An Unpaid Option An Illustrative Essay Template (MLA Sample Paper)

An Unpaid Option An Illustrative Essay Template (MLA Sample Paper) What Is MLA Format? MLA Format is a standard format for academic writing and citing sources within the humanities and liberal arts. MLA refers to a set of rules and formatting guidelines that are used by researchers. These standards are described in the MLA Handbook for writers of research papers (8-th edition) which is a 300-page manual describing every aspect of MLA paper writing. Below you will find a great MLA essay example. Read and use it while writing your own paper. Feel free to download MLA Essay Example Name LastName Professor’s Name Course Number Day Month Year Truth Behind the War                   Media plays a great role in influencing today’s youth and changing the opinions of many. Media’s coverage is so  much influential that it can have an effect on anyone’s opinion and views.  Media at times could be good,  while at times it  could be really bad. For example, in focusing on the  issues of discrimination, it plays a very important role in letting people  know the adverse effects of  discrimination,  while on the other hand media, itself is  being responsible for the growing issues  of  discrimination.                  Ã‚  Media plays a great role during the Wartime, not just by broadcasting the war events but also by letting the people  know the reality  and the truth behind the war. They are the ones who change people’s perspective and opinion. The  techniques in addition to goals  of the media have changed radically. The media now is what bring the news of all the terror  war into everyone’s home.When the World war broke out in August 1914, the United States at once fixed its relation to the belligerents thru  proclamation  of neutrality. The days of the war, before their entry on the side of the allied powers in April 1917, were  marked with difficulties,   both in preventing violations of out neutrality and in securing proper respect for our neutral rights.  The rights and duties of neutrals were  involved.                  Ã‚  At the outbreak of the war, Great Britain notified the United States that she would be held responsible for injuries  resulting to British interests from vessels converted to warships or armed in  American ports, even though the completion of  the act of conversion took place on the high seas.  British merchant vessels, it was asserted, were armed for self-defense  only.  The position of the United States was that a merchant vessel belonging to a belligerent should not arm itself so as to  avoid capture by lawful and legitimate  processes.                  Ã‚  On April 8, 1917, the Austrian government, as Germanys ally, broke off diplomatic relations with the United States,  and in due course, the war was declared against Austria. Until all effective states agree upon the abandonment of neutrality,  those remaining  outside the agreement will insist on their right to judge for themselves as to the neutral or belligerent  character of their policy, in the case of a conflict between two or more other states. This lies in the field of policy. And as  long as the policy of neutrality may be elected, it follows that the status of neutrality will exist, together with its rights and  duties. The belligerent states will be sufficiently active in demanding that a country is impartially a country is impartially neutral. The neutral state  must itself insist upon an observance of its formally declared by the joint resolution of Congress (Cipriano, 1995).                  Ã‚  All this during the First World War was well focused on, and a clear perspective was shown through Media. There  was not any biasness and the news was broadcasted to merely let the people know what is going on in their surrounding,  and not to exaggerate a particular news. Media of that time would only broadcast what was actually happening and so it  would leave the decision to viewers hands as to what conclusion they make out from the broadcast and it had let them had  their own perspective to everything they watched rather than to force Media’s own perspective on its viewer. Change of the War Picture                  Ã‚  Previously media would emphasize a focus on the positives of wars. They paid attention to what people required  and needed to hear. There was no struggle, and money wasn’t as key an issue in becoming a journalist. The commercialism  of news was far less of an issue in the reporting of news. The news wasn’t so much unconstructive as it was upbeat and  vigorous. It was the media’s job to keep their listeners hopeful and panic free. It wasn’t concerning who could get a hold of  the most listeners by offering  the most sensational newscasts. It was about letting everyone know the truth and reality  (Jowett, ODonnell, 1992).                   But now in the present time, media offers overly negative pictures of war and its objectives and accomplishments.  A new legacy would be built: the rising of deviousness, one that imitated and showed the broader dissatisfactions with the  government. Journalism was now regarding the money and the achievement that would be wrapped around it. The  competition rose as the requirement for unconstructiveness in the life unraveled. Good, decent, honest and optimistic news  would no longer be found.   Media vs. Military Business                   We shall have a look at how the media interferes in the military business, so to have a clear vision of how  things actually are. Every time a society has permitted its military establishment to insulate itself against effective public scrutiny that  military establishment has ended up destroying the people it was supposed to protect. The independence guaranteed to the  press under the the First Amendment to that Constitution is one of the most important of the safeguards. Yet every bureaucrat  knows that power flows from each increment of information he or she can garner and hold tight. To the extent that our  society permits such bureaucratic self-interest to restrict access by the public to the business of government – in particular,  its military business – the First Amendment   becomes meaningless.                   Very few citizens have the time and means to search out government information vital to their well-being. As a  result, access means mainly access by the press, like it or not.  In a speech to the National Newspaper Association  following the end of the war,   General Colin L. Powell, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged that if the  Iraqi army had moved, in August 1990,   as it was entirely capable of doing, to occupy the principal Saudi Arabian airfields  and ports, the United States would have been in enormous difficulty. What General Powell did not tell his audience, but what  Major General Edward B. Atkeson, formerly of the Central Intelligence Agency, had made plain more than three years earlier  in an article in Armed Forces Journal International was that for a period of several weeks, until major U.S. land and air forces  could be inserted, a determined, large-scale Iraqi invasion could be stopped only by n uclear weapons.                   But American journalism has neither the technical competence to recognize the long-term implications of an article  such as General Atkesons nor the structural means to relate it to a crisis that occurs years, or even months, later. So the  public – American or otherwise – was never informed that in declaring his intention to defeat Iraqi aggression the president of  the United States was, in fact, committing the United States to nuclear war during the period when the first token U.S. land  forces flown to the region were in danger of being overrun. Passion for Seeking Out the Truth                   As with every major military story since the end of World War, the press failed. It did not fail because of government censorship. Rather, it failed because of the inadequacies of its own training and organization, deficiencies that prevented it from reporting matters of crucial importance, even when all of the essential facts were in the public domain.                   The media, much similar to the American people, began losing optimism in the government, so broadcasters  subsequently would create such newscasts that would also fill the American people with a strong sense of doubt. A major  loss to the reliability of the public was the leaking of information to the public from the Pentagon Papers. These documents  were discovered by journalists to contain far higher rates of American fatalities and far less victorious battles than the  publicly released government statistics had specified. No longer would the press recognize the government press releases;  now they began more analytical journalism to check the truth of the official reports.                   We need to realize that media is there to raise the voice for truth, not to support the exaggeration of the simple,   uncomplicated anecdote. What the media at this stage need to do is  to make an attempt and realize that to ‘cover a war and  for a nation determined to comprehend it, there  is merely one course. They must share a passion for seeking out the truth’  (DeParle, 1991). MediAffect                   Where do the media fit in this procedure? An average American high school graduate spends more time in front of  the TV than in the classroom. The mass media is an influential socializing agent. Media is not restricted to the contented of  media messages. Media have an effect on how we learn regarding our world and interrelate with one another. Media actually  reconcile our relationship with social institutions. We base a large amount of our knowledge on government news accounts,  not knowledge. We are reliant on the media for what we distinguish and how we narrate to the world of politics due to the  media-politics connection. We read or   watch political discussions followed by immediate analysis as well as commentary by  experts. Politicians rely on media to converse their message. Related dynamics are present in other mediated events such  as televised sports and televangelism. Media is part of our usual relations with family and frie nds. They describe our  communication with other people on a daily foundation as a diversion, sources of disagreement, or a uniting force. Media  have an impact on society not merely through the contented of the message but also through the procedure.    DeParle, Jason. Covering the War†. New York Times, 5 May 1991. Venzon, Anne Cipriano. The United States in the First World War. Garland Publishing, 1995. Jowett, G. S., and ODonnell, Victoria. Propaganda and Persuasion. 2nd ed., Sage Press, 1992. Edward B. Atkeson. â€Å"The Persian Gulf. Still a Vital U.S. Interest?† Armed Forces Journal International, April 1987): 46-56 Get your free MLA Essay template only today!

Action Research Plan- Vocational transition in Special Education

Action Research Plan- Vocational transition in Special Education Free Online Research Papers Studies and research have supported the need for instruction in vocational classes in order to increase success in employment and transition goals (Okolo Sitlington, 1986). In addition, students with learning disabilities characteristically encounter a number obstacles in mastering goals which lead to post- secondary achievement (Fairweather Shaver,1990). To address these annual and multi-year goals, smaller, more specific benchmark goals must be established. Successful mastery of these vocational and transitional academic goals greatly increases the student’s success in the long-term goals. In recent years transition goals have become a major priority of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, OSERS (Will, 1984). One alternative to hands-on vocational classes is the introduction of vocational academic classes that provide instruction in the functional skills needed to be successful in a post- secondary environment. In order to provide instruction in these specific areas, time must be taken in the resource setting to address the specific learning needs of students with learning disabilities. Transition and vocational goals, which may range from remediation of academics for a student looking to transition to an educational setting to vocational goals for students transitioning to a work place setting, can be specifically addressed in the resource setting. The increase in time spent on direct instruction of these skills should increase the level of functioning in the areas of focus. Appropriately developed IEP goals should now, as mandated by law, address transition that also relate directly to the successful transition of the student to their post- secondary placement (United States Department of Education, 1987). This action research plan is designed to evaluate the direct effects of introduction of vocational academics classes in the resource setting to the mastery of benchmark and annual IEP goals. Related Literature Dr. Wagner and Dr. Blackorby refer to the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students in order to track and argue that special education students in high schools without appropriate transition planning and programming are much less likely to successfully compete in the work force. They identified a number of ideas that may offer a better planning strategy for disabled students in transition planning. Included in these discussions were course offerings, the need for more vocational training, and the dual nature of taking more general education course. In addressing the last point it was found that one indicator of success was a greater number of general education course, but that in contrast, the higher number of regular education course a disabled student took, the higher the chances of receiving poor grades. This was identified as the primary reason students were dropping out. (Wagner Blackorby 1996) Dr. Cynthia Okolo and Dr. Patricia Sitlington identify the needs of students with learning disabilities as they are related to vocational training and the current trends in special and general education, which are not meeting those needs. They review pertinent studies about students with learning disabilities and their characteristics. They identify the skills needed in order to be successful in the vocational setting. They specifically address those needs that are characteristically lacking in this population. These areas of weakness addressed are academic as well as social skills (Okolo Sitlington, 1986). The current tends and practices in Special education as well as vocational education are reviewed and their strengths and weaknesses are addressed. Okolo and Sitlington recommend that special education practices and vocational practices that should be utilized and include six major areas of concentration and implementation: occupational awareness, exploration, and basic work experience; in-depth career/ vocational assessment; instruction in job-related academic skills; instruction in job-related interpersonal skills; support services to other disciplines in the vocational programming; and post-school placement and follow up (Okolo Sitlington, 1986). They also contend that with these guiding principles and ideas, special educators and vocational educators need to shift focus to the aforementioned areas to best address the weakness in this population’s vocational success. Esther Minskoff and Sherry DeMoss review and examine the characteristics of learning disabled students as they are related to the academic needs of vocational education programs and how the Trade-Related Academic Competencies (TRAC) program can be used to task analyze skills needed in vocational classes. They first contrast the characteristics often exhibited by students with Mild, Moderate, and Severe Learning Disabilities. The authors then identify the attributes of Special Education and Vocational program integrations that best benefit the students success. Finally they identify the TRAC model and its methodology. This includes identifying how the TRAC is used for standard vocational classes as well as giving guidelines for using the model to developing TRAC list for other classes (Minskoff DeMoss, 1993). A number of studies regarding transition identify the obstacles that students with a learning disability face as well as offer support for the need of vocational and academics working in conjunction to increase the student’s success. A 1989 study identified different factors related to the ability of students with and without identified handicaps to gain and remain employed after graduating from high school. (Hasazi, Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, Hull, 1989). A sample of 133 students was chosen from nine Vermont school districts. The sample was comprised of 67 students with handicaps and 66 students without. These students graduated, dropped out, or left school due to age requirements without graduating. The year of exit from high school for these students was the 1984-1985 school year. The school districts were chosen based on demographic characteristics and included four rural and four urban schools. After identifying the students with handicaps, there were attempts made to contact and recruit these students. This resulted in the participation of 43 students in 1986 and 54 in 1987. Identified based on Vermont state definitions, this group included students labeled as learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, and mildly mentally retarded. The services provided to these students were mainly provided in the resource room. The students without handicaps were identified from students on a vocational track who had graduated, dropped out before graduation, or left prior to graduation due to age requirements. Every one of the 66 students in 1986 were located and participated and 61 of the students in 1987 were contacted and agreed to continue participation. The characteristics of demographics included community size (Rural, Urban, and Metro), Gender, Manner of Exit (Graduated, Left, Dropped), and Age at Exit (15-22). The collection of data included two procedures. There was an initial review of school records and telephone interviews of each student. In the event that a student could not be contacted, an informant was interviewed. Information gathered from the records review included program placement, year of exit, manner of exit, gender, and age at exit. Information gathered form the interview included vocational training since exit, current employment, employment history, use of social services, and living status. Employment history was made up of job descriptions and length of employment. Living status indicated where and with whom the student was currently residing. These areas of data were recorded and labeled for data analysis in the following means. Hourly wage was broken into full time ( > 37.5 hrs/ wk), part time (21-37 hrr/wk) , and unemployed. The study exempted those students who were unemployed from a number of the analyses. Those employed were divided up by amount of wages into three categories: less than $3.45 per hour (min wage), $3.46- $5.00 per hour, and greater than $5.00 per hour. The jobs were also then classified into skilled and unskilled labor. The fringe benefits were categorized into two groups, those who received none and those who received one or more fringe benefit. The date recorded which related to the means of obtaining the jobs were broken into tow groups: â€Å"self/family/friend network† and those that were assisted by a service or institution. Living status included the groups living independently and those living dependently (family and staff). The data collected was analyzed in two ways, parametrically or non-parametrically. This was determined by the nature of the data. There was consideration given to those statistics involving the students from both studies. These analyses were not shown to have any significant variance. It was noted that there were only 3 female students identified with learning disabilities disallowed for a â€Å"meaningful analysis of both gender and handicapping condition.† (Hasazi, S., Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, Hull, 1989) The final data and analysis from this study indicated that students with handicaps had a higher rate of unemployment, fewer fringe benefits, earned lower wages, worked fewer hours, and held less skilled jobs than the similar students without handicaps (Hasazi, Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, Hull, 1989). There was a smaller percentage gap between students who were and were not employed than those employed full time versus those employed part time. There was some positive correlation as well between those students who held jobs during high school obtaining a higher level of employment after high school regardless of whether they were identified as handicapped or not. There were also findings indicating that the students in both groups who had taken a vocational course in high school were significantly more likely to be employed following exit from high school. A 1990 study examined potential barriers to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. Preliminary results from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students were explained as they relate to students with disabilities participating in postsecondary education programs. Implications regarding policy and practices that may emerge were then discussed (Fairweather Shaver, 1990). The National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students (National Transition Study) is a study over a five-year span examining the progress of a sampling of students from special education programs following their exits from secondary education to early adulthood. The study was guided by the following research questions: What are the characteristics of special education students leaving high school? What level of participation in postsecondary programs is achieved by youth with disabilities? For students with disabilities, what relationships exist between student demographic characteristics and participation in post-secondary programs? A sampling of students in each of the eleven federally recognized handicapping conditions was selected. These conditions are learning disabled, emotionally disturbed/ behavioral disorder, mentally retarded, speech impaired, orthopedic ally impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, blind, deaf- blind, other health impaired, and multiple handicapped. A sample of 626 districts was selected from 13,180 school districts nation-wide, which served grades 7 and higher. These districts were â€Å"stratified by geographic region, enrollment, and community wealth† (Fairweather Shaver, 1990). The breakdown of this sample includes 450 districts originally selected, 25 schools specializing in blind and deaf education, and 176 districts supplemented due to difficulty in obtaining proper agreements. There were 303 schools that agreed to participate in the study. From these districts rosters were obtained of students aged 13 and older who were in grades 7 through 12 as well as 13 years and older in th e 1985-1986 school year. By dividing this group by handicapping a condition, a sample of 12, 648 special education students were selected. Of these, a list of 10,458 students was developed based on the ability to establish contact with the students. A smaller sample of 6,877 youth participated in the survey, which is a 65.8 percent response rate. The final criteria established were that the students were to have exited high school at the time of the interview and at least 17 years of age in their year of exit. The means by which they exited were established as graduating, dropping out, reaching an age limit, being expelled, or permanently withdrawing. This narrowed the sample to 1,639 youth. Out of this group, information was available for 1,242 respondents. These are the students making up the studies sample. Telephone interviews were conducted with the parents or guardians of the respondents in the fall of 1987. In order to establish a comparative group of non-disabled youth, results, the interview questions were similar to the High School and beyond survey of non-disabled youth from 1980. These items included demographic characteristics as well as participation and achievement in postsecondary programs. The weighted percentages for study variables were calculated, and two-tailed tests of differences between proportions were determined. There was also comparative data from the HSB examined regarding postsecondary participation of non-handicapped youth. For this comparison there was also a two-tailed test performed to look for differences between the groups The primary finding was that the National Transition Study was reported by informants as the HSB study was self reported. The final data and analysis from this study indicated that students with handicaps, socio-economically, are considerably more disadvantaged than their non-disabled peers. It was also found that â€Å"involvements in postsecondary education for youth with disabilities who exit high school is dramatically lower that for handicapped youths.† (Fairweather Shaver, 1990) In addition, non-disabled youths are three times more likely to go to a community college and ten times more likely to take classes at a 4-year university than their peers with disabilities. It is also noted that youth with disabilities are more likely to participate in a 2-year rather than 4- Year College. The study also indicates that youth with disabilities who graduate from high school are much less likely to become involved in postsecondary education but equally as likely to participate in a postsecondary vocational school. A 1981 study evaluated the vocational, social, and school adjustment of a group of learning disabled children over an extended time period. The subjects studied were 12 males and 9 females who had all received special education services for specific learning disabilities from the Laboratory School for Specific Learning Disabilities (LSSLD) at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee between the years of 1961-1969. These subjects had received services for at least a year, and a maximum of seven years with the average being 2.6 years of service. The follow up interview occurred from 10-19 years after they had first attended the program. Al subjects were white and from middle class families. They also all resided in a suburb of the greater Milwaukee area (Fafard Haubrich, 1981). From the Fall of 1978 through Fall 1979, the former students and their parents were interviewed by either of the authors in their homes. IN a majority the subjects and parents were interviewed together, but at times phone interviews were conducted. The survey was a 20-question interview that focused on four types of information; demographics, school adjustment, vocational adjustment, and social adjustment. Direct question format was used to elicit the maximum amount of information from the individuals and parents. Rewording and prompting were noted if a subject did not seem to fully understand the questioning. The questions about demographics were asked simultaneously to both subject and parents and then the questions about adjustment were given to them separately. The demographics were analyzed and divided into categories of: a. graduation, b. drivers license, c. residence, and, d. type of special services received in school. The three other areas studied, school adjustment, social adjustment, and vocational areas are all described in terms of the subject and parents perceptions. Demographically, applied to graduation, 12 students had completed a secondary program, 6 were in programs at the time, and three had dropped out. There were four also enrolled in college programs. Applicable to driver’s license, all twenty-three subjects were eligible for their license. 11 had attained them, 6 had not, and 4 were not eligible. Residential status in the demographics survey indicated that seventeen subjects lived at their parent’s home, while four were living independently from their parents. The final demographic, the amount of special services provided, were broken into the following categories. Four reported no further services. Ten reported they received regular education services with speech and language services. Six reported enrollment in a Learning Disabilities Resource program. Two more were enrolled in a program for the mentally retarded. One subject received services in a residential setting for students with learning disabilities. The subjects all reported academic and social activities as either successful or difficult. The major subject areas most frequently identified as successful were math science, and art. The areas most often identified as successful were English, math reading, and PE. It should be noted that there was a crossover in the area of math as successful and difficult. This was in part due to a large number of males reporting it as difficult and females reporting it as successful. For the area of vocational adjustment, subjects and parents reported on the areas of part time and full time employment, types of jobs, job training, and post-high school and career information. Social adjustment examined information from the surveys regarding: a. types of social activities, b. most and least preferred social activities, c. making friends, and d. setting of social activities. These areas were found to be tough to quantify as the answers were extremely varied. The authors first qualify the discussion of results due to the small sample size, limited demographics, and the aptitude the sample showed for continuing on in education with little continued educational support. Also the interview limitations due to the time elapsed may skew the results. After qualifying the statements it was noted that there was a large group, excluding the college bound that indicated a further need for service and support. The examination of school adjustment indicated that the areas of Language arts and reading were a continued area of need. More surprisingly was the support for a need to look that exclusion of learning disabled students from physical education programs. Vocationally, the lack of counseling and training in the specific areas stood out. This provides earlier studies that indicated these students were in need of further vocational education and training to be successful. There was a strong desire indicated to want to work, but there was a lower rate of employment if there were no specific vocational opportunities offered. This caused a great deal of identified stress for subjects and parents. There were a number of findings reported in the social adjustment area. There was a great deal of avoidance of these issues and discussion of social situations. Secondly, it was in this area that there was a differing opinion between parents and subjects. Parents expressed a concern for lack of interaction outside the family that was not identified by the subjects themselves. Rojewski examined the results from the 1988 National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88) to determine the differences in occupational aspirations and career choices between disabled and non disabled adolescents. Also a comparison was made of the differences in the same choice patterns and aspirations between males and females. Rojewski utilized the NELS:88 to identify trends and differences based on the student questionnaires and indications about the student’s choices and aspirations over 4 years of the study (Rojewski 1996). The National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students (National Transition Study) is a study over a five-year span examining the progress of a sampling of students from special education programs through their exits from secondary education. Rojewski compiled a sample from this database. A sampling of students were selected from the database of students from the NELS:88. A sample of 1,051 schools were chosen who had 8th grade students in 1988. Twenty-four students were chosen at random from each school. This provided a group of greater than 24,000 students. The students were then disregarded if they had not participated in the first follow up survey (10th grade). After this process, the students were divided into groups of student with learning disabilities and without learning disabilities. This resulted in the selection of 12,542 total students, 405 adolescents with learning disabilities and 12,137 non-disabled peers. The study identifies an inherent threat to the validity of the results. School-identified samples rather than research- identified samples may produce a bias. This may be due to the behaviors that most often are identified in learning disabled students and the lack of a consistent definition between schools for a student with a learning disability. After reviewing demographic, achievement scores, and adolescent personality markers, it was determined that the selection process was successful in identifying the learning disabled population. The areas reviewed in the survey were problems with academic skills and performance, analysis of self-concept and locus of control, and the measurement of occupational aspirations. The academic achievement was broken into math and reading scores. In reading and Math, there was a considerable difference in the cores with non-disabled students scoring higher on the assessment tool. In reading, disabled females scored higher than their disabled male counterparts while the opposite is true for the Math scores. In Math, the disabled males scored higher. In examining the survey regarding self-concept and locus of control, females with a learning disability held a lower self- concept than all other adolescents. In contrast to that non- disabled males held the highest self- concept scores. For locus of control, grade 8 and 10 males and females with disabilities were more external in their locus of control. The group who reported a higher internal locus of control were tenth grade females without a disability. Background information was collected from a student questionnaire. Te areas addressed were gender, race, and locale of the student, socioeconomic status, self-concept, and locus of control. The results regarding socioeconomic status were delineated into four quartiles and examined five different variables. These are family income, parents’ education level, and parent occupations. To assess achievement levels in reading and math, scores from standardized testing were reviewed. The areas of reading and math were the only areas addressed and were used for descriptive purposes only. Career aspirations and career-choices were examined using occupational questions on the surveys. The students were asked to choice jobs they expected to be doing at the age of 30. The categories presented at the base survey numbered 14. This was expanded to 17 in the follow up surveys in order to better specify areas of interest. The results collected were placed into groups according to high, moderate, and low levels of education, prestige, and status. The data included a general description of the aspirations, a determination that the gender and disability of the student plays on the aspiration, and the change between follow ups on the aspirations. It was determined that these results supported the idea that there are differences in the impact of disabilities, as well as gender, on career aspirations. More to point, female in the eighth grade are more likely you be indecisive about future occupations that any other adolescents. They also are least likely to aspire to moderate- prestige occupations. This is the opposite to the non-disabled females of that grade who aspire to high- prestige occupations. Eighth grade males, similarly aspire to high- prestige occupations with more than 50% of the disabled males in this grade aspiring to moderate- prestige jobs. This trend held true to the tenth grade follow up results. Indications in this study also showed a great deal of indecision for disabled students with a more decisive path for their non-disabled peers. This, and the level of their aspirations have a positive correlation. The study indicates the significant impact disabilities have on the level of career aspirations. The primary concerns about this trend are that the students are being required to make this choice as early as eighth grade and that this is the crucial period in their vocational development. Dr. Henrey Reiff and Dr. Sharon deFur, reviewed literature which examines historical information regarding transition policy and legislation, post-secondary outcomes currently in use, and transition planning services available to lend proof to their statement that these students can benefit greatly from better developed transition services. The author’s contention is that requirement for transition planning and services and the legislation now in place the support it allows for a greater probability of success for students with disabilities. Through study of legislative mandates the article outlines the requirements of special education in providing a concise transition plan to disabled students. In identifying desirable outcomes, the article provides a framework for developing transition services for a number of routes. Finally, this article outlines the need for comprehensive and in depth assessment of the students needs in developing the most appropriate transition plan ava ilable. In a related study, Dr. Jay Rojewski, reviewed and examined the major themes from Bandura’s 1982 explanation of how chance influences individual life paths. He contrasts these with the characteristics, personal and social, often attributed to persons with learning disabilities. Rojewski first provides an overview of theoretical perspectives of career behavior including psychological theories and sociological theories. The author contends that psychological theories under represent minority groups including individuals with disabilities. In addressing the role of chance in career development, Dr. Rojewski defines chance and provides evidence of its influences on career behavior. The author proposes that the following determinants, personal and social, raise the intensity of chance on the career development of youth with disabilities; social skills difficulties, planfulness, problem solving, locus of control, self-esteem/ self concept, severity of disability, peer group influenc es, parental influences, cultural influences and school/ teacher influences. Dr. Wagner and Dr. Blackorby refer to the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students in order to track and argue that special education students in high schools without appropriate transition planning and programming are much less likely to successfully compete in the work force. They identified a number of ideas that may offer a better planning strategy for disabled students in transition planning. Included in these discussions were course offerings, the need for more vocational training, and the dual nature of taking more general education course. In addressing the last point it was found that one indicator of success was a greater number of general education course, but that in contrast, the higher number of regular education course a disabled student took, the higher the chances of receiving poor grades. This was identified as the primary reason students were dropping out. Research Question Can direct instruction in the academics of vocational training in a resource setting increase the level of mastery for transition and vocational goals for students with learning disabilities? Previous research supports the fact that students with learning disabilities are finding greater success in this area with increased time in vocational education classes. There is also ample proof that, due to the learning obstacles they face, these same students benefit a great deal from direct instruction in a resource setting. Based around these concepts, providing direct instruction in the academics of vocation in the resource setting should increase the level of mastery related to the IEP goals related to transition and vocation. To answer this question, quarterly progress monitoring in these areas must be assessed in relative terms. There is not just the question of full mastery, but improvement in relationship to where the student’s level of proficiency was to begin with. If the st udents improve in their ability to complete tasks and exhibit an increase in the skill set needed to successfully transition, their level of mastery has increased. Methods and Procedures Sample The sample should consist of students qualifying for a learning disability under Department of Defense guidelines in grades 9-12. These students are identified from the population receiving services at Fort Campbell High School. The criteria for qualifying for learning disabled include any students who are at or below the 10th percentile on a standard achievement test. These students can be identified from records review in their special education files. A review of records will identify prior mastery levels applicable to transition and vocation. There are 84 students receiving special education services in Fort Campbell High School. Forty six of these students currently are identified as having a learning disability. Due to the transient nature of this population, these numbers can fluctuate over time. To increase the scope of the study, Fort Knox also is included in the Department of Defense Schools System district. Procedure Prior to establishing IEP goals, an appropriate curriculum must be developed and implemented. This curriculum should encompass all aspect of vocational academics and include transferable skills training in the subject areas of Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. There needs to be flexibility in the delivery of this direct instruction based on the level of proficiency in these areas exhibited by the students. Providing instruction in the resource setting will allow this curriculum to be delivered in a flexible setting with accommodations and modifications needed. This curriculum should be in place and accessible prior to the year and developed in conjunction with the school’s vocational department. These individuals should also be a part of the Site- Based Case Study Committee’s (SBCSC) development of the IEP goals. The study of the effects of introduction of vocational academic curriculum classes in the resource setting on transition and vocational goals should include the establishment and monitoring of appropriate IEP goals. These goals, derived by the SBCSC, should be appropriate to the post-secondary goals and career track of the individual students. These goals can be geared toward transition to an academic or vocational setting. Department of Defense Education Activity manual has established goals to address the areas of career and work skills in the secondary setting. These include but are not limited to: Employment: These student will demonstrate skills for getting along with others in the work place The student will demonstrate skills for getting along with supervisors. The student will develop awareness for the world of work. The student will demonstrate career and/ or employment skills. The student will understand the knowledge requirements of his/ her preferred occupation. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the job process. Post- Secondary The student will identify educational skills in the workplace. The student will demonstrate entrance requirements for appropriate post-secondary community programs. The student will organize a work site. The student will demonstrate knowledge of how to succeed in a post-secondary program. Academic goals related to a transition curriculum, related to core subject areas include but are not limited to the following: Language arts The student will apply written language skills in functional writing activities. Identify the five main parts of a business letter. Write a resume. Write functional notes, messages, shopping lists, task lists, directions, and assignments. Mathematics The student will make reasonable estimations. The student will demonstrate an understanding of money concepts. The student will understand the basics of graphs, statistics, and graphs. The student will understand time concepts. Reading The student will demonstrate an understanding of functional documents. The student will demonstrate an understanding of consumer information. The student will apply reading skills needed for independent employment. With these goals and any individualized IEP goals developed by the SBCSC, a curriculum encompassing the required academic skills should be developed from all available resources in the content areas. Academic setting may include but are not limited to college, trade schools, or other schooling options. Vocational settings may be a work place or vocational courses and work training programs. This should occur within the first 10 days of the school year. The vocational academics are to be delivered dependant upon the development of the student’s class schedule. Because Department of Defense Dependant Schools (DODDS) operate on a block schedule, implementation should be 90 minutes every other day or one class period. This will provide the student with an average of two and a half class periods a week of direct instruction in the area of vocational academics. This instruction ill be provided by the special education staff and any support staff assigned to that department. This class should be identified as direct special education provided in the resource setting by special education staff reflective on the service page of the IEP. Progress on transition and vocational goals should be checked and documented at each grade reporting period. DODDS special education policy provides for quarterly progress reports to be provided in each report card period as well as during the annual review of the IEP. Each nine week period, with the completion of the grading period, each case managing special education is charged with documenting progress on all IEP goals. For the purpose of consistency in this study, the special education teacher for the vocational academics class should closely evaluate the progress made by each student in the class. The progress is ranked on a five tier ranking system and assigned the following numerical values; 1. No Progress, 2. Little Progress, 3. Some (moderate) Progress, 4. Partially Mastered, and 5. Mastered. The completion of the study should occur with a review of the IEP transition/ vocational goals in a SBCSC meeting in the last two weeks of the school year. Upon completion and collection of the progress reports, each goal should be reviewed and the progress evaluated. In this process, the SBCSC should look at how much the student progressed, if the goals were mastered, if the goals remain appropriate, if the time allowed for mastery was appropriate, and whether r not the goals remain aligned with the student’s goals and aspirations. Time Schedule Implementation of the study should begin and end with a SBCSC of the IEP goals. The development of these goals will occur within the first ten schooldays, Aug6- 17. The vocational academics class will be provided by the special education department in 90 minute intervals every other day on the block schedule. The time of day will be dependant on the scheduling of all classes in the school day. Each 9-week instructional period will mark the data collection point with the evaluation and recording of the student’s progress. For the 2007-08 school year in the DODDS system these dates are 12/ 05/ 07, 12/ 21/ 07, 03/ 14/08, 05/ 09/08. A fifth progress report will occur dependant on the date of the student’s annual review of their IEP. The last data collection point will occur in conjunction with the final grading period on 12 /05/ 07. This will mark the completion of the data collection and at this time the data will be reviewed and analyzed to identify relative gains, losses in the level of goal mastery. Data Collection Data Collection will occur at five times throughout the school year. Four of these collection points will be at a 9 week interval and take place in conjunction with the monitoring and documentation of school- mandated quarterly progress reports. The dates for these collection points are October 5, December 21, March 14, and May 9. A fifth collection point will occur at the student’s annual IEP review. Because each student’s annual review occurs a different times of the year, this fifth collection point will be dependant on the individual IEP. The data collected will be in the form of the aforementioned numerical ranking from the special education teacher providing instruction in the vocational academic class. This ranking 1-5 is recorded on the IEP goals sheet in the student’s special education file. Because of the small size of this sample, these results may not be replicable in other environments. The rating scale, filled out by the special education provider w ill be compiled by the teacher conducting and monitoring the study. Data Analysis The data will be evaluated for value added and it’s relativity to the student’s previous levels of performance. Through a records review of progress on prior transition goals, each benchmark and annual goal will be reviewed and evaluated. On each goal, with implementation of the direct instruction in the resource setting, mastery of transition goals should see a marked increase. Mastery of these goals, using the established ranking system, should all receive a ranking of 3 or above. This will indicate that the student’s are making moderate progress on all transition/vocational goals. By applying a value added system, we are able to also see the amount of increase seen in each student in relationship to their individual starting points. References Fafard, M..B., Haubrich, P.A. (1981). Vocational and social adjustment of learning disabled young adults: A follow-up study. Learning Disabled Quarterly, Vol.4, (No. 2), 122-130. Retrieved June 29, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Fairweather, J.S., Shaver, D.M.. (1990). A troubled future?: Participation in postsecondary education by youth with disabilities. The Journal of Higher Education, Vol.61, (No. 3), 332-348. Retrieved June 13, 2007 from JSTOR at jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Hasazi, S., Johnson, R., Hasazi, J., Gordon, L., Hull, M. (1989). Employment of youth with and without handicaps following high school: outcomes and correlates. The Journal of Special Education, Vol.23, (No. 3), 243-255. Retrieved June 9, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Heller, T. , Miller, A.B. , Hsieh, K. (1999). Impact of a consumer-directed family support program on adults with developmental disabilities and their family caregivers. Family Relations, Vol.48, (No. 4), 419-427. Retrieved June 19, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Minskoff, E.H. DeMoss, S. (1993). Facilitating successful transition : Using the TRAC model to assess and develop academic skills needed for vocational competence. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.16, (No. 3), 161-170. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Okolo, C. M. Sitlington, P. (Spring 1986). The role of special education in LD adolescents’ transition from school to workl. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.9, (No. 2), 141-155. Retrieved July 6, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Reiff, H., deFur, S. (Autumn, 1992). Transition for youth with learning disabilities: focus on developing independence. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.15, (No. 4), 237-249. Retrieved June 11, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Rojewski, J.W., (Spring 1996). Ocupational Aspirations and early career-choice patterns of adolescents with and without disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.19, (No. 2), 99-116. Retrieved July 3, 2007 from JSTOR at jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Rojewski, J.W. (Autumn, 1999). The role of chance in the career development of individuals with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.22, (No. 4), 267-278. Retrieved June 13, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. U.S. Department of Education (1987). Ninth annual report to congress on the implementation of the education of the handicapped act. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education Programs, Division of Innovation and Development. Wagner, M.H.., Blackorby, J. (1996). Transition from high school to work or college: How special education students fare. The Future of Children, Vol.6, (No. 1), 103-120. Retrieved June 29, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Will, M. (1984). Bridges from school to working life. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education and Rehailitative Services. Research Papers on Action Research Plan- Vocational transition in Special EducationStandardized TestingThe Project Managment Office SystemInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Hockey GameAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaOpen Architechture a white paperLifes What Ifs

Impressionism and The Famous Cafes of Paris Essay

Impressionism and The Famous Cafes of Paris - Essay Example The essay "Impressionism and The Famous Cafes of Paris" provide a detailed information about impressionism movement and gives a review on famous cafes of Paris in the 19th century. Impressionists painted day-to-day events instead of extraordinary occurrences. All this had to take place in a very unconventional setting. What better setting could they find than the famous cafes of Paris? How did the cafes relate with the impressionists and the post-impressionists? How much did the cafes influence the artists' work? How different they are now from what they were in the 19th century? These are some of the questions this paper tries to explore. Impressionism was an important movement in painting which began in the late 19th Century and developed through the early 20th century in France. It began when a few of the French artists became disillusioned with the way painting was taught in those days -- the mythological or historical subject matter. â€Å"They also rejected the conventional, i maginative or idealizing treatments of academic paintings.† Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renior, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Berthe Morisot, Armand Guillaumin and Frà ©dà ©ric Bazille comprised the initial artists of the movement. Among those who adopted the impressionist style of painting for some time were Edgar Degas and Paul Cà ©zanne. Édouard Manet was the painter who had inspired the impressionists to adopt the style in which they painted. Later, he also joined the movement and adopted its style. The impressionists were not hitherto known by this name. In 1874, when the group organized its own exhibition, an art critic, Louis Leroy, wrote a scathing criticism of the painting Impression, soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise), by the then unknown artist Claude Monet. Louis titled his review, The Exhibition of the Impressionists, and had this to say in his article: Impression - I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it and what freedom, what ease of workmanship! Wallpaper in its embryonic state is more finished than that seascape.2 It was from here on, that the group came to be known as the Impressionists and hence, the movement came to be known as Impressionism. This was the identity, which while the world derided, the artists of the group were proud of it. Neo-Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Impressionism, as a technique is still being practiced among the contemporary artists. However, the movement began to wane very shortly. The greatness of the movement does not lie in its longevity, its greatness lies in influence and productivity. As a reaction to Impressionism, two new movements came into being. Artists reacted against the empirical realism3 of the impressionists and devised a new technique based on scientific application of the optical principles of light and color to render the transient nature of time. This technique came to be known as Neo-Impressionism. Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Henri-Edmond Cross, Albert Dubois-Pillet, Maximilien Luce, Tho Van Rysselberghe and the Impressionist painter Camille Pissarro, formed the first Neo-Impressionist group. Together, in 1881, they formed Socit des Artistes Indpendants (Society of Independent Artists). Like its predecessor, this movement also waned quickly, but not without having a lasting influence on the works of such great artists as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Henri Matisse. An English art-critic, Roger Fry, gave the name Post-Impressionism to the works of artists like Paul Czanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulous

Physician Assisted Suicide Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Physician Assisted Suicide - Term Paper Example Utilitarianism, which is one of most well-known ethical theories under the umbrella of consequentialism or teleological ethics, is a school of thought, which believes that right and ethical actions are those, which could create maximum good for the maximum number of people. In other words, it focuses on the minimizing the pain and maximizing the pleasure (Devettere, pp. 106-107, 2009). If the issue of physician-assisted suicide is put forward in front of a utilitarianist then he would engage in a hedonic calculus for calculating the pleasure and pain inflicted by the situation of the patient. If the total pleasure is greater than the total pain than the utilitarianist would argue that, the person should live and vice versa. Furthermore, despite the fact that how much pain the person is suffering with, if the life of the person is causing pleasure and benefit for a greater number of people then the utilitarianist would argue that it is better for the person to live for as long as poss ible despite his condition (Donnellan, pp. 61, 2005). More importantly, even if the person pleads death, an utilitarianist in that particular condition would refrain from letting it happen because according to Millian principles of utilitarianism, if ever there is a clash between the two basic principles or values of this ethical theory which are â€Å"Utility† and â€Å"Liberty†, then utility must prevail over liberty (Keown, pp. 201, 2002). Relativism refers to the school of thought who believes that absolute truth, knowledge of reality is inaccessible to the humans because of that every bit and a piece of information or truth that comes to us is highly subjective.  Ã‚  

Impact of trade unions on firm performance Essay

Impact of trade unions on firm performance - Essay Example They use this power to reach a compromise with the employers (Bennett & Kaufman, 2007). In spite of the outcome, the members of unions must adhere to the solution at which the two parties arrive. The history of trade or labor unions dates back to 1860’s when workers created labor unions that included a vast range of workers (Currie, 2001). However, the unions did not accomplish any notable achievements and they ended up closing their doors. Over time, worker's  approach to trade unions has changed drastically, and they have accomplished commendable results for their members. They have banded a lot of employees from various industries so as to enhance their experience in the workplace (Bennett & Kaufman, 2007). The key function of these unions is to push for improved working conditions and reasonable wages for their members. The leaders hold negotiations with employers regarding issues such as wage increments, better benefits and working hours and more vacation time among oth ers. The decision that the union arrives at is binding for all its members. The leaders also hold regular meetings to handle complains, concerns and recommendations, as well as vote on key decisions before negotiating with employers. In the case where a trade union does not reach a decision with an employer, it may result in a strike (Currie, 2001). A strike is a decision that all members must respect. Trade unions include employees from a given industry such as the agriculture industry, or a specific agency such as local or state government. Furthermore, there are some minimum requirements that unions require from their members in order to get official membership. Some unions require their new members to pay a registration fee while other requires them to have certification in order to join. The unions may include both blue color employees and professional. Different unions vary in terms of the features and qualifications since they operate in different industries and have diverse memberships. In addition to their role in enhancing the conditions of employees, the unions also take part in political activism. During the formulation of legislations especially laws that touch on the lives of workers directly, they send their representatives to influence the outcome. Although the key objective of these unions is to push for improved wages and working conditions in the workplace, this objective also includes political activism. This paper discusses how trade unions impact on performance, as well as outline how employees can best handle trade unions. Impact of trade unions on performance The key goal of the unions is to ensure that their members have the best working conditions, reasonable wages, are not mistreated by employers and get vacations as necessary (Bennett & Kaufman, 2007). However, the impact of trade unions does not only influence these factors. They affect other areas such as performance of employees among others. This can be either in a positive or a negative manner. Trade unions can either result in increased performance or decreased performance depending on the outcome. Increased performance The impact of a trade union can have positive effects on a firm’s performance. Among the key roles of a human resource manager is to motivate employees to perform in a better way. HR managers can motivate employees in a number of ways. These are better wages and working

Discuss The Human Impact On Oceans

Discuss The Human Impact On Oceans Humans can have an abnormal and a massive impact on oceans all over the world. Oceans around the world are becoming more and more tarnished due to these impacts caused by humans. Evidence shows that human activities are altering ocean ecosystems beyond their natural state. These human activities are harming the oceans capacity to provide food, protect homes for the marine life, maintain clean water, and recover from environmental stresses like severe storms. A recent study has mapped the total human impact on the seas for the first time, and has revealed that the picture is far worse than imagined. Forty percent of the worlds oceans have been heavily affected by human activities, including fishing, coastal development and pollution. The most severely affected areas are in the North Sea, South and East China Seas, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Red Sea, the Gulf, the Bering Sea, the East Coast of North America and the Western Pacific. All of this is due to human activities. Oceans An ocean is a body of saline water that composes a large part of a planets hydrosphere. The word sea is often used interchangeably with ocean, but strictly speaking a sea is a body of saline water partly or fully enclosed by land. Because the ocean is accounted for being more than 70% of the Earths surface, it is therefore divided into different parts: (In descending order) Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Antarctic Ocean Arctic Ocean Because the ocean is the principal component of Earths hydrosphere, the world ocean is essential to all known life. It also forms part of the carbon cycle, and influences climate and weather patterns. The total volume of the ocean is approximately 1.3 billion cubic kilometres or 310 million cubic miles with an average depth of 3,682 metres or 12,080 ft. It is also the habitat of 230,000 known species, however much of the oceans depths remain unexplored and it is estimated that over two million marine species may exist. This just proves how vast and important the ocean is. It is a shame that we humans do so much harm to our oceans, knowing how important and essential it is to us and other living things that require its attention. Importance of the Ocean Throughout history humans have been directly and indirectly influenced by the oceans. Ocean waters serve as a source of food and valuable minerals, as a huge base for commercial manners, and provide a place for both recreation and waste disposal. Gradually, people are turning to the oceans for their food supply either by direct consumption or indirectly by harvesting fish that is then processed for livestock feed. It has been estimated that as much as 10% of human protein intake comes from the oceans. Nevertheless, the food-producing potential of the oceans is only partially recognized. Other biological products of the oceans are also commercially used. For example, pearls taken from oysters are used in jewelry, and shells and coral have been widely used as a source of building material. All living things would not be able to live on this planet without the oceans. Oceans help moderate the climate by keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The oceans provide a vast surface area for water to evaporate, thus putting moisture in the atmosphere so that precipitation may occur. The ocean is the best place where evaporation takes place. The ocean is a large body of water, which makes it so convenient for evaporation to take place. Most of the rain comes from water evaporated from the oceans. No plants or animals, including humans could survive without rain. Sadly, a lot of plants all over the world get little to no water, causing them to die. Therefore they may only be able to depend on the rain for necessary reasons. And we humans need plants for the oxygen and other gases that they give off in order for us to stay alive. So if plants die, then we as humans die along with other living things. Thats just two of the very major things where there couldnt even be life without oceans. There is a lot more, like where would all the fish come from to feed billions of people who depend on seafood to survive if there were no oceans? In which fish would be a huge priority for people who not only feed on fish, but also fishermen who sell fish as a job in order to survive. Ocean water is processed to extract commercially valuable minerals such as salt, bromine, and magnesium. Although nearly 60 valuable chemical elements have been found dissolved in ocean water, most are in such dilute concentrations that the extraction of the minerals found in ocean water isnt profitable. Ocean water is also refined to produce freshwater. The oceans also have become more important for recreational use, as each year progresses, more people are attracted to the sports of swimming, fishing, scuba diving, boat racing, and waterskiing, just to name a few. Ocean pollution in the meantime, has escalated dramatically as those who use the oceans for recreational and commercial purposes, as well as those who live nearby, have disposed of more and more wastes there. Human Impacts on Oceans Humans have had a huge impact on the ocean. In fact, evidence of humans can be found all over the oceans, even in the most remote polar areas, in the form of floating trash. Humans are the main cause of pollution of the ocean. Washington Post published that Human activities are affecting every square mile of the worlds oceans, according to a study by a team of American, British and Canadian researchers who mapped the severity of the effects from pole to pole. Some factors included warming ocean temperatures because of greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient runoff and fishing. The areas that are under the most stress due to human activities are the North and Norwegian seas, South and East China seas, Eastern Caribbean, North American eastern seaboard, Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, Bering Sea, and the waters around Sri Lanka. Some marine ecosystems are under severe pressure like sea mounts, mangrove swamps, sea grass and coral reefs. Almost half of all coral reefs experience medium high to very high impacts from humans. Large and small contributing factors significantly pollute both inland and coastal waters by dumping their raw sewage. Accidental oil spills or flushed tankers and offshore rigs (900,000 metric tons annually), tarnishes beaches and harms bird, fish, and plant life. Humans dump a lot of waste in the ocean such as trash, sewage, oil, chemicals, heat, and even noise just to name a few. As the human population increases on the Earth, these sources of pollution increase. Small amounts of pollution do not harm the ocean ecosystems. In fact, sometimes the dumping of food waste in the ocean can increase the productivity of an area by supplying an additional food source for the marine animals. But, this is always altering the natural state and usually becomes destructive in the long run. Here are some of the impacts on the ocean that humans cause: Oil spills- Oil floats on the surface of the ocean, so when oil spills occur, the oil tends to end up on the shore where it negatively impacts coastal wildlife and humans. It can hurt wildlife by mashing down bird feathers, sticking to fish gills, disrupting breeding, and by poisoning animals and plants. Humans are affected when beaches are closed and seafood cannot be harvested. Once an oil spill occurs, chemicals may be used to diffuse the oil, but these chemicals may also be toxic to marine life. To clean up a spill with minimum impact to the environment, bioremediation may be used. In this process, nitrogen and phosphorous-rich fertilizers are added to the contaminated beaches to stimulate the growth of bacteria that supposedly eats away the oil. Sewage and trash- Trash is one of the most, if not, the most widespread pollutants that are caused by humans. Beaches all over the world become littered with the trash produced by mankind. Much of which is disposed of at sea and then floats all over the world in the ocean currents. Everywhere in the world, there are trash and sewage being dumped into the ocean. Sewage acts as a fertilizer and can be responsible for toxic plankton. Another possible effect caused by sewage is detoxification. Detoxification kills marine life because there is not enough oxygen in the water to breathe. Sewage may also lead to diseases and unhealthy chemicals like heavy metals and other pollutants into coastal waters. Although the ocean is good at ridding itself of pollutants by chemical processes and dilution, as coastal populations grow, so do the human impacts on the marine environment. Storm drain and River run-off- These impacts begin far away from the coast. This impact has a lot of pollutants that eventually finds its way to the ocean. Pollutants like a Styrofoam cup, oil and gasoline, soap from washing cars, a candy wrapper, and old smoked cigarettes are some examples of storm drain and river run-off. Fertilizers, soap, and organic wastes will increase plankton and bacteria levels in the ocean the same way sewage does. Oil and gasoline are toxic in both freshwater and saltwater. A sewer plant may become overloaded with sewage and may be unable to treat it. This may happen during rain storms if the rain water is directed into storm drains that go to the sewer plant. Because of this many cities now have storm drains that take the runoff water directly to the ocean which can be another problem if the water is contaminated Watersheds- Watersheds can sometimes build up sewage, usually due to improper septic systems or people using the watershed as an outdoor outhouse. When it begins to rain, these watersheds are flushed into the ocean and extremely high levels of human sewage contaminate the ocean. Thermal pollution- Thermal pollution is a byproduct of the oceans use as a cooling agent. The cool ocean water taken in is released at a higher temperature. Although the temperature of release is usually controlled by laws, and is not such a threat as the other forms of pollution are, one could imagine what it would be like if more and more plants began using ocean water as a coolant. Conclusion Humans are definitely a massive impact on the ocean. We as humans really benefit from the ocean, but we still are harming it in so many ways. Without the ocean, there would be dire consequences not just for humans, but for all living things that depend on it.. Humans along with other living things would not be able to live on this planet without the ocean, and I dont think the planet would be able to carry on for long if there were no ocean. The ocean is beginning to change along with planet Earth. The way the humans are impacting the ocean is very dangerous and is safe to nothing that lives in it. The dumping of sewage and trash and other pollutants in the ocean is tarnishing and killing the marine life and the purity of the ocean. Earths global ocean is the largest confirmed surface ocean on all observable planets. This comes down to the fact that it takes up more than half of the earths surface; therefore it is the most important part of the earth. And we as humans need to take care of it, in terms of its state of cleanliness. Because without the ocean, everything on the earth will perish.

Birth Control :: Contraceptives, Birth Control Essays

The practice of birth control prevents conception, thus limiting reproduction. The term birth control, coined by Margaret SANGER in 1914, usually refers specifically to methods of contraception, including STERILIZATION. The terms family planning and planned parenthood have a broader application. METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL Attempts to control fertility have been going on for thousands of years. References to preventing conception are found in the writings of priests, philosophers, and physicians of ancient Egypt and Greece. Some methods, though crude, were based on sound ideas. For example, women were advised to put honey, olive oil, or oil of cedar in their vaginas to act as barriers. The stickiness of these substances was thought to slow the movement of sperm into the uterus. Wads of soft wool soaked in lemon juice or vinegar were used as tampons, in the belief that they would make the vagina sufficiently acidic to kill the sperm. The Talmud mentions using a piece of sponge to block the cervix, the entrance to the uterus. Sperm Blockage Several modern methods of birth control are practiced by creating a barrier between the sperm and the egg cell. This consists of the use of a chemical foam, a cream, or a suppository. Each contains a chemical, or spermicide that stops sperm. They are not harmful to vaginal tissue. Each must be inserted shortly before COITUS. Foams are squirted from aerosol containers with nozzles or from applicators that dispense the correct amount of foam and spread it over the cervix; creams and jellies are squeezed from tubes and held in place by a diaphragm or other device; and suppositories--small waxy pellets melted by body heat--are inserted by hand. More effective at keeping sperm and egg apart are mechanical barriers such as the diaphragm and cervical cap (both used with a spermicide), the sponge, and the condom. A diaphragm is a shallow rubber cup that is coated with a spermicide and positioned over the cervix before intercourse. Size is important; women need to have a pelvic examination and get a prescription for the proper diaphragm. The cervical cap, less than half the size but used in the same way, has been available worldwide for decades. It was not popular in the United States, however, and in 1977 it failed to gain approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); in 1988, the FDA again permitted its sale. The contraceptive sponge, which keeps its spermidical potency for 48 hours after being inserted in the vagina, was approved in 1983. Like the diaphragm and cervical cap, the sponge has an estimated effectiveness rate of about 85%. The devices only rarely produce side effects such as irritation and allergic reactions and, very rarely, infections. The condom, a rubber sheath, is rolled

Curriculum Alignment Research Suggests That Alignment Can Improve Student Achievement Essay

Alignment is a match between two categories and Curriculum describes what gets taught (Squires, 2012). Curriculum alignment attempts to put to maximum effect the relationship among three categories; namely the taught curriculum, the written curriculum, and the test curriculum. It shows how the above can be used to improve student achievement thus explaining how the design for a curriculum can be aligned to state standards and state specifications for effective instructional process (Squires, 2012). This article serves to provide a backup into a curriculum design that makes sure what is tested gets taught. It also shows the difficulty that is encountered in in having numerous assessment standards and seeks a way to eliminate the challenge and secondly a specific curriculum can be potentially aligned to more than one standard. From this article, we get to find from Balance curriculum that when a curriculum is properly aligned, student achievement and performance improves. According to Squires (2012), when taught curriculum is aligned to written standards, there is increased, strong and positive student achievement. Squires (2012) showed textbook studies fostered a limited range of learning strategies such that the emphasis is frequently on problem solving rather than learning by reading, discussion and argument in order to acquire the knowledge to solve a problem of one’s own choosing. Squires (2012) showed that textbooks may not be well aligned to state tests and it would be prudent for the school districts to identify the gaps and provide the teachers with materials to cover the gaps. In order to align the state tests (test curriculum) to state standards (written curriculum), Marzano came up with a benchmark for comparing all state and national professional association standards to each other and created a website where the same could be achieved for instance, Archives (www.aligntoachieve.com) provided four criteria for alignment of textbooks to standards that are; content, performance, level of difficulty and balance and range. From above we also find there is constraint in testing time where only a limited number of concepts can be assessed effectively (Squires, 2012). From (Third International Mathematics and Science Studies) TIMSS study findings, it is significant to note that the content of a country’s’ curriculum affects student achievement and that for student learning, the extent of opportunities to learn will depend on the time the teacher spends on the topic which translates to greater performance. A district must control time and content covered at a specific time if the results are to improve of which it is the function of the curriculum. The districts can assist in aligning, structuring, implementing and assessing the curriculum (Squires, 2012). Reference Squires, D. A. (2012), Curriculum Alignment Research Suggests That Alignment Can Improve Student Achievement, London, Routledge. Source document

Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically

Martina Westcott Hsoc 259 April 21, 2010 Maintaining a Healthy Home Holistically: Natural Household Products as Safe Alternatives to Conventional Products â€Å"If you want to learn about the health of a population, look at the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the places where they live. † -Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, 5th Century BC Natural household products are an important part of maintaining health holistically. From day to day, what is ingested, inhaled, and introduced into our bodies has effects on levels of function and the state of our health.We spend up to 57 percent of our lives indoors, so it is beneficial to make sure that indoor environments are safe havens to raise healthy children. [1] High levels of exposure to harmful fumes and aromas produced by conventional cleaning products play a role in increasing rates of asthma, especially in young children. Conventional cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that are irritating to both the skin and b ody. Asthma cannot be cured, but by removing triggers in the home, this condition can be treated and patients can rely less on biomedicine to control symptoms.Two main symptom aggravators for asthmatic patients are bioallergens and chemical irritants. [2] Natural cleaning products can be helpful in removing both from the home. By removing allergens and synthetic chemicals from the home environment, good health is maintained. Perspectives taken from current consumers of natural cleaning products reveal an understanding of the environment as a point of access to a wealth of resources that can serve to alleviate symptoms and enhance one’s quality of life. The efficacy of these products is revealed in personal accounts.Moreso today than ever before, it is crucial to regard the body as a precious vessel and treat it as such. In doing so, some are beginning to relate to the environment in a new way, valuing responsibility to the environment as much as responsibility for their own b odies. By engaging in a reciprocal relationship with the environment, humans live in harmony with their surroundings and preserve nature’s healing powers. Melaleuca, Inc, the Shaklee Corporation, and the Rainbow Company are three institutions that pledge to protect the health of consumers and our environment through increasing accessibility to natural cleaning products.What are Natural Household Products? Natural cleaning products contain components from the earth as primary constituents, such as oils, herbs, or naturally- occurring chemical compounds. These products do not harm the environment and do not introduce foreign chemicals into the body. Therefore, natural cleaning products are typically non- irritating to the skin and eyes and far more gentle than harsh chemical cleansers. In the context of this paper, just because something is ‘natural’ doesn’t mean it is less toxic, or non- irritating all the time.Even cleaners that are safe enough to eat, lik e lemon juice, can be irritating to the eyes or skin. Consumers should make decisions based on reading the ingredient list for themselves, identifying any ingredients that may be toxic, and then deciding whether to use that product in the home. There are several labels approved by the FDA that one can use to identify whether or not a product is organic, or in other words, natural. If a product is labeled â€Å"100% organic† all of the ingredients used must be natural.If a product is labeled simply â€Å"organic,† it at least 95 percent of its ingredients are organically produced. Finally, if a product is labeled â€Å"made with organic ingredients,† it must contain at least 70 percent organic contents. The first ingredient on any label is found in the product in greatest quantity, therefore it may be convenient to simply identify this ingredient. Many products are mostly water. Therefore, the first ingredient can provide a clue to the potency of the natural ingr edient within the product of your choice. 3] Not all natural cleaning products are equal. Like all products used in the home, especially around children, it is necessary to research ingredients or subscribe to a company that pledges to provide pure products. For instance, the Melaleuca Company adheres to the established Australian standard that requires marketed Melaleuca oil to have a minimum of thirty- five percent Terpinen and a maximum of ten- percent Cineole, the two main chemical components of the natural oil, which ensures that the product is as pure as possible. [4] The Shaklee Corporation, another ompany that promotes natural products, maintains a Scientific Advisory Board of medical professionals and scientists who regularly check the purity of products and make sure EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards are met. [5] These are features of companies that have created transparency for consumers to identify exactly where their products are coming from and can be tru sted to provide pure products for the home. Why Worry About the Environment? Do you know what impacts the quality of your health? [pic] www. ahha. org We are our environment.Health does not end at the skin. Everything we do, from the food we eat to the air we breathe, affects our health. In this diagram produced by the American Holistic Health Association, the environment is shown to impact health in an even stronger capacity than medical care. While one may visit the doctor’s office once or twice annually, we spend countless hours indoors in the course of our lives. Therefore the quality of the environment cannot be separated from one’s state of health. Natural household products holistically maintain health because they do not harm the environment.Unnatural, genetically engineered chemicals used in the environment have been shown to harm the body. In a study conducted at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, evidence was found linking organochlorine exposure and thyroid disease in women. Organochlorine is an insecticide used in planting. The study compared female farmers in Iowa and North Carolina who had been exposed to the compound on a regular basis to those who were not in regular contact with the chemical. Analysis of results showed that â€Å"there was an increased odds of hypothyroidism with use of organochlorine insecticides of 12. %†[6] This study reveals the bodily harm that can be incurred just by touching chemically altered compounds and using them on a daily basis. This is not to mention the potential dangers of ingesting these chemicals in food products. As we keep the environment pure, we also keep our bodies pure. In indigenous cultures, all products used in the home came directly from the earth itself. Indigenous Perspectives of Holism Using natural cleaning products parallels the use of holistic healthcare. Indigenous peoples believed that human beings are one with the earth, and this assertion is found in all form s of Shamanistic practice.Each of us is deeply connected with the Earth’s ecosystems. In a book entitled Ecological Medicine: Healing the Earth, Healing Ourselves the author writes, â€Å"By restoring the earth, we restore ourselves†[7] Biologically, the human body is composed of the same elements that constitute the land like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. When we die, our bodies return to the earth and begin the cycle of life anew. The Bible reads, â€Å"Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. †[8] Human life comprises just one small portion of the cycle of life.Cultures that participated in Shamanistic traditions like the Native Americans, for instance, understood this cycle of life. The notion of using the most valuable herbs the earth has to offer in personal care regimens is not one of recent invention. Native Americans have used plants and herbs grown by hand for anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 years. [9] The spiritual understanding of a life cy cle that the earth is intimately connected to human beings is the underlying basis for providing optimal care and respect for the land, which will ultimately offer up a harvest to care for the individual in turn.Such an understanding â€Å"is awareness that life in any environment is viable only when humans view the life that surrounds them as kin. †[10] This phenomenon, which professor of Anthropology Enrique Salmon calls â€Å"ecological kinship† is a unique feature of Native American culture and other Shamanistic belief systems that has produced a deep appreciation for the land, one that the Melaleuca Company echoes in promotion of natural products that do not harm the earth upon disposal as some harsh chemicals may.Native Americans have traditionally â€Å"viewed human beings not as some higher intellectual being above lower animal and inanimate beings but as a kindred partner in the universe, reliant on the other beings in creation for life itself. †[11] Th is fundamental interdependence is necessary to an understanding of holistic healthcare as more than care for the body, but also care for the environment, which can be considered the temple that houses our bodies. Other Native American groups have similar understandings of the cyclic nature of life and death as it relates to the environment.In Cherokee culture, the medicine wheel, which symbolizes the â€Å"wheel of life†[12] represents a series of stages through which living beings pass associated with seasons and the alignment of the cosmos. The wheel does not have to be tangible; it can be spiritually understood as present during ceremonial rituals. The term â€Å"medicine† wheel may be understood in American culture if biomedicine is the immediate connection one identifies because the concept is quite spiritual in Native culture. The medicine wheel is a healing cycle that includes the environment as a source of healing and strength. As Dr.Tieraona Low Dog puts it el oquently, â€Å"plants aren’t pills, they’re seeds. †[13] In indigenous cultures, plants have intrinsic healing properties simply from being alive. These healing powers are all- natural and unaltered by man, preserved only in the purity of nature. This is true in all indigenous belief systems. For Native Americans and other indigenous groups, health is a balance between human outputs and inputs and those of the physical body of land. It is an alignment that is achieved through respect for the earth, an absence of exploitation in terms of resource extraction, and an embracing of nature.In a physical sense, balance is achieved by respecting the land. In a spiritual sense, balance is achieved by using the wheel symbolically in ceremonial practices and rituals to align oneself with climate patterns, deities, etc. For instance, in certain Cherokee ceremonies, tribes march around a central fire in a counter- clockwise direction because this is believed to be pleasing to the divine. According to Jutlia Atli, a member of the Cherokee tribe, â€Å"We are created by, balanced between, and destroyed by the primary forces represented on the Wheel. [14] The wheel includes seven sacred directions which correspond to environmental elements and seasons as well as colors and times of day. The seven directions are also representative of various characters, such as humility, change, death, and impermanence. These examples demonstrate the creation and existence of the human being as only a small part of an extensive universal system of life that is all inclusive, a substratum of physical and spiritual interconnection that strings together all beings as one. This holistic view of life is one that we can reclaim today.Like a flickering flame, human life is only a brief glimpse of the extensive life present on the earth at any given point in time, a humbling acceptance that can truly change one’s perspective. Natural Medicine Indigenous peoples used what was available to them in their immediate environments, typically herbs, roots, or seeds that grew from the soil, in healing. These natural elements were the body’s first medicines. Modern pharmaceuticals introduce chemicals that have often been genetically engineered in the laboratory into our bodies.When the body does not recognize a drug, the immune system is designed to combat that foreign substance. Prescriptions cannot simply target one symptom because the body is a set of extensive systems that work in harmony to maintain homeostasis. Any pill ingested must travel through the entire system and could potentially harm organs or tissues that were not the intended target of the treatment. Therefore, it is better to use natural treatments that are not so unfamiliar to the body to maintain good health.Holistic practitioners like those who practice homeopathy utilize naturally occurring remedies to restore health such as herbs. A homeopathic physician, Dr. Linda Baker utilize s natural herbs every day in her practice and also maintains an allergen- free, chemical- free environment in her office for patients. [15] Her concern for creating a natural setting for her homeopathic practice speaks to recreating the natural environment indoors to maintain health holistically. She subscribes to the Shaklee Corporation, a company that produces natural products for the home and office.Natural Household Products Today: Drawing on the Past to Protect Our Future Three major companies involved in producing natural cleaning products for sale presently are the Shaklee Corporation, the Rainbow Company, and Melaleuca Inc. A brief overview of the services offered by these companies will provide insight into the transforming views of how to maintain a healthy home environment. All companies promoting natural cleaning products share the same basic goal, and that is promoting health holistically by offering alternatives to harsh chemicals that can harm the body and the environ ment.These companies look to indigenous cultures for philosophy and ingredients. The Shaklee Corporation has been operating since 1960. It is one of the pioneer companies to promote natural cleaning products and biodegradable containers for household products. Their mission statement nicely sums some of the ideas presented in this paper. This is the Shaklee pledge: â€Å"We make products from the purest natural ingredients. And we take stringent measures to keep out pesticides, contaminants, and other unnatural things that simply don't belong there.But just as important as what we take from nature is what we don't take. †[16] Shaklee set the standard for many similar companies that would follow. Melaleuca, Inc. was founded by Frank VanderSloot in 1995. The overarching goals of the company are to provide consumers with natural alternatives to chemically based cleaning products, healing supplements, medications, and even beauty products. By working in concert with the environme nt, the Melaleuca Company has brought to the forefront natural remedies that have been used for centuries in other cultures.For instance, the pioneer product and namesake of this innovative company was melaleuca oil, also known as tea tree oil. This oil is a natural compound taken from an Australian plant which is considered â€Å"a useful dermatological with antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. †[17] Tea tree oil is used in a wide range of products sold by the company, including toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, as well as its most basic form as pure oil. Tea tree oil was used among Australian aborigines who realized the healing power of the extract upon experimentation.Within that culture, â€Å"freshly crushed leaves were applied directly to an injury, and then held in place with a mud pack†[18] and healing was accelerated. They named the herb bungawalbyn, which means â€Å"healing ground† in the native language. [19] Today, tea tree oil is used to treat conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and athlete’s foot. It is found within a whole host of natural cleaning products, from teas to acne medications. This company is one of many that have successfully brought this ancient herb back to the forefront of health consciousness and natural remedies for common ailments.The Melaleuca Company functions through word- of- mouth dissemination of consumer based advice and success with products. One of the company’s slogans, â€Å"We’re telling about Melaleuca, not selling it†[20] speaks to this feature of promoting the products. Customers are exposed to Melaleuca through informational sessions held within the homes of current users who are given instructional materials to conduct the sessions themselves with other friends. As a wellness company, the Melaleuca brand promotes a holistic focus on the entire individual’s overall wellbeing and daily satisfaction with bodily function.Testimonies shared during informational sessions are typically centered on personal experience with the product, from health improvements seen after using natural cleaning products as in the case of Ms. Hensen, to the practical efficacy of maintaining a healthy lifestyle without harming the environment. While Melaleuca promotes a whole host of natural products, from lotions to cleaners, other companies focus on improving the efficacy and the environmentally- friendly standard of a particular household appliance such as the vacuum.The Rainbow Cleaning System line produces vacuum cleaners that use a water filtration system to collect dirt and allergens picked up instead of traditional bags that can harbor a host of dust mites and other bacteria lifted from carpets during vacuuming. The idea of cleaning one’s home is the goal to remove dirt, but some conventional vacuum cleaners only spread dirt and dust mites as one empties filters and bags. Rainbow technology uses a water basin to trap al lergens in a fluid that can be easily disposed in the proper receptacle, either bagged and thrown in the trash or flushed down the toilet.The innovative system also allows customers to add natural components to the water basin prior to vacuuming, such as lemon or orange peels, to fragrance the home naturally as you vacuum. This pragmatic system can be helpful for those who are sensitive to dust and other irritants, especially asthmatic children and adults. Conventional Household Products Pollute the Body Asthma is a condition that affects a large portion of the U. S. population and it is especially prevalent among young children. An average of one out of every 13 school-aged children or nine million US children under age 18 have been diagnosed with asthma. It’s the most common chronic childhood disease in the developed world and has become even more commonplace in the last three decades. †[21] Furthermore, in the US, the prevalence of asthma increased 75% from 1980-1994 . [22] An increasingly toxic home environment may play a key role in the development of asthma and the severity of symptoms.A 2004 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed the harmful effects of environmental irritants in amplifying asthma- related symptoms. The study, which followed 937 children living in high- risk homes in seven major cities, found that a reduction of irritants within the home served to decrease asthma- related morbidity rates. [23] Children who were exposed to fewer allergens within the home through stringent cleaning practices experienced less symptoms of asthma including wheezing and coughing. They could also play for more extended periods of time because their symptoms were alleviated.This study reveals the fundamental connection between health and environment, one that companies promoting natural cleaning products hope to make prominent in American consumer culture. The Melaleuca Company promotes maintaining a healthy home. In a chapte r of the Melaleuca Wellness Guide entitled â€Å"Is Your Home a Healthy Home? † John K. Beaulieu exposes the harms that can be unwittingly imposed on one’s family through the use of toxic chemicals in household products. Some alarming statistics are presented as evidence of these harms.For instance, â€Å"a product that kills 50% of lab animals through ingestion or inhalation can still receive the federal regulatory designation ‘non-toxic’†[24] Throughout the article, a number of products used in almost every household in the United States are listed as containing cancer-causing agents and chemicals that can irritate respiratory pathways or skin. One chemical that is common in many household products, formaldehyde, which is also used to preserve human and animal bodies for dissection, is described as capable of causing â€Å"spasms, edema of the larynx and bronchi, and chemical pneumonitis†[25] upon inhalation.Formaldehyde is found in common brands of bubble bath, baby shampoo, hair spray, and other personal care products and, like dust and allergens, has also been linked to childhood asthma. In an article published in the Environmental Health Perspectives Journal entitled â€Å"Formaldehyde Exposure and Asthma in Children: A Systematic Review,† literature reviews of recently published studies provided quantitative evidence of a strong association between formaldehyde in the home environment and increasing rates of asthma among children.Specifically, â€Å"when compared with individuals with no formaldehyde exposure, those with the highest levels of exposure reported in the seven studies (i. e. , 80  µg/m3) would have 3. 5-times higher odds of asthma. †[26] One study examined in this report focused on formaldehyde exposure among infants from birth to two years of age, a critical window where exposure to formaldehyde can have long- lasting effects due to the â€Å"small caliber of their airways†[27 ] and found an even stronger positive association with asthma for these children later in life.Therefore, it is imperative that families keep their homes pure in terms of products used to clean furniture and floors, especially in children’s rooms. Some links to chemical and asthma remain unclear. For instance, a study in Sweden identified yet another harmful agent found in many household items, phthalate compounds. Phthalates are compounds that are used in conventional tupper- ware plastic containers as well as moisturizers, nail polish, and vinyl flooring. These compounds are ubiquitous in most American homes as well and leach out of products into the air. â€Å"Global phthalate production is 3. million tons per year†[28] and this figure is rising every year. The Swedish study concluded that â€Å"house dust containing [phthalates]†¦is associated with higher rates of asthma. †[29] The study included Swedish children who were exposed to phthalate- containin g products in the home. However, a reverse causation factor has been considered by the American Chemistry Council, which suggests that it is yet to be determined whether the presence of the phthalate compounds ultimately leads to asthma or if the phthalate-containing products brought into the home to combat asthma only further aggravate symptoms.Both situations may be contributing factors to worsening symptoms. The example used is the practice of replacing carpets with vinyl flooring to reduce allergens, which is often a response to asthma because parents are aware of the dust mites carpeting can harbor within the home. Perhaps the Rainbow Cleaning System would work well for these families! Although this particular connection remains unclear, other chemical compounds like formaldehyde have been linked to asthma with high levels of certainty.The preventive benefits of using natural cleaning systems in the home prevail. Evidence suggests that conventional cleaning products cause illne ss; this is especially important for children. During the interview, Ms. Hensen discussed the health benefits of using natural household products within her own family in depth. With regard to the benefits of using Melaleuca products, she asserted wholeheartedly that her â€Å"family’s health had improved greatly since the introduction of Melaleuca cleaning products and supplements to the household. Her teenage son has suffered with severe asthma since birth and his condition was often aggravated by strongly scented detergents and other harsh chemical products, including household bleach and ammonia- based cleaners. She revealed that he had missed almost two months of school over the course of his freshman year of high school due to asthma complications despite her best efforts to keep the house clear of irritants like dust and pesticides. When a friend suggested Melaleuca, Ms. Hensen was eager to explore the option.Her first product was MelaPower ©, a melaleuca oil- based detergent. Within weeks, she found that her son was not experiencing the same sense of airway irritation as he had with other brands of detergent. She then added Sol-U-Mel ©, a multi-use cleaning solution that she uses throughout the home in cleaning floors, appliances, and large areas such as kitchen and living room floors. These products are part of the EcoSense line of natural cleaning products. Because Sol-U-Mel © solution is sold in concentrated form, it is long- lasting through several uses.She especially enjoys the versatility of uses for one product she has encountered using Melaleuca. Sol- U- Mel © is just one example of such products that can be used almost anywhere in the home. Her son has not had an asthma attack since she switched to Melaleuca products eight years ago. Now a law school student at Temple University, he uses the products in his own home. When asked how he feels since his mom first introduced him to Melaleuca products, he responds that â€Å"Melale uca changed his life. † He attributes his renewed ease of breathing to Melaleuca in large part. Ms.Hensen’s personal testimony does not suggest that Melaleuca products are â€Å"miracle solutions† to a whole host of health problems, but it does reveal the efficacy that consumers seek when deciding on a purchase. Her experience reveals a vital tenet of natural, holistic healthcare methods, which is, â€Å"In the wisdom of nature lies the solutions† to all of the ailments faced by humankind today. [30] We are not at a loss for natural cures because the environment has just as many rich resources for promoting health as it always has. It is simply our responsibility to take advantage of those resources.Using natural cleaning products is the first step for many families, especially among those who are aware of the potential dangers of conventional products. One example is antiperspirant, a widely used product in almost every American home. Many antiperspirants contain aluminum, a chemical element that has been linked to breast cancer in several studies. While there is no general consensus on the long- term effects of antiperspirant use, several studies have shown a positive association between regular application and tumors in the breast.One such study was conducted in 2002, entitled â€Å"Aluminum, Antiperspirants, and Breast Cancer. † The study reveals the toxicity of the element and its possible interactions with breast tissue over long- term exposure: â€Å"Aluminium is known to have a genotoxic profile, capable of causing both DNA alterations and epigenetic effects, and this would be consistent with a potential role in breast cancer if such effects occurred in breast cells†[31] While the connection between aluminum and breast cancer remains highly debated and continues to draw researchers, there are several chemicals that have been notably proven harmful to the body.The long- term effects of using chemical elements lik e aluminum, phthalates, and formaldehyde have been well- documented. However, a recent study by Ramon et al. identifies the short- term effects of constant exposure to conventional cleaning products in the hospitality industry among female housekeepers. [32] In the study, a control group of 43 domestic workers who had been diagnosed with either asthma or obstructive lung disease were instructed to keep diaries of symptoms associated with their conditions, from difficulty breathing to asthma attacks at different points during the day.The workers recorded the severity of seven symptoms that had been selected by the panel of researchers at different points during the day. The study concluded that exposure to traditional cleaning products, among them bleach- containing products, aggravates lower respiratory tract symptoms among domestic workers. Although this study was conducted in Spain where the pool of participants was localized, these results indicate that conventional cleaning prod ucts are not only damaging to the health of children but also to adults. Harsh irritants found in traditional cleaning products like bleach are dangerous to both the body and the environment.Conventional Household Products Pollute the Environment Humans are only as healthy as their habitats. Therefore, by polluting the environment, we poison ourselves. Conventional cleaning products pollute the environment and our bodies. By poisoning the environment, we poison ourselves. Environmental security, which can be understood as the capacity of humans to live harmoniously with nature or to maintain a sustainable environment is inextricably linked with human security. This is why it is crucial to make careful decisions about the purity of household products.In an interview with Jim Quigley, founder of Healthy Spaces, a company that aims to help local Philadelphia and Bucks County families create healthier homes and workplaces, the interconnection between environmental health and bodily func tion was made clear. He described an incident in which a man with severe allergies called in to have an evaluation of his work space hoping to identify a major environmental trigger that could be removed to ease his symptoms. He had been taking Claritin every day, three times per day on his worst days, and was very distracted by his allergy symptoms.Jim went into evaluate the office and made shocking observations as he engaged in conversation with the man and completed the formal checklist he uses in every evaluation. The first visual observation was an easy one. He immediately identified wall-to-wall carpeting in the office that had not been vacuumed in a number of months, a rich source of dust mites and bacteria. The second was the wall paper, which he determined contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon taking a sample and evaluating it in the laboratory. Both formaldehyde, the dangers of which have been discussed, and xylene were found in the wallpaper.The man was functio ning from day to day in a very hazardous environment, and Jim advised him to remove the carpet, remove the wallpaper, and use paint with a natural base to see if his health improved. In a matter of days, the man’s symptoms were alleviated to the point of no longer needing even one dose of Claritin in the course of a day. By returning the office environment to a more natural state, he was able to return his body to a more natural state of functioning as well by coming off of his pharmaceutical medication.Several companies are making a healthy environment a priority in their marketing strategies. [33] Melaleuca Inc. is an example of one company that is making strides to protect the environment. The biodegradable nature of most Melaleuca products and containers ensures that the environment will not be harmed through proper disposal. This is one of the extra steps the brand makes to protect the natural habitat in which we all must live, which adds sustainable value to the product s.Because the products in Melaleuca’s cleaning line Eco Sense are concentrated, they can be diluted with water instead of packed with chemical fillers to enhance performance. Also, the concentrated nature of the products allows packaging in smaller containers, which allows for less waste. This is a feature that customers like Ms. Hensen truly appreciate. She asserts that she is personally committed to preserving the environment and this was one of the main features that first drew her to the company. In her own words, she is â€Å"really concerned with protecting the environment in any way [she] can. [34] The commitment to preserving the environment is a part of the Melaleuca promise because the founders understand that the earth provides benefits that require a sense of respect for the environment, a mutually beneficial partnership between consumers and this universal habitat. All companies providing natural household products make a similar pledge to protecting the environ ment. Natural Household Products: The Best Choice for Your Home and Health Natural cleaning products provide safe alternatives to harmful chemicals found in many traditional products, from bleach to furniture polish.Considering that we spend up to 57 percent of our lives indoors, it is beneficial to make sure that indoor environments are safe havens to raise healthy children. At present, many environmental factors are responsible for the increase in the number of allergic and autoimmune diseases, and evidence provided supports the hypothesis that this increase may be caused by the widespread chemical contamination of the environment. Several chemicals, like formaldehyde and phthalates in the home have been linked to rising rates of asthma among young people, but consumers are not left hopeless. The goal is not to live in fear of the world around us.Rather, it is to embrace the fruits of the earth and bring nature into the home environment. Bacteria and dust mites were some of the fi rst organisms to appear on the planet, and these tiny organisms will not be disappearing anytime soon. All companies promoting natural cleaning products share the same basic goal, and that is promoting health holistically by offering alternatives to harsh chemicals that can harm the body and the environment. Perhaps the reemergence of indigenous practices is evidence that we are beginning to remember that we are just one part of an unending cycle of life- we are nature.Therefore, the environments we occupy are inseparable from our own holistic wellbeing. Just as some are choosing natural products for healing rather than pharmaceuticals to stimulate the body’s own innate ability to heal, people are looking for more natural products to surround themselves in the home. If the body is a temple of the soul, then the home is the temple of the body, and the environment encapsulates it all. There are no divisions among these components. The earth’s natural elements have worked synergistically with our own bodily systems for thousands of years. Isn’t that the best seal of approval?