lesson with their self / peer / group work through talking with, listening to and observing them, and after the lesson; through reading and marking learner work, then give a positive feedback as emphasized by Lewis and Wray (2001, P51). For example, during one of the history classes titled important dates with the LO: To be able to read and write big numbers in words. Using Q & A, I listened to each learners as they try to call out the number (1910) written on the smart board, and observe their work as they try to write it down in words (one thousand, nine hundred and ten) in their individual notebooks. I checked their work for the spelling, correct placing the comma, before ticking in front of the sides of each correct work with a red pen to encourage and praise the learners efforts, and commenting positiv ely with well done, good effort feedback (Ellis. 2011). Learners that made mistakes got a dot at the side of the error to help them visualize and adjust their work accordingly. FIG.5: STIRRING LEARNING (2013) Diagnostic assessment for learners as required by the national curriculum can be used to identify and improve their minimum core skills, and knowledge through observation and questioning as they show competency and understanding towards the subject. The proposal for reform in the 14-19 sectors suggest that the teaching and learning of functional skills can be achieved through a number of different approaches ranging from discrete lessons through to fully embedding them within subject delivery. The Excellent Gateway defines embedding as teaching and learning which combines the development of literacy, language and numeracy with vocational and other  skills and suggests that the skills acquired should provide the learners with the confidence, competence and motivation necessary for them to succeed in life, at work and in life. Embedding therefore seeks to integrate the teaching of subject matter and functional skills, taking advantage of naturally occurring circumstances in which the two come together. This type of approach is quiet resource –intensive but it is expected that in the long term functional skills will remain the responsibility of specialists in this area but will be reinforced in the rest of the curriculum in all the other sessions.(DCSF: 2009:6). The issue was felt to be so important that the LLUK suggested in 2007, that all initial teacher training courses must equip all the trainees so that they are able to teach their own learning programmes in ways that take account of the language, literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of their learners. They also added that all the teachers need to be confident in working with colleagues to ensure that the development and needs of language, literacy, numeracy and ICT of their learners are met. The three skills of communication, application of number and information technology are now normally an integral part of all GNVQ qualifications. Teachers have to demonstrate through assessment and verification how they are including th ese skills in their assignments for the course. The Dearing Review of 16-19 qualifications (Dearing, 1996) highlighted the importance of students developing these skills on each of the main routes into the National Qualifications Framework. Accordingly QCA in conjunction with the main awarding bodies has developed key skills units from level one to level three which can be incorporated into different courses. â€Å"Coverage of the minimum core is intended to provide a teacher with the minimum level of skills in language, literacy, numeracy and ICT (LLN & I) that are essential to teachers who work in the lifelong learning sector.† City and Guilds (2008:3) Learners’ particular literacy, language, numeracy and ICT needs can be established through initial assessment, talking to learners, observing them completing activities or using simple self- assessment tests. â€Å"Recognizing and using a variety of different teaching styles is particularly important to support literacy, language and number skills development. Learn ers working towards literacy, language, and numeracy goals will benefit from teaching which work to their strengths. The teaching styles which you adopt will have an impact on the type of language skills  your learners will need to acquire. A didactic approach for example, may require listening and note taking skills predominantly, whereas a more learner – centred approach may require higher level reading skills as learners are asked to interpret information for them. Even when we are trying to adapt to individual learning styles, the variety of activity used will have an impact on the language skills required within a particular programme of study. The language demands placed on learners are a direct result of teacher led mediation of learning.† [Skills for Life Quality Initiative Training Materials] Teachers of all areas of specialism in the lifelong learning sector increasingly work with learners whose literacy, language, numeracy and ICT skills are below Level 2 of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Learners’ difficulties in these areas can be a barrier to achievement of their goals. Teachers and trainee teachers will have high levels of skill in their own area of specialism. They are not expected to be specialist teachers of literacy, language, numeracy or ICT. However, there will be many naturally occurring activities for developing these skills within all areas of learning. The minimum core provides a foundation upon which all teachers can develop their own skills as well as their ability to identify when it is appropriate to work with subject specialists. (Minimum Core of Teachers’ Knowledge, Understanding and Personal Skills Pg. 3, LLUK 2007, updated LSIS 2013). Therefore they also need the knowledge and skills to identify opportunities for their learners to develop the increasingly higher levels of skills in literacy, language, numeracy and ICT required when taking other qualifications and in the workplace. Work done by teachers who specialise in teaching literacy, language, numeracy and ICT forms part of the solution, but there is also much that teachers of other areas of specialism can do to ensure the success of their learners. Functional skills are focused on the practical skills that allow individuals to engage confidently, effectively and independently in life, further learning and work. The intended added value of functional skills was that they equip people to apply English, ICT and mathematics in practical situations, choosing appropriate skills and techniques to solve problems. So functional skills should be integrated into the curriculum and allow learners to apply these skills in real life. The knowledge within the subject has to be linked with the practical skills, helping them to think  creatively. Wilson (2009) In the context of the Skills for Life strategy, embedded teaching and learning combines the development of literacy, language and numeracy with vocational and ot her skills. The skills acquired provide learners with the confidence, competence and motivation necessary for them to progress, gain qualifications and to succeed in life and at work. Individuals at any age who possess these skills will be able to participate and progress in education, training and employment as well as develop and secure the broader range of aptitudes, attitudes and behaviours that will enable them to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work. (National Numeracy, For Everyone for life, 2013) Literacy skills help build the confidence of an individual while reading, writing, speaking and listening. It helps effective communication where information can be passed clearly through either speaking or writing. It helps understand information and act appropriately. It helps to make presentations, write reports, take part in group discussions and analyse ideas and information. It helps present information in a logical sequence, in the correct format usi ng correct grammar. I used the question and answer as well as the brainstorming method to assess the literacy skills of my learners. In groups learners also constructed sentences from jumbled up words, making sure that the sentences were grammatically correct. It is important that learners master literacy skills so they can converse and communicate adequately in a globalised community. I found that some people would struggle in their chosen work as they lack the requisite literacy skills to communicate and be understood. Numeracy skills help to understand various mathematical concepts, and also how to apply them. It helps increase analytical, problem solving and reasoning skills, identify errors and validate results. It helps use numbers and calculations to process data, solve complex problems and helps with logical working, interpretation and comparison of results in various forms like tables, graphs, charts and diagrams. These skills are the cornerstone of an increasingly computerised and scientific world and it is vital that learners are proficient in them. Although my lesson was history I used numeracy skills by asking different dates of major historical events like the start of the Second World War. Learners were able to state how long the conflict took by subtracting the start date from the end. ICT skills help an individual to confidently use  ICT systems for various purposes. Individuals can use ICT to interpret information and can also enhance their learning and improve the quality of their work. They can find information from a variety of sources. It also helps with digital or electronic communication, interpretation, storage and retrieval of information. Learners will also use ICT to look for more information regarding their work on the web, and gain ideas from different sources and also be able to compare, review or evaluate their results or conclusion with the results of the other various sources available, thereby improving their ICT skills. They can also be motivated to use spread sheets to draw tables and graphs, and use word processor to edit the literature. I used an interactive board and a web based presentation to illustrate the use of ICT in my lesson. Most educational research on literature and numeracy development is based on children. Key educational theories tied to child development provide a useful starting point for a description and contrast with some of the available models of adult learning that can be drawn on by vocational and academic tutors. ( Hickely, J. 2013 ) I am going to reflect on the strategies that can be used to support learners as they develop their literacy skills within an embedded setting. I am also going to use this opportunity to reflect upon the rationale for embedding functional literacy skills into vocational and academic settings. There are a number of theories relating to how language is acquired but in general terms it is accepted that language development is innate but must be developed through exposure to language. In effect this means that language is developed through nature and nurture. Behaviourist learning was made popular by Skinner, (1973) and is based on what can be seen and described. He suggested that children acquire language skills through imitation and reinforcement through positive reinforcement by those around them. The main basis for this belief is that children who do not hear language spoken do not speak and that children who are exposed to language acquire language skills gradually. In this instance it is therefore important for the learners to be totally immersed in language skills as they learn. This will help them master literacy skills as they learn other subjects. Learning Outcome 4 Be able to evaluate own assessment practice Review the effectiveness of own assessment practice, taking account of the views of learners As well as assessing the learners, self-evaluation is a mark of professionalism in teaching. Hounsell (2009:20) calls it â€Å"an integral part of good professional practice†. Self- assessment involves learners taking responsibility for monitoring and making judgements about their own learning. This is a process that does always not come easily to all learners as they do not always value or trust their own judgements, or have the necessary skills to make a judgement. As a result self-assessment often requires a strong structure in the initial stages until learners or teachers feel more comfortable with it as a process and have acquired the skills required to make it a worthwhile activity. Just as many of us, consciously or unconsciously, tend to use those teaching strategies we experienced as learners, so our own experience of being assessed plays a key role in the development of our r epertoire as a teacher. (Armitage et al, 2003:154) The nature and impact of assessment depends on the uses to which the results of that assessment are put. A system whose main priority is to generate information for internal use by teachers on the next steps in pupils’ learning may have different characteristics and effects from one where the drive is to produce a qualification which will provide a grade on which an employer or a university admissions tutor might rely in order to judge the suitability of a candidate for employment or further study. (Mansell et al 2009:5) Novice teachers often have intrinsic motives for evaluation. They want to know whether they are doing well or as expected. They might wish to discover their own strengths and weaknesses and compare their performance with that of experienced colleagues whom they respect Hounsell, (2009:23). However, once the novice has achieved a desired comfort level with the teaching role, continued self-evaluation guards against complacency and enables on-going improvement and freshness, helping to maintain job satisfaction. Assessment and instruction are often conceived as curiously separate in both time and purpose†. The measurement approach to classroom assessment, â€Å"exemplified by standardized tests and teacher-made emulations of those tests,† presents a barrier to the implementation of more constructivist approaches to instruction. (Educational Researcher, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 4) The central ideas of social efficiency and scientific management in the curriculum circle were closely linked, respectively, to  hereditarianism theories of individual differences and to associationist and behaviourist learning theories. These psychological theories were, in turn, served by scientific measurement of ability and achievement. For John Franklin Bobbitt, a leader in the social efficiency movement, a primary goal of curriculum design was the elimination of waste (1912), and it was wasteful to teach people things they would never use. Bobbitt’s most telling principle was that each individ ual should be educated â€Å"according to his capabilities.† These views led to a highly differentiated curriculum and a largely utilitarian one that disdained academic subjects for any but college preparatory students. Alongside these curriculum theories, Edward Thomdike’s (1922) associationism and the behaviourism of Hull (1943), Skinner (1938, 1954) and Gagne (1965) conceived of learning as the accumulation of stimulus-response associations. (Educational Researcher, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 5) Thorndike was both the originator of associationist learning theory and the â€Å"father† of â€Å"scientific measurement. The cognitive revolution reintroduced the concept of mind. In contrast to past, mechanistic theories of knowledge acquisition, we now understand that learning is an active process of mental construction and sense making. From cognitive theory we have also learned that existing knowledge structures and beliefs work to enable or impede new learning, that intelligent thought involves self-monitoring and awareness about when and how to use skills, and that â€Å"expertise† develops in a field of study as a principled and coherent way of thinking and representing problems, not just as an accumulation of information. (Educational Researcher, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 5) In my experience I have found out that the data you collect for yourself can be formative and forward looking, whereas other available feedback data tends to be more summative and backward looking. Extrinsic motivations for evaluation cannot be ignored. There may be requirements connected with your formal status as to probation and ‘tenure’, monitoring by external bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency, and you may wish to seek personal recognition of your teaching expertise through schemes such as that of the Higher Education Academy. In the context of my own teaching practice I would begin initial assessment within the classroom using an ice breaker. This not only allows the group to get to know each other, but also identifies participants existing knowledge or skills and gives further  indications of preferred learning styles and tendencies. Based on the key questions within the CIF (The Common Inspection Framework used by Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) as the basis for inspecting post-16 education and training focuses on the learner and learning. is : How well do learners learn, progress and ultimately achieve ?(Jones 2005:20) Alternatively other forms of assessment such as questions and answers or a quiz could be used. This gives a good starting point for work on students Individual Learning Plan (ILP) which will constantly evolve with the use of feedback and communication between student and tutor giving a clear picture of progress a and revised goals. I would endeavour to use all of the above assessment activities particularly focusing on those that provide an active learning experience, where learning is more enjoyable, better understood and recalled more effectively, teaching by doing. All activities would be supported by hand outs given at the start of the session. Assessment makes teaching effective teaching. Mere presentation, without assessment of what the learners have made of what you have offered them—is not teaching. So assessment is not a discrete process, but integral to every stage of teaching. So, that at the end, learning is believed, with evidence to have taken place (Jones 2005) In conclusion recording provides the platform from which teachers can base their reporting to others and is a mechanism for evaluating learning and teaching. A succinct account of teaching and learning aims as in a scheme of work. This usually follows the curriculum and is a brief indication of the teaching methods REFERENCES (1) Wilson 2009, Synthesising Affect and Cognition in Teaching and Learning, Social Psychology of Education: an International Journal 12 (2) (2) Shepard, L.A, The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture, Educational Researcher, Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 4-14 (3) Segers et al 2003, the role of scaffolding and motivation in CSCL, Computers & Education, November 2012 (4) Reece, I. Walker, S. 2007, Teaching, Training and Learning: A Practical Guide, 6th Edition. Sunderland Business Education Publishers Ltd (5) National Numeracy, For Everyone for life, 2013 (6) Edward-Gray, D, Griffin, C, Nasta, T. 2000, Training to Teach in Further and Adult Education, Nelson Thornes. (7) Burhuss Fredrick, Skinner, 1976, About Behaviorism, Vintage Books Edition (8) Julia Hickely, 2013, Literacy for QTLS: Achieving the Minimum Core, Routledge (9) Bransford et al 2000, How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition, Brain matter (10) Packer & Goicoechea, 2000, Sociocultural and Constructivist Theories of Learn.pdf (11) Hounsell, D. Enhancing Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, NU2010, Dialog for Là ¤rande, University of Stockholm, 13-15 October 2010 (12) Barnet College, Assessment Policy, www.barnetsouthgate.ac.uk/ (13) Inclusive learning approaches for literacy, language, numeracy and ICT, Companion guide to the minimum core, November 2007 (14) Minimum core of teachers’ knowledge, understanding and personal skills, LLUK 2007, updated LSIS 2013 (15) Hampshire Learning Policy and Procedures for Assessment and Internal Verification, 2012 (16) Bruner, J.S. On Knowing: Essays for the left hand. Cambridge, Mass: Havard University Press, 1967 (17) www.llantarnamschool.net/ (18) Armitage, A. et al ,2003, Teaching and Training in Post-Compulsory Education, 2nd Edition, OUP (19) Gould, J and Roffe-Barentsen, J. 2014. Achieving your Diploma in Education and Training, SAGE (20) Mansell et al., 2009, Nfer, Evidence for Excellence in Education, and Assessment Reform Group. Assessment in Schools: Fit for Purpose? A Commentary by the Teaching and Learning Research Programme. London: Teaching and Learning Research Programme [online]. Available: www.tlrp.org/pub/documents/assessment.pdf[18 September 2014]. (21) Jones C. A. (Dr) 2005: 13-25), Assessment for learning, Published by the Learning and Skills Development Agency. www.LSDA.org.uk (22) AQA. 2012:23. GCSE Specification, Mathematics For exams June 2014 onwards for certification June 2014 onwards, A (3 units, terminally assessed) 4 3 6 0 (23) Barnett. C. A 2012 How to create assessment opportunities that meet the need of learner H34. Cited in SCCD Hand Notes: 2012 Developing Differentiation and Lesson Panning skills. ‘‘Teaching and Learning Styles – Lesson Plans† (24) Coffield, F, Moseley, D.,Hall, E., & Ecclest Celestine 2004). Learning styles and pedagogy in post-16 learning: A systematic and critical review. (25) Ellis, V. (2011: 1-34), Learning and Teaching in Secondary Schools, 4th Edition.115. (26) Gravels, A (2012:96-112). (2nd Edn) Passing PTLLS Assessments Chapter 10, 11, 12 Sage Publications, UK. BIBLIOGRAPH 1) Bagnall, G. et al (2004) the effectiveness of self-assessment on the identification of learner needs, learner activity, and impact on clinical practice. 2) Biggs J. Teaching for quality learning at university. Buckingham: Open University Press, 1999 3) Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc. 4) Brown, S., Rust, C., Gibbs, G. (1994) Strategies for Diversifying Assessment Oxford Centre for Staff Development, UK 5) Hatfield, Susan. (1992) Department Level Assessment: Promoting Continuous Improvement 6) Nightingale, P., Te Wiata, I.T., Toohey, S., Ryan, G., Hughes, C., Magin, D. (1996) Assessing Learning in Universities Professional Development Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia. 7) Shepherd, Lorrie, (2000) the Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture, Educational Researcher, Vol. 29, No. 7, (Oct., 2000), American Educational Research Association Educational Researcher, Vol. 29, No. 7 8) Tummons J, (2007) Becoming a Professional Tutor in the Lifelong Learning Sector Learning Matters, Exeter. 9) University of Hull, (2014), The UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education.pdf WEBSITES Assessment, Recording & Reporting for Learning http://www.charterhousesquareschool.co.uk/assessment-recording-reportingfor learning.html ASSESSMENT, RECORDING AND REPORTING POLICY (2012) http://www.qehbristol.co.uk/media/PDFs/Policies/assessment%20policy %20juniors%20-%20dec%202012.pdf Assessing learners in lifelong learning – http://qualifications.vtct.org.uk/ unit pdf/UV40815.pdf Difference between Assessment and Evaluation? – http://Uk.ask.com/ question/difference-between-assessment-and-evaluation Engage in assessment; Different ways to assess your students http://www.reading.ac.uk/engageinassessment/different-ways-toassess/ Formative Teaching Methods – http://geoffpetty.com/wp-content uploads/2012/12/FormativeTeachingMethods2.doc How to create assessment opportunities that meet the need of learner H3 – http://charlottepttls.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/how-to-createassessment- opportunities. htmlScheme of Assessment – http:// filestore.aqa.org.uk/subjects/AQA-4365-W-SP-14.PDF The Data Protection Act 2003- httl.www.regulatorylaw.co.uk/data protection.html

Behavior and Classroom Management

Behavior and Classroom Management

The Effects of Divorce on Children Essay - 2393 Words

The Effects of Divorce on Children As a child, there are many things that affect a view, memory, opinion, or attitude. Children have many of their own daily struggles to cope with, as peer pressures are an example. As an adult, we sometimes forget what it is like to be a child dealing with some of the childhood pressures. Many parents do not realize how something like divorce could possibly affect their children as much as it does themselves. As the case may be, children are strongly affected by divorce. Some react differently than do others, but all experience some kind of emotional change. Exposure to a highly stressful major life change event on children, which may overwhelm childrens coping capacity, and thus†¦show more content†¦Moreover, reports of long-term negative outcomes in offspring beyond the adolescent period suggest that the ramifications of parental divorce on adult behavior may be even more deleterious than those on child behavior (Amato Keith, 1991b; Zill, Morrison, Coiro, 1993). The evidence appears to be quite convincing that dissolution of two-parent families, though it may benefit spouses in some respects (Hetherington, 1993), may have farreaching adverse effects for many children. The divorce and family systems literatures indicate that negative family processes may be more important predictors of poor adjustment in children than family structure (Baumrind, 1991a. 1991b; OLeary Emery, 1984). Interparental conflict, for example, is associated with adjustment disturbances in children in both divorced and nondivorced families (Camara Resnick, 1988; Johnston, Campbell, Mayes, 1985; Peterson Zill, 1986; Reid Crisafulli, 1990), and is considered to be a critical mediator of divorce effects in children and adolescents (Atkeson, Forehand, Rickard, 1982; Emery, 1982; Forehand, Long, Brody, 1988; Luepnitz, 1979). In addition, the stress associated with shifting family roles and relationships in newly divorce familiesShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Divorce On Children And Divorce1460 Words   |  6 Pagestoday’s world, most people accept divorce or separation as a way of life. Parents are unaware or do not understand the damage it can have on their children. However, in some instances, it is better to get out of an abusive relationship because that can be as toxic as divorce. On average, 50% of children who are born with married parents, will experience divorce before the age of 18 (Children and Divorce Baucom, 2010-2017). Along with divorce statistics, 40% of children in America are raised withoutRead MoreDivorce Effect On Children : Divorce1825 Words   |  8 PagesApril, 2016 Divorce Effect on Children Divorce seems to become more and more common nowadays. Divorce can be a simple or complicated process depending if children are involved. This process can have negative and positive effects in a child s life. A divorce is the legal process of a marriage coming apart. A divorce with children involve cost more and takes about eleven months for the marriage to end. The majority of the divorces happening in the United States involve children. Divorce has differentRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children And Children1255 Words   |  6 Pages The effects of divorce on children Throughout time, people from all over the world have chosen to live together, or â€Å"get married†. Marriage is a beautiful thing, but there are some couples who are unable to maintain their relationship, because they choose divorce as a solution to cope with the problems between husband and wife. Although divorce can be solution to cope with problem between the husband and wife, it still has dangerous effects especially on their children. Children with divorced parentsRead MoreEffect Of Divorce On Children1068 Words   |  5 PagesEffects of Divorce on Children While divorce may reduce strain on a failing marriage, it may cause damaging effects on the children. Often times parents are too concerned on the marriage to notice the effects on children. From the way parents react in front of the children to new marriages all can directly affect the daily lives, and behavior of children. Though, there are ways to mitigate some of the issues that can come with divorce, possibly avoiding some of the effects all together. UnfortunatelyRead MoreDivorce : The Effect On Children1084 Words   |  5 PagesNicole Halterman Professor Tausch CTI 102 D Written Communication 4 October 2014 Divorce: the Effect on Children In today’s society, divorce has become a normal occurrence. Married couples today are getting divorces due to many different reasons; conflicts in the marriage, a loss of romantic feelings, perhaps a spouse is having an affair, or other types of problems. Most divorces have children that are really young and due to their age, they do not have any idea how to deal with this type of situationRead MoreDivorce And Its Effects On Children1296 Words   |  6 Pages50% of all the children born to married parents today, will experience the divorce of their parents’ before they are eighteen years old. Divorce in and of itself doesn’t necessarily harm a child, but the conflict between parents does. A child’s behavior correlates directly with the effects of their parents’ separation. Deep emotional wounds are created before, during, and after divorce and separation. It is rare that you find a child that actually wants their parents to separate, unless the ma rriageRead MoreDivorce And Its Effects On Children1343 Words   |  6 Pagesknow that the divorce rate in the United States hovers around fifty percent, including forty percent under the age of 21. In that fifty percent one of every six adults is likely to go through a divorce twice. Not only does divorce affect the adults involved, but forty percent of children in the United States will experience parental divorce (Portnoy, 2008). Children with divorced parents struggle with negative consequences emotionally, mentally, and academically compared to those children from intactRead MoreDivorce And Its Effect On Children998 Words   |  4 PagesDivorce has become very popular in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, on average 50% of marriages result in a failed marriage. This percentage has been at it’s all time high. Not many couples have sustained a successful marriage in present days. Divorces have been around for a long time, and unfortunately kids have a lways been affected the most according to their age. As a result of divorce, there are many children that have to go through this situation at a very young ageRead MoreThe Effect Of Divorce On Children847 Words   |  4 Pagesbecome more unmanageable. According to Sirvanli-Ozen, recent studies confirm that the impacts of divorce on children are not restricted to the childhood period but are manifest during adolescence and adulthood as well. Many studies on the subject show that children who have experienced parent divorce have a lower degree of psychological accord and lower socioeconomic status in their adulthood (Amato Keith, 1991b; Biblarz Raftrey, 1993; Ross Mirowsky, 1999; Amato, 1996) and have more problemsRead MoreEffect Of Divorce On Children1207 Words   |  5 Pagesmarriages that end in divorce has been steadily increasing. When a marriage ends children are impacted and it’s not only emotional and devastating the couples but this also has a huge effect on the children of all ages involved. Many parents go thro ugh a divorce disaster with little knowledge of the effects that the children may go through. Some of the most common impacts that divorce has on children include the fact that children tend to start to blame themselves for the divorce, adjusting in areas

Essay on Goal Setting - 1185 Words

Goal Setting In the first article that I found It stated that Goal Setting is a formal process for personal planning, and is a form of motivation. It is used for a target that a person works for so they can be successful. The process of goal setting is used by many people throughout the world that are trying to and have already achieved something in their lifetime. Setting goals helps a person remain focused on being successful, stay away from distractions, and will help with motivation. There are two types of goal setting: Long-term, and Short-term goals. Short-term goals are smaller goals that are â€Å"easier† to achieve, and will keep the person motivated and continue to strive for success. They also are goals that lead up to†¦show more content†¦Also, after achieving a goal, you must look back and ask yourself if the goal was too easy for you to achieve, if you learned something while trying to achieve the goal, and if you need to fix any of your â€Å"skills† in trying to achieve your goal. If you do not achieve your goals, then this does not mean that you are a failure as long as you learn something from your mistakes. You must find where you made your mistakes and then fix them. Some of the Key Points for goal setting is Deciding what is important for you to achieve in your life, separating what is important from what is irrelevant, motivating yourself to achievement, and building your self-confidence based on measured achievement of goals. In the second article that I found, it stated that Goal Setting is a very powerful technique that can yield strong returns in all areas of your life. Setting goals allows you to decide what you want to do with your life. This article reiterates the previous article and states â€Å"Goal Setting Helps Self-confidence†. â€Å"By setting goals, and measuring their achievement, you are able to see what you have done and what you are capable of. The process of achieving goals and seeing their achievement gives you the confidence and self-belief that you need that you will be able to achieve higher and more difficult goals†. Some of the key points that this article stresses for setting goals is that you can achieve more, improveShow MoreRelatedGoals Of A Goal Setting985 Words   |  4 PagesIn respect to a goal setting, this is another crucial characteristic that demands my accountability. This is potent and doable, however, difficult to engross. Apparently, I didn’t care how difficult it may be, all I wanted was the desired result, one that I can envision, planned and committed to achieving it. This was my personal wish, an end point, and an expected development. Realistically, I wasn’t sure how I can handle the situation, nevertheless, more appreciatively, from a friend who hadRead MoreThe Goal Setting Goals And Goals918 Words   |  4 PagesSetting goals is an idea many people use to help accomplish tasks, and reach them in a certain amount of time. Implementing plans in an effective step in the right direction toward accomplishing a desired goal. Students, teachers, people in th e work place; everyone sets goals whether we are aware of the goal setting or subconsciously setting goals. Goals can be long term or short term depending on how big the goal is. I, myself here at Marywood have set some goals. One long term and one short termRead MoreGoal Setting1546 Words   |  7 PagesGoal Setting Discover What You Want in Life and Achieve It Faster than You Think Possible  ¿Que es Goal Setting? Goal setting is the process of writing down specific, measurable, and time-targeted objectives. You figure out want you want, you write your desires down, and then you work towards achieving them. Benefits and Importance of Goal Setting Without goals or a destination, you are like a heat seeking missile with no heat to seek. In addition to letting go of the chains that pull youRead MoreSetting Goals1621 Words   |  7 Pagesthat organizations have one goal: for commercial companies, utilities, for nonprofit organizations: meeting the needs of their constituent groups. In reality, all organizations have multiple objectives. The companies also want to increase their market share and encourage the enthusiasm of the employees for their organization. An emphasis on one goal (and profits), leaves out others that also should be met to achieve long term success. According to Robbins, among the goals that an organization canRead MoreEssay about The Goal Setting Theory964 Words   |  4 PagesThe Goal Setting Theory 1-According to the work nature and my interviews with the employee I think that The goal setting Theory applies on more than one level of the organization. Let us take the foremen for example. Goal attributes which related to a higher level of performance are present. A specific goal is assigned to the foremen. He has to fully understand the required job and this is not a problem because the goal is well communicated to the foremen. After a job is required Sean assignRead MoreGoal Setting712 Words   |  3 PagesGoals Essay Outline This essay is part of the Rainier HS portfolio, which is a graduation requirement. This essay will receive both an English class grade (using the 6-traits rubric) and a completion score in Advisory. When you have completed this essay, you will need to share it through your Google drive with both your advisory teacher and myself. Use this outline to guide your essay. #1 Introductory Paragraph *There will be at least 2 sentences in this paragraph. Why is it important forRead MoreGoal Setting Goals For Employees2091 Words   |  9 Pagesannual goals called KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for their employees; however, employees may do bargaining with the companies about the KPI to minimize their duties or responsibilities. Perfunctory words that we can always hear from employees are: â€Å"I will try my best to complete tasks, but I cannot guarantee that I could finish them on time.† However, it is difficult to define the expected outcomes after people â€Å"trying their best†. Will employees give the same response after managers setting clearRead MoreThe Importance of Goal Setting912 Words   |  4 Pages Goal setting for success.com You must remain focused on your journey to greatness. - Les Brown Why to set goals? Why is it necessary? Although every one of us is living in the present world, somewhere down the line we are always thinking about our future. No one’s future is predictable. Almost all of us wish to change our lives. Whether it is associated with family, friends, professional life, career or finances. We all want to make our life better in the future than what it is in the presentRead MoreDebunking the Goal Setting Theory3802 Words   |  16 PagesDebunking the Goal Setting Theory Presented to Trudy Dunson, Instructor MGMT 2125, Performance Management By Andrea Smith 10/13/2014 Often times in the business world, organizations become so fixated on the goals they set, that when they begin to go wrong, an organization will invest more into that goal instead of looking for a different path. Oliver Burkeman’s book, â€Å"The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking† devotes a whole chapter to the importance or lackRead MoreCounseling, Reflection, And Setting Goals1317 Words   |  6 Pages focused too much on how I looked, and lost the ability to attend to my client. I believe I came into these sessions strong in my nonverbal skills and encouragers. Nevertheless, I struggled with focused counseling, reflection of emotions, and setting goals. Intentionality seems to be significant in the growth process; therefore, one of my first actions in response to these reflections will be to create a plan to address my opportunities for growth. The discomfort I experienced in my first couple

What is a Self-injurious Behavior Free Essays

The incident which I have chosen for my Nursing Project happened on the last day of my learning difficulties placement. It involved a young Autistic man, who I will refer to as ‘John† throughout my assignment. This is to protect the client†s identity, this is in accordance with the UKCC Code of professional conduct (1992) clause 10: â€Å"Protect all confidential information concerning patients and clients obtained in the course of professional practice and make disclosures only with consent, where required by the order of a court or where you can justify disclosure in the wider public interest. We will write a custom essay sample on What is a Self-injurious Behavior or any similar topic only for you Order Now † One incident which I believe highlights the problem I will address, involved myself bathing ‘John†. This was not the first time that I had bathed a person during the placement, however, the difference this time was that while I was washing ‘John†, he would display elf-injurious behaviour by slapping his face and then repeating the phrase ‘stop slapping face†. I chose this incident from my clinical diary as I feel that the self-injurious behaviour that ‘John† exhibited is an interesting and difficult Nursing problem and one, which affected my ability to care for him. Rather than focussing on the self-injury specifically related to ‘John†s† case, I will examine the possible ways to manage self-injurious behaviour, especially in persons with learning disabilities. To manage this problem effectively, a multi-disciplinary approach is required, but for the purposes of this essay I will look at the problem from a Nurse†s perspective. I will begin by giving a brief description of self-injurious behaviour and the possible causes. I will then highlight the different techniques available to Nurses for the management of this behaviour. Murphy and Wilson(1985) define this as: â€Å"Any behaviour initiated by the individual, which directly results in physical harm to that individual.† As is apparent in the literature, self-injurious behaviour is referred to as any behaviour that can cause tissue damage, such as bruises, redness, and open wounds. The most common forms of these behaviours include head banging, hand biting, head-slapping, and excessive scratching. There are two main sets of theories on the subject and these concentrate on physiological or social causes. The main physiological theories are: Self-injurious behaviour releases beta-endorphins in the person†s brain. Beta-endorphins are opiate like substances in the brain, which provide the person with some pleasure when released. Sudden episodes of self-injury may be caused by sub-clinical seizures. Sub-clinical seizures are not typically associated with the behaviours of normal seizures by they are characterised by abnormal EEG patterns. May be caused by over arousal such as frustration. Self-injury acts as a release, and thus lowers arousal. Self-injury may be a form of self-stimulatory, stereotypic behaviour. Some people exhibit self-injury to escape or avoid a task. Self-injurious behaviour may be used as an attention-seeking device. An incident that involved ‘John† which illustrated the difficulty in managing self-injurious behaviour, was when an object he was obsessed with, was removed. This was using a punishment strategy which I will discuss later. This was thought to be the best course of action, but it lead to ‘John† being restrained for nearly an hour, followed by him being sedated with an intra-muscular injection of chlorpromazine. What can learned from this is that it demonstrates the need for careful assessment of the individual. As highlighted by Murphy and Wilson(1985): â€Å"The treatment selected will depend on how the self-injurious behaviour originally developed and what factors maintain it.† There are a wide variety of different strategies or factors involved in treating or managing self-injurious behaviour. These include restraint, pharmacotheraphy, behavioural therapy, inter-personal strategies, normalisation and environmental factors. I will now examine in turn each of these strategies or factors. This is the most effective way of dealing with self-injurious behaviour in an emergency but there are a number of problems that can arise. Firstly, restraint raises some ethical questions, such as does someone have the right to injure themselves? This dilemna and others related to this topic are difficult to answer, but in general we make the assumption that the client is not capable of choosing for themselves. Secondly, the use of restraint present devaluing images of the client. Thirdly, they involve the violation of personal space which is usual for everyday social interaction. This can lead to a detrimental effect on the nurse/client relationship. Furthermore, there is the risk of injury to staff and to the client. Also there is the possibility of staff being accused of abuse, this is highlighted by Jones and Eayrs(1993): â€Å"Care staff may well face allegations of client abuse associated with the use of restraint.† There are some drawbacks in the use of restraint but it is an essential tool available to the Nurse in the management of Self-injurious or challenging behaviour. A number of drug treatments were used at Woodlands namely Chlorpromazine and Hapliperidol. These were reasonably effective but with these drugs there are serious side effects. As stated by Bernstein et al(1994): â€Å"Serious side effects include symptoms similar to those of Parkinson†s disease, such as muscle rigidity, restlessness, tremor and slowed movement.† These side effects can be treated with anti-Parkinson drugs. When trying to manage inappropriate behaviour using psychoactive drugs they should only be used as an integral part of the client†s programme. For example to combine Pharamacotherapy with other strategies such as behavioural treatments. In general behavioural approaches to treatment seem to be the most effective and long lasting ways of managing violent and aggressive behaviour. A reason for this is suggested by Murphy Wilson( ): â€Å"The fact that the ‘learned behaviour hypothesis† is one of the most convincing hypotheses for explaining the development of self-injurious behaviour.† This term covers a variety of different approaches but some of the main methods are positive reinforcement, modelling, extinction, aversive conditioning and punishment. This means, in the context of my essay, reinforcing or strengthening any behaviour that is not self-injurious. An example of this is raised by Bernstein et al (1994): † Autistic children, who, use very little language, were rewarded with grapes, popcorn, or other items for saying ‘please†, ‘thank you† and ‘your welcome† while exchanging crayons and blocks with a therapist.† This is defined by Bernstein et al(1994) as: â€Å"The gradual disappearance of a conditioned response or operand behaviour due to elimination either of the association between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli or of rewards for certain behaviours.† In the case of treating self-injurious behaviour it can be effective, but it is not always possible to use this method, because, firstly the client may seriously injure himself before the behaviour disappears. Secondly, if the reason for the behaviour is self-stimulation, it may not be possible to remove the source of reinforcement. This is basically a method of therapy in which desirable behaviours are demonstrated as a way of teaching them to clients. This method employs classical conditioning principles to link physical or psychological discomfort with undesirable behaviours. An example of this by Bernstein et al(1994) is: â€Å"Alcoholics might be allowed to drink after taking a nausea-producing drug, so that the taste and smell of alcohol are associated with nausea rather than the usual pleasurable feelings.† This was used extensively at woodlands. The main way in which clients were relaxed was through the use of a ‘sensory room.† This was basically a room that contained various lights, music and tactile objects designed to relax the client. The ‘sensory room† was extremely effective at woodlands and was an invaluable apparatus in the management of violent or aggressive behaviour. This kind of strategy involves penalising any behaviour considered to be inappropriate. These were used at Woodlands, sometimes they were effective, but in one case regarding ‘John† it seemed to make matters worse, leading to him to require to be sedated. In general punishment strategies should be used in conjunction with reinforcement of desirable and non-injurious behaviours. This is an important strategy in the treatment of challenging behaviour. It is the way in which a Nurse communicates verbally or non-verbally with the client. It is recognised that inappropriate behaviour from carers can instigate or maintain aggressive behaviours. The important factors as indicated by my research are eye contact, posture, touch and how the nurse actually speaks to the client. From my research I have found that there is a great deal of contradictory advice when dealing with an aggressive client. For example there is some evidence that remaining calm is the best thing to do but Breakwell(1989) cited by Jones and Eayrs(1993) suggests that: â€Å"The assailant who shouts is shouted at: calm intensity is greeted with equal intensity.† What is obvious is that when dealing with a client, interpersonal strategies are extremely important, but there is no right or wrong way. This is defined by Bank-Mikkelson (1980) cited by Murphy and Wilson(1985) as the need to: † Create an existence for the mentally retarded as close to normal living conditions as possible† This means to make conditions of education, housing, work and leisure to as near normal as possible and to bring greater equality of rights, obligations and responsibilities under law. Although it is not necessarily related with the treatment of someone who presents challenging behaviour, it is an important factor in considering the overall care of the client. This is providing an environment safe from potential factors, which may cause challenging behaviours. Some of these negative environmental factors may be things like loud noise, absence of attention, aggression from other residents, isolation or not enough space. How to cite What is a Self-injurious Behavior, Essay examples

Of Power and Time free essay sample

Time The article by Mary Oliver is very deep and passionate in a way you can’t help but relate to, in a way you almost understand where the writer is coming from. Through out this article the writer explains through out a poem of how it is to be a writer. The article fails to revolve around any specific thing but does so with descriptive elegance. Oliver is talking through her poetry and saying that she is her own self, and she will write down what she intends to. Through her article she throws around the words â€Å"ordinary† and â€Å"regular†, she doesn’t appear to be referring to herself in anyway, perhaps it is her idea or memory she is indeed referencing. The start of the article begins with the author just walking up on a crisp morning. Someone calls on her and she is forced to abandon the thought she had on her mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Of Power and Time or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She continues to talk about the things that drive you away from your concentration, like privacy, pencils, paper, and erasers. She describes how you can have an idea or thought on the very edge of your mind and just the slightest thing can drive it away, even if it’s the thought itself. She ponders upon the idea that a thought can drive away the same thought, then simultaneously switches to memories of her as a child ad how she is really still the same. â€Å"most of my education was intended to make me feel comfortable within it† (Mary Oliver). Mary Oliver then suggests that all of her education was not merely for her life use but just for comfort, which her education and views her discomfort as a benefit. She seems to have a backwards view on things most wouldn’t look at. She says that â€Å"The extraordinary is what art is really about†, (Mary Oliver) suggests that she herself does not wish to be ordinary? In her thinking, you have to be a risk-taker type of person to be extraordinary. She is recklessly working away at 6 a. m. in the morning regardless of any social calls. She’s trying to say that no matter what happens, it is up to her to get the poem written like as if she is completely devoted to it. She describes her attachment as loyalty towards the poem. When Oliver says to rejoice if she does not turn up for a meeting or event, she is trying to say; be happy for me, because I will be writing poetry. In Mary’s eyes, the most regretful people are those who felt the call to be great but didn’t act upon it. Mary Oliver is a difficult writer to understand but through it all, one could see what she is truly trying to say. Bibliography Oliver, Mary. Of Power and Time. Blue Pastures (1995).