How to Survive Your Admissions Interview

How to Survive Your Admissions Interview Getting into a private school isnt as simple as just deciding to go. You must apply, which means youre going to need to submit an application, take a test  and prepare for the admission interview.   Why? Because schools want to get to know you in person to see how you will fit into their community. They have your transcripts, recommendations, and test scores to give  them a profile of your abilities. But, they also want to see the person behind all those stats and achievements. Check out these 12 tips on how to survive your admission interview: 1. Plan Ahead The interview is important, so make sure you schedule one well in advance of the interview deadlines. This also gives you time to prepare for the interview and review some potential interview questions that might be asked of you, and give you a chance to come up with some potential questions to ask your interviewer. 2. Take a Deep Breath and Relax An admission interview  can be  stressful, but theres nothing to worry about. Dont be scared and dont worry about how you look or what they will ask you; we have tips to help you with all of that. Remember: almost everybody is nervous at an interview. The admissions staff know this and will do their best to make you feel comfortable, at ease and as relaxed as possible. The trick is to not let your nerves get the better of you. Use your nerves to give you that natural edge and alertness you need to present yourself in the best light possible. 3. Be Yourself Be on your best behavior, socially speaking, but be yourself. While we all want to put our best foot forward when we interview, its important to remember that schools want to get to know you, not some perfectly poised robotic version of you that you think the interviewer wants to see.  Think positively. As a rule, the school will be trying to sell itself to you as much as you are trying to sell yourself to it. 4. Leave the Technology Behind Always turn off your cell phone, iPad and other devices before you go into the interview and put them away. It is rude to text or read messages or playing games during an interview. Even your smartwatch can be a distraction, so take a temporary hiatus from technology during your interview, which usually lasts only about 30 minutes. To avoid the temptation, leave your devices behind with your parents in the waiting room (and make sure the sound is off!).   5. Make a Good First Impression From the first moment you step foot on campus, remember that you want to make a good first impression. Greet people you meet openly, looking them in the eye, shaking hands, and saying hello. Dont whisper, dont stare at the ground and dont slouch. Good posture makes a strong impression. That goes for the interview itself, too. Sit up tall in your chair and dont jitter or fidget. Dont bite your nails or pull at your hair, and never chew gum. Be polite and respectful. Please and thank you are always appreciated and go a long way to indicating respect for authority and your elders and even your peers, should you meet other students. 6. Dress for Success Its common for students to ask, What should I wear to my private school interview? Lets remember that youre applying to private school, and most schools have strict dress codes and high standards for their students. You cant roll up to the interview looking like you just fell  out of bed and couldnt care less about the experience. Wear comfortable clothes appropriate for the occasion. Look up the schools dress code and do your best to align. You dont have to go out and buy the uniform itself if they have one, but make sure youre dressing appropriately. For girls, opt for a plain blouse and skirt or slacks, or a nice dress, and shoes that arent sneakers or flip flops. Use minimal makeup and accessories. Keep your hairstyle simple. Remember that youre applying to school, not to walk the runway. For boys, opt for a plain shirt, slacks and shoes (no sneakers) work for most situations. There is nothing wrong with expressing your individuality. Just make sure that the way you express it is appropriate. 7. Be Honest Dont lie or panic. If you dont know the answer to the interviewers question, say so. Look her in the eye and admit that you do not know the answer. Similarly, if she asks you a question you dont want to answer, dont avoid it. For example, if she asks why you failed algebra, explain why that happened and what you are doing about it. Showing that youre willing to own a mistake or problem and are actively working to fix it can go a long way. If attending their school is part of your strategy for improvement, say so. Honesty is an admirable personal quality which schools prize in an applicant.  Give truthful answers. If you are not a top student, admit it and tell the interviewer how you plan to achieve better results. Remember, they will see your transcript! Interviewers like to see an honest appraisal of ones strengths and weaknesses. If you can point to some challenge you had in your school work, for example, not understanding quadratic equations, and how you overcame that, you will impress the interviewer with your positive attitude and approach to life. This goes back to being honest. If you are honest and truthful, you will learn more and learn more easily. 8. Ask Questions Ask questions about the school, its programs, and facilities. Find out how it can help you achieve your goals. Determine as best you can how the schools philosophy meshes with yours.  Dont feel like you should ask questions just to ask, but instead, be sure to cover the topics you and your parents want to know more about. For example, you may be an avid  linguist who wants to study Mandarin. Ask in-depth questions about the Chinese Studies program, its faculty and so on. Its also important to do your research before the interview though. Dont show up asking if they have a soccer team; thats the kind of information you can easily find online. Also, dont ask a question that was already answered earlier in the interview. That shows youre not paying attention. You can, however, ask for more details about something you talked about earlier. 9. Pay  Attention Listen carefully to the questions being asked and what is being said. Is what you are hearing what you want to hear or is the school just not suitable for you? You will get a feel for that early in the interview. The last thing you want to do is zone out during the interview and not know what the interviewer said.   10. Be Thoughtful Think before you answer. Avoid mannerisms such as like and you know. Careless speech patterns can indicate a lack of discipline and general sloppiness. Standard business English is always acceptable. That does not mean that you have to repress your personality. If you are a free spirit, let that side of you show. Communicate clearly and convincingly. Make your points without being rude or overbearing. 11. Reflect When the interview is over, record your observations and compare these with your parents. Both of you will want to discuss these observations with your consultant later. Those recollections are important because they help determine which school is the best fit for you. 12. Follow Up Its important to follow up with your interviewer once its over. If theres time, send a handwritten thank you note to your interviewer. It will speak volumes for your ability to follow through and your personal sincerity. It doesnt need to be long, just a quick note thanking your interviewer for the meeting and perhaps reminding him of why you want to attend the school. If youre short on time, an email is a suitable alternative if youre on a fast track for decisions with limited time between the interview and decisions.

Pathetic Fallacy

Pathetic Fallacy Pathetic Fallacy Pathetic Fallacy By Mark Nichol Is a pathetic fallacy really all that pathetic? Although some literary critics condemn the technique, the person who coined the phrase was attacking not its use but its overuse. Pathetic fallacy is the association of feelings, sensations, or thoughts to inanimate objects, such as when a writer describes a cruel sea or a brooding cliff or an unyielding boulder. Nineteenth-century critic John Ruskin wasn’t being pejorative when he first described the concept; pathetic, in his usage indeed, in its original sense refers not to something pitiful, as the dominant modern connotation implies, but to something associated with feeling. (Pathos, the Greek word from which pathetic is derived, means â€Å"emotion, experience, or suffering.†) Pathetic fallacy also applies to scientific and technical contexts. For example, the widely misquoted and misunderstood statement â€Å"Information wants to be free† imputes a motive to information. (The entire comment by technology writer Stewart Brand has been manifested variously, including this version: â€Å"Information wants to be free. Information also wants to be expensive. . . . That tension will not go away.†) However, as the noted philosopher-warrior Yoda sagely observed, â€Å"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.† Strictly speaking, no inanimate object or phenomenon can attempt something; it can only accomplish or fail to accomplish it. But even scientific and technical writers often indulge in poetic license, describing how, for example, electricity tries to complete a circuit, as if the force were engaged in an endeavor prompted by a cognitive cue. That’s not too far removed from, for example, a novelist’s or a poet’s reference to icy fingers of gusting wind trying to penetrate a ramshackle cabin during a blizzard. So, don’t hesitate to employ pathetic fallacy ascribing emotion to phenomena (â€Å"Nature abhors a vacuum†) is a sensible analogy, and sensible and subtle literary use is likely to be effective and unobtrusive but put your critical faculties on full alert to recognize when overreaching produces purple prose or poesy. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Talking30 Baseball IdiomsWhat is an Anagram?

Race & Ethnicity Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Race & Ethnicity Relations - Essay Example THE APARTHEID South Africa has been marked with 350 years of colonialism and apartheid movement which has ingrained the superiority of fair skin, narrow features and straight hair in the minds of the locals (Manning, 2004). At the same time, have a broad nose or curly hair or even black skin is associated with ugliness. The local Zulu or SeSotho language has been abandoned in favor of English which sounds classier and associated with being civilized and educated (Manning, 2004). This, combined with a preference for music that is classic European as opposed to the ‘noisy’ African â€Å"marabi† or tap dance have resulted in the belief that it is more worthy to live the life of a â€Å"white† as opposed to a â€Å"black† in Africa (Manning, 2004). It is not uncommon to associate Africans as laborers who live in shanty, overcrowded towns and are uncivilized whereas Westerners are associated as being smart, working in white-collar jobs and being more educ ated. This racial stereotyping has resulted in the birth of a false ideology that the white skin is superior which is manifested in the mindset of both the white and black South-Africans. The above has its roots in the Apartheid movement which resulted in the geographic separation of humans defined through decree. It was a gradual and procedural process of systemically categorizing humans based on race. Although history has defined the start (1948) and the end (1994) of this policy, it cannot be classified as a one-off event since its ideology was borrowed from the subtle yet dominant arbitrary categorization of South Africans during the colonial era of British rule (Franchi, 2003). These colonialists had already constructed the racial difference by â€Å"Europeans† were distinguished from â€Å"coloreds† or the native Africans. Henceforth, an act was passed which divided the population into four categories namely the White, Colored (those belonging to mixed races), Ba ntu (native Black Africans) and Asians (that included people from the subcontinent as well as China) (Franchi, 2003). This, however, was later followed by a more severe legal implementation of the actual â€Å"Apartheid† policy that exacerbated the exploitation and de-humanization of the local indigenous majority at the hands of the White colonist minority. Social privilege was granted to the South Africans that were â€Å"white-skinned† such that they monopolized political authority to continue to enjoy this supremacy. This policy encompassed all spheres of life including political, social and economic aspects that progressively deprived the Black South-Africans of their dwellings, nationality and civil liberties. Laws were passed in this regard from 1948 to 1958 that prohibited the sharing of land, education, labor, marriage, sexual relations and social services between the native Black South Africans and their White counterparts (Franchi, 2003). Black South Africans were required by law to bear â€Å"pass-books† that contained their work and home address (Franchi, 2003). Indigenous South Africans who failed to produce necessary documents upon spot checks were later subjected to brutal treatment and expelled to their demarcated regions (Franchi, 2003). What had begun as a political oppression had now traumatized the lives of the indigenous blacks of South Africa. This psychological imprint remains fresh in the minds of many such natives to date. However, this was not all.

Macroeconomics - power of the federal reserve in monetary policy Term Paper

Macroeconomics - power of the federal reserve in monetary policy - Term Paper Example The paper provides a brief overview of some recent actions that are taken by Federal Reserve. Federal Reserve is one of the most powerful institutes in terms of its capability of significantly influencing the monetary policy of United States of America. The primary mission of Fed is to make sure that sufficient money as well as credit is available and a sustainable economic growth is maintained without inflation. The organization has the power of slowing down the growth of money supply into the financial system when the inflation is likely to threaten the purchasing power of the common mass. The Fed has three tools to influence the monetary system and these are ‘discount rate’, ‘open market operations’ and ‘reserve requirements’ (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, n.d.). Among these ‘open market operations’ can be considered as the Fed’s main tool for influencing the monetary policy. There is a committee named Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) that is responsible for developing monetary policies that are based on â⠂¬Ëœopen market operations’ (Federal Reserve, n.d.). In open market operations, US government securities are bought and sold in the open market. The primary objective of such buying and selling is to influence the short-term interest rate and the growth of credit and money. Once the policy is developed by FOMC, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York takes the responsibility of implementing it. The second most important tool is the ‘discount rate’ which is nothing but the interest rate that is charged by the Fed from different financial institutions against short-term loans. The third one i.e. the reserve requirement is the amount that the financial institutions have to keep aside as ‘reserve’. If the ‘reserve requirement’ is raised by the Fed then the banks are likely to have less money for lending and as a result the growth of money

Should We Be so Quick to Judge People Essay Example for Free

Should We Be so Quick to Judge People Essay I ask this question in an attempt to focus on the tendencies of judging and the norm. Everybody has their own perceptions of what is normal and they make judgments based off of these perceptions. Many of these perceptions cause biases to be formed. A bias is â€Å"a particular tendency or inclination, esp. one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice. † This essentially means that everyone has formed their own prejudice beliefs from life experience. Everyone has their own bias, whether it is towards a certain race, gender, music genre, what a person wears, and so forth. Biases are formed for almost everything you could possibly think of. So can someone truly understand a person by making quick judgments? Must we not first analyze and truly understand a person before we make a judgment about something like their personality or character. Thesis It is my belief that, in society today, everyone has the tendency to judge people. These judgments, whether rational or irrational, are, more often than not, based on biases and prior beliefs. These judgments could be right but, is it right to judge people? In a sense, can judging people based on your own perceptions be acceptable? There is the age old proverb: Don’t judge a book by its cover. This idea seems to be very true, because often we make judgments when we first meet a person. As we begin to understand and associate with this person we tend to find our judgment was not exactly correct, and that we misunderstood the true nature of this person. However, what if we stop making our judgments and not following our first instinct? Suppose we do not judge someone as a bad person, and therefore they take advantage of us. So should we try and avoid judging people? That too could become harmful to us in the future. In the oncoming sections I will show how judging people can be helpful in some cases; however I will also show how judging people so quickly can be wrong as well. In the end, I do believe that judgment is acceptable under certain terms which will be explained throughout. Analytical Section with Close Reading In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Philip K. Dick constantly addresses the idea of judgment. In this book it seems that there is a lot of disapproval with judgment and yet it is still made. When talking about the androids, Phil Resch states: â€Å"This is necessary. Remember: they killed humans in order to get away. And if I hadn’t gotten you out of the Mission police station, they would have killed you. That’s what Garland wanted me for; that’s why he had me come down to his office. Didn’t Polokov almost kill you? Didn’t Luba Luft almost? We’re acting defensively’ they’re here on our planet- they’re murderous illegal aliens masquerading as-. This quote, to me, does show some judgment. Now looking at this statement it does someone like some rational thought was put into it; however, at certain points there is a sense of bias which makes me second guess the rationality of Phil Reschs’ thinking. When Resch states, â€Å"Didn’t Polokov almost kill you? Didn’t Luba Luft almost† , he is making judgments about these androids. However, these judgments have been based on prior actions made by the androids. That is to say, he does not simply try and say that Polokov and Luba Luft are bad because they are androids. Instead, he has seen how these androids have reacted to Rick and that has allowed him to judge their character. But, later in the quote he does make a much more irrational statement. When Resch states, â€Å"†¦ they’re here on our planet-they’re murderous illegal aliens†¦Ã¢â‚¬  , we see a completely new sense of judgment. When Resch claims that â€Å"they’re murderous illegal aliens† he has made a generalization about all androids. Yes, he has experienced androids who have attempted the murderous acts that he speaks of; however, because of this experience he now perceives all androids as murderous and unhelpful to society. Furthermore, even some of the androids could be seen as contributors to society. Rick points this out when he states â€Å"She was a wonderful singer. The planet could have used her. This is insane. † Rick brings an understanding that many of us may not have seen. Yes, some androids have done unforgivable acts towards humans. But, should the androids that have done nothing wrong be treated the same? Must they all face the same fate? Rick says it perfectly when he says, â€Å"The planet could have used her. † Rick has a much more balanced outlook of everyone. He does not instantly assume that an android cannot contribute to society simply because, it is an android. Instead, Rick has based his judgments off of his analysis of each and every person’s character. I believe that character is the key to making good judgments of people. When Rick analyzes Luba Luft he doesn’t see her as just another mindless killing machine. Rather, Rick looks at Luba Luft’s life and comes to find that â€Å"She was a wonderful singer. The planet could have used her. This is insane. † He appreciates the contributions that Luba has made and identifies Luba’s contributions to society. He does not simply see that she is an android that must be exterminated. Instead, he states â€Å"This is insane. † He understands how androids can contribute to society and believes that this extermination is truly unnecessary. I believe this is his way of saying that there must be outright evidence that termination is necessary. There must be a true threat within each and every android that he gets rid of. Otherwise, these androids can be a key contribution, a necessity to society. Based on these ideas I still ask the question, should we be so quick to judge people?

Identity Crisis in Canadian Film Essay -- Canada Movie Movies Films es

Identity Crisis in Canadian Film Much has been written about the ways in which Canada's state as a nation is, as Peter Harcourt writes, "described" and hence, "imagined" (Harcourt, "The Canadian Nation -- An Unfinished Text", 6) through the cultural products that it produces. Harcourt's terms are justifiably elusive. The familiar concept of "Canadian culture", and hence Canadian cinema, within critical terminology is essentially based on the principle that the ideology of a national identity, supposedly limited by such tangible parameters as lines on a map, emerges from a common geographical and mythological experience among its people. The concept that cultural products produced in Canada will be somehow innately "Canadian" in form and content first presupposes the existence of such things as inherently Canadian qualities that can be observed. Second, it presupposes a certain commonality to all Canadian artists and posits them as vessels through which these said "inherently Canadian qualities" can naturally flow. T hird, it also assumes the loosely Lacanian principle that Canadian consumers of culture are predisposed to identify and enjoy the semiotic and mythological systems of their nation, and further connotes that Canadians have fair access to their own cultural products. Since these assumptions are indeed flawed but not altogether false, this paper will deal with the general relationship between the concept of Canada, its cultural texts, and its mythological and critical discourse as an unresolved problematic that should be left "open" in order to maximize the "meaning potential" of films as cultural texts within the context of "national identity," an ideological construct that remains constantly in flux. However pr... ...cate American entertainment films. But what was the cost to the development of Canada's supposed "cultural identity" and the perogative of the Canadian filmmaker to make a film without mimicking Classic Hollywood style and theme? Toward the mid-1980s, following the demise of the Capital Cost Allowance tax shelter in 1982, the "success" of a Canadian film was determined less by its forecast box office potential. The trend in the late 1970s and the early 1980s towards what Ted Magder calls the "If you can't beat `em join `em" (Magder, 169) relationship with the commercial Hollywood production infrastructure, was met in the mid-1980s by an equally vehement movement, which maintained that the infiltration of American culture and the adoption of their economic or "big-business" approach was precisely the problem with the Canadian film industry, and hence Canadian films. Identity Crisis in Canadian Film Essay -- Canada Movie Movies Films es Identity Crisis in Canadian Film Much has been written about the ways in which Canada's state as a nation is, as Peter Harcourt writes, "described" and hence, "imagined" (Harcourt, "The Canadian Nation -- An Unfinished Text", 6) through the cultural products that it produces. Harcourt's terms are justifiably elusive. The familiar concept of "Canadian culture", and hence Canadian cinema, within critical terminology is essentially based on the principle that the ideology of a national identity, supposedly limited by such tangible parameters as lines on a map, emerges from a common geographical and mythological experience among its people. The concept that cultural products produced in Canada will be somehow innately "Canadian" in form and content first presupposes the existence of such things as inherently Canadian qualities that can be observed. Second, it presupposes a certain commonality to all Canadian artists and posits them as vessels through which these said "inherently Canadian qualities" can naturally flow. T hird, it also assumes the loosely Lacanian principle that Canadian consumers of culture are predisposed to identify and enjoy the semiotic and mythological systems of their nation, and further connotes that Canadians have fair access to their own cultural products. Since these assumptions are indeed flawed but not altogether false, this paper will deal with the general relationship between the concept of Canada, its cultural texts, and its mythological and critical discourse as an unresolved problematic that should be left "open" in order to maximize the "meaning potential" of films as cultural texts within the context of "national identity," an ideological construct that remains constantly in flux. However pr... ...cate American entertainment films. But what was the cost to the development of Canada's supposed "cultural identity" and the perogative of the Canadian filmmaker to make a film without mimicking Classic Hollywood style and theme? Toward the mid-1980s, following the demise of the Capital Cost Allowance tax shelter in 1982, the "success" of a Canadian film was determined less by its forecast box office potential. The trend in the late 1970s and the early 1980s towards what Ted Magder calls the "If you can't beat `em join `em" (Magder, 169) relationship with the commercial Hollywood production infrastructure, was met in the mid-1980s by an equally vehement movement, which maintained that the infiltration of American culture and the adoption of their economic or "big-business" approach was precisely the problem with the Canadian film industry, and hence Canadian films.

Parenting Children with Severe Difficulties Essay

Becoming a parent needs some planning and preparation—mentally, socially and financially. Depending on various circumstances, parents may not be completely prepared when they have children. Still, having a child with severe disabilities could be shocking for some parents. In such cases, the child will need special care and attention from the parents, as well as from medical practitioners such as doctors and therapists. Parents need to be aware of the condition of the child and look for various ways to help the child become healthy and well. As the child grows up, the nature of stress and difficulties faced by the parents will also change. In addition to the physical needs of the child that the parents must look out for, they will also need to face several psychosocial struggles. According to Hastings and Beck (2004), parents of children with special needs, especially those relating to intellectual disabilities are subjected to stress and mental health-related problems because they need to adapt to social situations. They may experience different emotions depending on the behavior of their child, which they may or may not have control over. Feelings of embarrassment, annoyance and social discomfiture may be felt by the parents in various social settings. 1. Psychosocial Difficulties of Parents of Children with Severe Disabilities Raising a child requires significant investment in time, money and, more importantly, love, tenderness and caring! For a child with severe disabilities, parents may feel overwhelmed with the responsibility they have to bear. Oftentimes, people in the society may view children with disabilities unfairly and may unknowingly look with pity at the children’s parents. Among the psychosocial difficulties of parents are anxiety, depression and anger among others. Some parents find it really difficult to accept that their child has severe disabilities. This denial, then, would backfire and manifest in many ways. In a sense, denial is an escape from responsibility. Parents feel hopeless and unwilling to reconcile what went wrong with the pregnancy or with the disabilities of young children (Lavin, 2001). Anxiety and guilt can also be manifested by parents of children with disabilities. They may blame themselves for what happened and for not loving their children more. They may become conflicted internally—they hover between hating the responsibility thrust on them by their child’s disabilities and at the same feeling guilty that they feel that way. At some point, they may even get angry at the child at the world or at themselves for their child’s situation. Depression may also occur, depending on the gravity of the situation, the social connections of the parents and their ability to cope with the situation. When they are in social situations such as at the mall or in public places, the disabilities of the child may be highlighted and they may feel â€Å"special† as well. If parents are not able to accept the situation of their child and deal with it, they may find it difficult to adjust normally and raise their child well (Olsen & Fuller, 2003). 2. Perception of the Child, the Parents and the Specialists Perceptions and mindsets are powerful. The way that parents view their child with special needs will affect how they treat such a child. While the broader society expects parents to love their children unconditionally, this may be more difficult for some parents. There are parents who may view a child with special needs as a nuisance and an unwanted burden and responsibility. Naturally, such an attitude and perception will resonate in the way that they treat the child. Trained medical practitioners and therapists are able to look at a child with special needs objectively and deliver all the necessary care the child needs. Such caring, however, were arrived at through years of training. This is the reason why parents of children with disabilities sometimes need to go to counseling so as to adjust their perceptions and their view of the situation. The perception of parents are also important for practitioners, special education teachers and other professionals to work with the parents in providing the necessary care and services for the growth and development of the child with disabilities (Bruns & Mogharreban, 2008). If parents and practitioners have the same perception of the child, then it becomes easier for them to work together. As the child grows and interacts with more people in his immediate surroundings and in the broader community where he or she belongs to, collaboration between the parents and the professionals that deliver services for children with special needs becomes even more important. 3. Recommendations for Early Child Intervention Early intervention for children with special needs is necessary so that they, too, could enjoy a normal life. Not because they have disabilities means that they could not contribute meaningfully to the society. In fact, there have been great artists and craftsmen who managed to excel in what they do even with disabilities. Diagnose early. Early diagnosis of the child’s actual situation is very much needed. While a couple may have trouble accepting the reality of their child’s situation, knowing exactly what their child faces will help them get prepared and able to cope with the situation. Consequently, parents should enhance their attitude and perceptions toward the child. If needed, they should seek counseling so that they could better sort through their emotions and deal with any denial, guilt or anxiety they may be feeling. Following such counseling, the parents need to learn how to teach the right behavior to their child. Special education teachers may be able to bring out the best out of children with special needs. Yet, the role of the home and of the parents is still very important in the life of a child with special needs. It is inside the home where behavior is first mimicked, learned and reinforced. Without such learning inside the home, the child will find it difficult to adapt to his world and to the different kinds of people around him. Seeking out schools for children with special needs will also be a good move for the family so as to regulate the child’s behavior early on. 4. How I relate with a child with special needs. It is difficult to imagine myself in the shoes of a child with severe disabilities. But I am sure that I would still have curiosity because of what I see, hear, touch, smell and taste. I would be able to use all of these senses with verifying efficacy. While I may be limited by certain disabilities, that will not take away my senses. As such, I will still manage to use my curiosity to explore my world. As a child, I have felt the warmth of love and care from my parents and from the people that I am close to. Although the parents of a child with disabilities may find the situation of their child difficult, most of the time, they still want the best for their child. If I were growing up as a child with special needs, I would also learn that I have a sense of limitation. Everyone has different kinds of limitations in their lives. The limitations, however, are greater for children with disabilities. I would not help but compare myself with other children since that is a natural part of growing up. That might also be a source of frustration for a child with disabilities. As I put myself in the shoes of a child with disabilities, I could not help but appreciate what I have now. This is not to say that I pity those children with special needs. But it can be difficult—for the child and for the parents. This is why intervention is much needed at an early age when the child’s body and consciousness can be molded rather easily. Any child—with or without disabilities—will always appreciate sincere love and affection, first from parents and then from people around him. Hence, in providing care for them, there should always be a tinge of love and tenderness. Reference Bruns, D. A. & Mogharreban, C. C. (2008). Working With Young Children With Disabilities: Perceptions, Skills, and Training Needs of Head Start Teachers. NHSA Dialog, 11 (1): 54-66. Hastings, R. P. & Beck, A. (2004). Stress Intervention for Parents of Children with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45 (8): 1338-1349. Lavin, J. L. (2001). Special Kids Need Special Parents. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group. Olsen, G. & Fuller, M. L. (2003). Home-School Relations: Working Successfully with Parents and Families. New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Cold War in the period 1945-53 Essay

â€Å"More a result of mutual misunderstanding than of expansionist policies by either the U.S.A or the U.S.S.R.† Discuss this view of the out break of the Cold War in the period 1945-53. This view of the outbreak of the Cold War in 1945-53 refutes the extremism of the orthodox and revisionist views, attesting a middle ground of â€Å"mutual understanding† that avoids appropriating blame to the policies of either superpower. However, the issue is less dichotomous than the hypothesis allows for. To call the Soviet Union’s foreign policy â€Å"expansionist† indicates that it has been interpreted as such, and is therefore subject to a possible misunderstanding of their motives for doing so. For example, Melvyn Leffler stresses the â€Å"reasonable criterion† when judging American and Soviet security demands, emphasizing that especially in the case of the Soviet Union, security was very much a reasonable imperative given their historical experience with invasions from contiguous states. In this case, Soviet policy may be defended as security-motivated, but was perceived by the U.S. as expansionist, based on the misunderstanding that the Soviet Union was entirely motivated by ideology. Conversely, Marc Thachtenberg defends the American point of view, arguing that Leffler’s interpretation understates the reality of Soviet threat, therefore justifying an increased American political and economic presence in global geopolitics (e.g. the Marshall Plan, 1947). Therefore, the Sovietization of Eastern Europe and the Americanization of the Western Bloc (both perceived as expansionist policies by the other) could be said to have arisen from mutual misunderstanding of each other’s motives. The period 1945-53 was replete with examples of both Soviet and American expansionism. Even as early as February 1945, Stalin had already made it clear at Yalta that territorial expansionism was to be one of his imperatives. By 1948, fully communist government presided over the states of Eastern Europe and the Berlin blockade of Soviet design on West Germany. A similar inclination was demonstrated in Turkey, Northern Iran and Korea. While the Soviet incursions into Iran have been defended as a desire only to control its oil fields (an objective also shared by the West) and pressure on Turkey may have been viewed as a matter of security. Robert Jevis points out that if either of these probes had succeeded, further Soviet gains would have been likely, a consideration that Stalin would hardly have missed. This suggests that Stalin’s approach to expansionism was opportunist rather than inexorably purposeful. In other words, he was driven by realpolitik rather than ideology. However, Nigel Gould-Davies insist that Stalin was â€Å"immersed in ideology†, citing the congruence of Stalin’s theoretical work, Economic Problems of Socialism, with the premises that Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Program. Further, in the case of Korea, while Western leaders and many later scholars, such as Alexander George; construe the attack on South Korea as evidence of Soviet expansionism. Recent evidence presented by Kathryn Weathersby contends that Stalin authorized the invasion solely because he was mistakenly convinced that the U.S.A would resist. The diversity of opinion demonstrates how easily a superpower’s policies could be misconstrued depending on how motives were perceived. In the U.S, thanks to the ominous views of Soviet leadership espoused by George Kennan, leaders were increasingly convinced of Stalin’s desire for world revolution, and inaccurately equated Soviet expansionism with this goal without considering, for example, Soviet security needs. Equally, apprehension in the U.S Administration was mirrored on the Soviet side. Stalin understandably perceived the Marshall Plan as a â€Å"blatant American device† for gaining control of Western and (if not worse) Eastern Europe. Concerning Korea, Anotaly Dobrynin asserts that by the 1950s, Stalin â€Å"saw U.S. plans and actions as preparations for an all out war of unprovoked aggression against the Soviet Union.† The rollback policy did little to assuage this fear, and even thought its pursuit by General MacArthur proved to be an unfortunate divergence from the Truman Administration policy, the Soviets had already been convinced of American expansionism. It can be seen again, therefore, that mutual misunderstanding on both sides led to perceptions of the other’s policies as being expansionist, which in turn, sowed the distrust and reason from retaliatory action that set the Cold War in motion. In conclusion, barring other factors, the outbreak of the Cold War in 1945-53 was more a result of mutual misunderstanding than of expansionist policies by either superpower.

unkrainianamerican folklore essays

unkrainianamerican folklore essays Purposes of Ukrainian-American Folklore The relatively large Ukrainian community in the United States has many traditions and customs, most of which stem from a feeling of Ukrainian nationalism. As Ukraine was being overtaken by Russia, Ukrainians were immigrating by the thousands to the US. Ukrainians moving to the new world were leaving behind a disappearing culture and moving to a completely different land. Immigrants were proud of their heritage, and many of the traditions that were started in America exist to preserve this heritage and to pass it on to future generations. The Ukrainian Boy Scouting program is one such tradition. Ukrainians in America started this program in the early 1900s to train their young to return to Ukraine and drive the Russians out. This began as resistance to Russian rule over Ukraine. All boys and girls participate in this intermittently throughout the year, starting at age seven and continuing for life. Ukrainian Boy Scouts is very different from the typical American view of Boy Scouts, in that it involves a more rigorous wilderness-training program. This is because the program was essentially started as a military training program, and although it exists now only for fun and tradition, many of the subjects and ideas taught to the youths remain the same. People who are involved in the program put their children through it, as an attempt to preserve Ukrainian culture. When Ukrainians turn eighteen they become counselors, and at age thirty-five they become seniors and run the program. This program, along with a handful of similar programs, was started for various reasons. To begin with, Ukrainian youths had trouble adjusting to American society. They (Ukrainian youth programs) are helping to solve some of the social problems of the second generation that does not seem to be able to find its way into American society or does not feel at home there. ...

Biography of General Dwight D. Eisenhower

Biography of General Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969) was a decorated war hero, having participated in two World Wars, holding many titles. After retiring from active duty, he entered politics and served as president of the United States from 1953–1961. Fast Facts: Dwight D. Eisenhower Known For: General of the Army in World War II, U.S. President from 1953–1961Born: October 14, 1890 in Denison, TexasParents: David Jacob and Ida Stover EisenhowerDied: March 28, 1969 in Gettysburg, PennsylvaniaEducation: Abilene High School, West Point Naval Academy (1911–1915), Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (1925–1926)Spouse: Marie Mamie Geneva Doud (m. July 1, 1916)Children: Doud Dwight (1917–1921) and John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower (1922–2013) Early Life Dwight David Eisenhower was the third son of David Jacob and Ida Stover Eisenhower. Moving to Abilene, Kansas in 1892, Eisenhower spent his childhood in the town and later attended Abilene High School. Graduating in 1909, he worked locally for two years to aid in paying his older brothers college tuition. In 1911, Eisenhower took and passed the admission exam for the U.S. Naval Academy but was turned down due to being too old. Turning to West Point, he succeeded in gaining an appointment with the aid of Senator Joseph L. Bristow. Though his parents were pacifists, they supported his choice as it would give him a good education. West Point Though born David Dwight, Eisenhower had gone by his middle name for most of his life. Arriving at West Point in 1911, he officially changed his name to Dwight David. A member of a star-studded class that would ultimately produce 59 generals, including Omar Bradley, Eisenhower was a solid student and graduated 61st in a class of 164. While at the academy, he also proved a gifted athlete until having his career cut short by a knee injury. Completing his education, Eisenhower graduated in 1915 and was assigned to the infantry. Eisenhower married Marie Mamie Geneva Doud on July 1, 1916. They had two sons, Doud Dwight (1917–1921), who died of scarlet fever as a child, and the historian and ambassador John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower (1922–2013).   World War I Moving through postings in Texas and Georgia, Eisenhower showed skills as an administrator and trainer. With the American entry into World War I in April 1917, he was retained in the United States and assigned to the new tank corps. Posted to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Eisenhower spent the war training tank crews for service on the Western Front. Though he reached the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel, he reverted to the rank of captain following the wars end in 1918. Ordered to Fort Meade, Maryland, Eisenhower continued to work in armor and conversed on the topic with Captain George S. Patton. Interwar Years In 1922, with the rank of major, Eisenhower was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone to serve as executive officer to Brigadier General Fox Connor. Recognizing his XOs abilities, Connor took a personal interest in Eisenhowers military education and devised an advanced course of study. In 1925, he assisted Eisenhower in securing admission to the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Graduating first in his class a year later, Eisenhower was posted as a battalion commander at Fort Benning, Georgia. After a short assignment with the American Battle Monuments Commission, under General John J. Pershing, he returned to Washington, D.C. as executive officer to Assistant Secretary of War General George Mosely. Known as an excellent staff officer, Eisenhower was selected as an aide by U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur. When MacArthurs term ended in 1935, Eisenhower followed his superior to the Philippines to serve as a military advisor to the Filipino government. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1936, Eisenhower began to clash with MacArthur on military and philosophical topics. Opening a rift that would last the remainder of their lives, the arguments led Eisenhower to return to Washington in 1939 and take a series of staff positions. In June 1941, he became chief of staff to 3rd Army commander Lieutenant General Walter Krueger and was promoted to brigadier general that September. World War II Begins With the U.S. entry into World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Eisenhower was assigned to the General Staff in Washington where he devised war plans for defeating Germany and Japan. Becoming Chief of the War Plans Division, he was soon elevated to Assistant Chief of Staff overseeing the Operations Division under Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall. Though he had never led large formations in the field, Eisenhower soon impressed Marshall with his organizational and leadership skills. As a result, Marshall appointed him commander of the European Theater of Operations (ETOUSA) on June 24, 1942. This was soon followed by a promotion to lieutenant general. North Africa Based in London, Eisenhower soon was also made Supreme Allied Commander of the North African Theater of Operations (NATOUSA). In this role, he oversaw the Operation Torch landings in North Africa that November. As Allied troops drove Axis forces into Tunisia, Eisenhowers mandate was expanded east to include General Sir Bernard Montgomerys British 8th Army which had advanced west from Egypt. Promoted to general on February 11, 1943, he led the Tunisian Campaign to successful a conclusion that May. Remaining in the Mediterranean, Eisenhowers command was redesignated the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Crossing to Sicily, he directed the invasion of the island in July 1943 before planning for landings in Italy. Return to Britain After landing in Italy in September 1943, Eisenhower guided the initial stages of the advance up the peninsula. In December, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was unwilling to allow Marshall to leave Washington, directed that Eisenhower be made Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) which would place him in charge of the planned landings in France. Confirmed in this role in February 1944, Eisenhower oversaw operational control of Allied forces through SHAEF and administrative control of U.S. forces through ETOUSA. Headquartered in London, Eisenhowers post required extensive diplomatic and political skill as he endeavored to coordinate Allied efforts. Having gained experience in coping with challenging personalities while serving under MacArthur and commanding Patton and Montgomery in the Mediterranean, he was well-suited to dealing with difficult Allied leaders like Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Western Europe After extensive planning, Eisenhower moved forward with the invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord) on June 6, 1944. Successful, his forces broke out of the beachhead  in July and began driving across France. Though he clashed with Churchill over strategy, such as the British-opposed Operation Dragoon landings in Southern France, Eisenhower worked to balance Allied initiatives and approved Montgomerys Operation Market-Garden in September. Pushing east in December, Eisenhowers biggest crisis of the campaign came with the opening of the Battle of the Bulge on Dec. 16. With German forces breaking through the Allied lines, Eisenhower quickly worked to seal the breach and contain the enemy advance. Over the next month, Allied troops halted the enemy and drove them back to their original lines with heavy losses. During the fighting, Eisenhower was promoted to General of the Army. Leading the final drives into Germany, Eisenhower coordinated with his Soviet counterpart, Marshal Georgy Zhukov and, at times, directly with Premier Joseph Stalin. Aware that Berlin would fall in the Soviet occupation zone after the war, Eisenhower halted Allied troops at the Elbe River rather than suffer heavy losses taking an  objective that would be lost after the end of fighting. With the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, Eisenhower was named Military Governor of the U.S. Occupation Zone. As governor, he worked to document Nazi atrocities, deal with food shortages, and aid refugees. Later Career Returning to the United States that fall, Eisenhower was greeted as a hero. Made Chief of Staff on Nov. 19, he replaced Marshall and remained in this post until Feb. 6, 1948. A key responsibility during his tenure was overseeing the rapid downsizing of the Army after the war. Departing in 1948, Eisenhower became president of Columbia University. While there, he worked to expand his political and economic knowledge, as well as wrote his memoir Crusade in Europe. In 1950, Eisenhower was recalled to be the Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Serving until May 31, 1952, he retired from active duty and returned to Columbia. Entering politics, Eisenhower ran for president that fall with Richard Nixon as his running mate. Winning in a landslide, he defeated Adlai Stevenson. A moderate Republican, Eisenhowers eight years in the White House were marked by the end of the Korean War, efforts to contain Communism, construction of the instate highway system, nuclear deterrence, founding of NASA, and economic prosperity. Leaving office in 1961, Eisenhower retired to his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He lived in Gettysburg with his wife, Mamie (m. 1916) until his death from heart failure on March 28, 1969. Following funeral services in Washington, Eisenhower was buried in Abilene, Kansas at the Eisenhower Presidential Library.

Assignment 9 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment 9 - Coursework Example The company embraced diversity from the selection and recruitment process. All applicants were screened not withstanding their physical ability, education, religion, race, age, or cultural background (Erickson 01). All employees were treated equally during promotions and in the awarding of other fringe benefits. Moreover, the company had non-punitive policies that dealt with conflicts arising from employees with different backgrounds and points of view. Exclusive discriminatory groups were highly outlawed and the management momentously discouraged employees from forming such groups (Gröschl 68). Moreover, the company initiated an all-inclusive and wide-ranging employee-training program for its community and corporate employees. The program was named â€Å"Successful Community Living†. All employees were subjected to this program that promoted civility, respect and understanding among the employees and with the external community. Through the program, employees enthusiastically embraced and celebrated the presence of LGBT, albinos, physically challenged persons and the blacks in the organizational structure (Erickson 01). The program immensely contributed to the creation of a respectful, diversified but integrated workforce that ominously improved employees morale and consequently boosted the productivity and profitability of the organization. The company further augmented the training program by forming a â€Å"Diversity and Inclusion Council† that developed and implemented strategies that promoted the organization’s objectives in 4 major sections; resi dents, employees, CSR (corporate social responsibility) and marketplace initiatives. Members of the council are drawn from different heritages and were skilled in different aspects. Both the top and junior managers supported the council to guarantee its triumph. Holding combined dines was