The Students Cause Interruptions That Affect Instructional...

My fourth grade reading class consists of twenty students. Many of the students cause interruptions that affect instructional time. The type of interruptions consist of talking and calling out answers instead of raising hands to be called upon. Although, I have the rules and consequences posted in the classroom, many students disregard the expectations for the same rules. At first we would review expectations and consequences before each lesson but this didn’t seem to help so I talked to a colleague about my situation. The advice given was to have my behavior chart match my expectations and coincide with the consequences for behavioral improvement. I also added a self reflection center where students have to write about their behavior and†¦show more content†¦Some students try to receive attention while others are trying to receive peer approval for their particular behaviors. I have implemented the incentive of â€Å"Dilo Dollars† which has worked for some st udents. I have also started a Critical Thinking Center (CTC) which focuses on self evaluation and self correcting of behavioral issues. Speaking with additional colleagues has taught me that some behavioral issues stem from events occurring from a student’s home environment, for instance, ZY had recently lived through a difficult event at home that may affect the behavior and JC had also experienced an adverse situation at home that may have affected behavior in class. Getting to know the students and building the student-teacher relationship has helped me understand why some of the behaviors continue to exist prompting me to spend some individual time with them so that they can reflect upon their unique situations. When I observe ZY, I try the proactive approach by asking her to sit at the chair next to my desk and whisper to her in order to calm her down before her behavior escalades. This does seem to work because she is able to calm herself and speak to me about the situ ation in a clear and cohesive manner. I do something similar with JC. I have also had them both become special helpers in class. I will give them a task to complete after they have finished their assignments which has helped them keep busyShow MoreRelatedJames Behavior And The Classroom1474 Words   |  6 PagesJames’ anger causes him to shout obscene language at other students is an obvious distraction to the classroom as a whole. His frequent outbursts and refusal to participate in classroom assignments is not only harmful to his own academic performance, but also to the rest of the classroom including the teacher because it fragments the learning environment and causes academic delivery to disintegrate and the teacher’s instruction to become ineffective. His angry outbursts negatively affect the teacher’sRead MoreMission Statement And Philosophy Of Special Education6049 Words   |  25 Pages 4 Signage Seating Classroom Interruptions 7 Management Strategies 8 Classroom Behavioral Instructional Techniques 11 Preface Before we begin exploring the nuances and best practices in Special Education, I wanted to first welcome you and introduce myself. My name is Alyssa Mastrocco, and I am an administrator in the Polaris family of schools. I am proud to work at this school because we are not only focused on educating every student enrolled in our schools, but inRead MoreGood Teaching Is an Art as Well as a Science3138 Words   |  13 Pagesand flexibility, while teaching as a science utilizes instructional practices that are proven by research to improve student achievement† (Snowman and Biehler, 2006). According to (Peters, R.) teaching can involve formal methods of instruction as well as informal ways of organizing things so that children will be led to discover things for themselves. According to (Manning, H. 2003, p. 11) â€Å"A teacher is the one to impart knowledge to students in different ways to assist learning.† Teaching factorsRead MoreClassroom Management Pl Philosophy And Theo ry2544 Words   |  11 Pagesa clear plan for ensuring that the discipline is maintained and disruptive behavior is dealt with appropriately. A good classroom management plan secures that the teacher controls the class. It also helps in addressing the issue of burnout, which affects many teachers (McDonald, 2013). The aim of this paper is to describe the philosophy and theory that the author would use to ensure that the classroom is well managed. a) The nature/needs of Young People Young people are usually restive and veryRead MoreMy Philosophy of Eduation3248 Words   |  13 PagesWhen a classroom has respectful, caring, and engaged students, the opportunities for learning can take place constantly. The way a teacher interacts with students models the type of language and behavior they want used in the classroom. When a teacher uses positive responses it helps children interact effectively with others. Using thoughtful and precise language when communicating opens windows for reflection and learning. For example, a student may be called on to discuss a question; children respondRead MoreDisadvantages Of Distance Learning10300 Words   |  42 Pageseducational benefit of being able to teach students, regardless of geographical location, for more than two hundred years. Distance learning was accessible as early as the 18th century in the form of mailed correspondence courses. Instructors conveyed assignments via packets mailed to students, who then complete d the work and mailed them back for scoring. These primitive methods of distance education constrained the communication between instructor and student and rendered timely and effective feedbackRead MoreChilly Climate On Stem Environments2544 Words   |  11 Pagesenvironments in which our students learn. Climate is determined by a constellation of interacting factors that include faculty-student interaction, the tone instructors set, instances of stereotyping or tokenism, the course demographics (for example, relative size of racial and other social groups enrolled in the course), student-student interaction, and the range of perspectives represented in the course content and materials† (p.170). This issue of climate heavily affects the amount of women thatRead MoreEffect of Ict on the Academic Performance of Students8894 Words   |  36 PagesCHAPTER ONE Introduction 1.1 Background of the Study Information and communication technology (ICT) is an instructional technology to enhance teaching and learning in pre schools, it is the application of organized or scientific knowledge to practical tasks of teaching and learning in pre-schools. According to Akinola and Aremu, (2000) instructional technologies incorporate the tools and making present support to reinforce teaching and learning on pre schools pupils. TechnologyRead MoreTeacher Action Research Paper on Reading Deficiencies in 2nd Grade Students12146 Words   |  49 PagesUNIVERSITY MATL Action Research Project VERIFICATION COVER SHEET MATL Student Name and NSU ID ARP School Site Where Project was Implemented: ___________________ Elementary School Dates of Implementation: AUGUST 2008 – JANUARY 2009 School Site Address and Phone: ARP One-sentence Problem Statement: By incorporating cooperative learning, guided reading and Reader’s Theatre, this research educator improved nineteen second grade at risk students reading comprehension levels by increasing their Oral ReadingRead MoreLearning Environment and the Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Akwa-Ibom State11343 Words   |  46 Pagestheir major clientele (students) for admission into their different programmes. It, therefore, presupposes that the provision of qualitative education is the sine qua non for the attainment of the goals of secondary education. Nevertheless, the main objectives of the secondary education in Nigeria as contained in the National Policy of Education are as follows: 1. To develop the personal capacity of individuals 2. To prepare pupils for the world of work and 3. To prepare students for the next stage of

My First Experience in College Free Essays

Glass Castle The Glass Castle was written by the author, Jeanette Walls and she is also the protagonist of the book. The book tells the story of Jeanette Walls and her family life. It shows how they basically struggled day in and out like being short on food and money, they always moved around the country just to find a place to settle in. We will write a custom essay sample on My First Experience in College or any similar topic only for you Order Now Jeanette Walls and her family mostly lived in various mining towns on the west coast of America. As Jeannette grew up in the desert, she enchanted by the limitless bounds of nature and the fantasies her father dreams up for her and her siblings. When Jeanette lived in the desert with her brother (Brian), she usually stacked up a rock collection and explored the natural and man-made features of the environment. Due to Rex Alcoholism, life in the desert ended because the family ran out of funds. So from the desert, they decided to relocate to Welch where Rex grew up. One thing I mostly knew about the Walls family was that their parents were both addicted to substances that could kill, their father was addicted to alcohol while their mum was so addicted to sugar and it lead to them not paying attention to their children. On my academic research, the article I researched was on alcoholism and it basically said alcohol consumption, particularly heavier drinking is an important risk factor many health problems and, thus, is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. When it comes to Rex, the head of the Walls family, he tends to focus more drinking than his family which led to him being terribly poor. However, life in Welch, West Virginia is completely different than the life the Walls led in the desert on the West coast. Most notably, Welch has a winter season which brings new challenges to the Walls family. From their arrival, the Wells children are itching to leave Welch and return to the desert. But eventually circumstances become so bad that they realize they must move away from their parents in order to achieve stable lives. Lori and Jeannette set their sights on New York and begin saving money to move out of Welch once and for all. Moreover, Walls describes in fascinating detail what it was to be a child in this family, from the embarrassing (wearing shoes held together with safety pins; using markers to color her skin in an effort to camouflage holes in her pants) to the horrific (being told, after a creepy uncle pleasured himself in close proximity, that sexual assault is a crime of perception; and being pimped by er father at a bar). Though Walls has well earned the right to complain, at no point does she play the victim. In fact, Walls’ removed, nonjudgmental stance is initially startling, since many of the circumstances she describes could be categorized as abusive (and unquestioningly neglectful). But on the contrary, Walls respects her parents’ knack for making hardships feel like adventures and her love for them–despite their overwhelming self-absorption–resonates fro m cover to cover. Eventually the siblings all end up relocating from Welch to New York in an attempt to be liberated from the stifling environment in Welch. For a time everyone is settled and living independently until Rex and Rose Mary show up in Manhattan in a van. After just a short while, the couple ends up poor and homeless once again and despite their efforts, the children are unable to take on the burden of hosting their parents anymore. Consequently, Rose Mary and Rex become squatters in abandoned apartments until Rex dies after having a heart attack. To Conclude, Jeannette has finally reconciled her past and present and no longer feels the need to hide behind lies or half-truths. In my perspective, I feel Glass Castle has thought me a lesson and that is to take life serious not for a mere joke and that is why Rex died through ignoring the clean aspect of life. The memoir liberates her and allows her to do what she enjoys most about writing; communicate with the world. How to cite My First Experience in College, Essay examples

What is social class Definition and meaning free essay sample

The first social grouping I will explain is a social class; Social class is a status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified and set on a social scale. The social hierarchy is usually based on success or wealth, social classes are recognized by the upper class, middle class, working class and lower class. Individuals in different classes tend to experience different trends in health and ill health, this may depend on which society they live in. Individuals who live or experience upper-class life may experience better health and may have a longer life expectancy for those who experience lower class life. Those who live in upper class may have more opportunities and may be considered more important to those who do not have the large financial status or success as others. Better health opportunities are wider for upper-class individuals compared to the lower class individuals as they are not deemed as important by the government due to the fact they earn lower wages or may work in lower jobs which require fewer qualifications. We will write a custom essay sample on What is social class? Definition and meaning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most studies which link to health and ill health in social class focus on the Black Report, 1980.The Black Report was a 1980 document published by the Department of Health and Social Security, now known as the Department of Health, which was the report of the expert committee into health inequality managed by Sir Douglas Black. The Black Report findings include that health standards in the United Kingdom were linked to social class, ill health increased down the social scale. The main problem was not linked with the NHS, the majority of the issues which came from social and economic factors such as income, unemployment, poor environment, poor housing, and education. Soon after this report was created the Acheson Report, 1998; The Acheson Report is also known as The Independent inquiry into inequalities in health report, the purpose of the inquiry was to inform the development of the governments public health strategy and to contribute to the forthcoming white paper, Our healthier na tion. The report was a survey of those individuals in society who were known as disadvantaged, the findings mirrored those found from the Black Report. The Acheson Report found the root cause of inequalities in health was mainly poverty, the survey showed in order to improve the health of millions who live in poor conditions, the gap between the richest and poorest in the United Kingdom had to be reduced.The two reports give detailed explanations about the relationships between social influences to health and ill health. The Black Report found that higher levels of health and illness between the relationships with various social classes which the government prevented the publication of the report. The study has been extremely influential as many sociologists still use explanations who are focusing on similar or the same issues and problems.

Disabilities and Dumbo Essays

Disabilities and Dumbo Essays Disabilities and Dumbo Essay Disabilities and Dumbo Essay Essay Topic: Pride and Prejudice Introduction: When thinking of films that portray disability Disney animated films generally are not the first titles that people think of. When thinking of Disney movies most people think of princesses, villains, magical places, and happily ever after, but there is another side to Disney that is not so clear and upfront, the side of disabilities, stereotyping and ultimately overcoming diversity. One of the earliest Disney movies portraying disabilities is Dumbo (Sharpsteen, 1941). The movie was released in 1941 when the world was going through World War II, society was looking for an escape and Disney provided just that. In the 1940s people with disabilities were considered freaks, abnormal, and not equal to the rest of society, in most cases they were ridiculed, judged and placed in asylums. It is ignorance, fear and stigma that drives society to ridicule a race, gender, disability or anything that seems to be different then what mainstream society considers normal. An Elephant That Can Fly: Dumbo tells the story of a baby elephant that is born different then all the other elephants (Sharpsteen, 1941). With very large ears, he is ridiculed, and is considered an outcast by the rest of the circus elephants. One day his mother stands up for Dumbo when a boy in the crowd starts calling Dumbo names, ultimately leaving him alone because the circus locks his mother away feeling that she is a danger to the gusts and circus animals and performers. Dumbo is left alone, with no support with the feeling of being subpar due to not being like everyone else. With the elephants not letting up on their ridicule and segregating Dumbo from the rest of the herd, Timothy the mouse comes in and befriends the little elephant. With Timothy becoming Dumbo’s friend and leading him to realize that he does not have to be like everyone else, Dumbo learns to fly and becomes accepted by everyone. Fear of Disabilities versus Normal: The fear of becoming disabled is something that seems to be inherent among the majority of able-bodied people (Morris, 1991). This fear stems from ignorance and misunderstanding about what is â€Å"normal†. The better part of  the twentieth century society was not sympathetic or in anyway understanding when it came to disabilities; Dumbo’s treatment among his circus peers was no different (Morris, 1991). One of the elephants actually pulls on little Jumbo Jr. ’s ear shortly after the stork had delivered him to his mother. The elephant is making sure that all the others can see what is wrong with the baby, that he is not normal. Another one of the on looking elephants says, â€Å"Just look at those E-A-R-S† (Sharpsteen, 1941) again making sure that everyone is aware of the little one’s problem area. The elephants start to comment on how silly his ears look, laugh about them, and nickname the baby elephant Dumbo, instead of Jumbo Jr. If it is society that determines what is disabling or not, it is clear that the circus society which Dumbo comes to considers him to be â€Å"different† and disabled (Norden, 1994). Disabilities, History and Societal Outlook: In the early twentieth century people with disabilities often had little to no choice but to go work for the circus, be put in asylums and institutions all because of society’s view of their differences (Raymond, 2008). In most cases people with disabilities were kept away from â€Å"normal† people, or the majority of society. Many people, especially those from a strict religious backgrounds, believed that if a person was disabled either they or their parent had done something to incur the wrath of God, which was the cause of the disability (Ingstad, 1995). The majority of the general public was not interested in allowing persons with disabilities to integrate into society. So much misunderstanding and fear surrounded disabilities that many countries had policies of sterilization for those individuals deemed to have genetic disabilities that could be passed on to their children; essentially people of the 1930s and 40s were trying to eradicate disabilities in any way possible (Ingstad, 1995). In the movie Dumbo the baby elephant portrayed disabilities in a way that garnered some amount of sympathy that was never seen before. This sympathy changed the way that disabilities could be seen or thought of by society. Disney made the baby elephant with big ears the innocent victim, something different for a character with disabilities at the time. People started looking past Dumbo’s disability and watched an outcast struggling to fit in to the circus world where he was supposed to be apart of. Once Dumbo’s ears make their appearance the little elephant is essentially shunned by the circus society. Dumbo’s only friends are his Mother, a mouse, and a group of crows. His only connection back to the circus is his mother and when she is taken away the little elephant is literally left alone to fend for himself. Perception of One Self due to Society: Dumbo’s loneliness teaches him indirectly that his ears are the root of his problems. He learns that his disability is something to be ashamed of. Although not every person with a disability experiences shame tied to their difference, general society convey the message that disability is shameful. Disability scholar and advocate, Jenny Morris (1991) explains the effect of this misrepresentation as a part of society’s general oppression of person’s with disabilities. She states: The way that the general culture either ignores of misrepresents our experience is part of our oppression. However, mainstream culture is also the poorer for this. Surely, the representation and exploration of human experience is incomplete as long as disability is either missing from or misrepresented in all the forms that cultural representation takes. (p. 85) Dumbo’s shame perhaps relevant for some with disabilities in many cases simply a misrepresentation and more likely tied to a more common shame that everyone feels growing up. Considering that most people grow up not liking something about them selves or had some part of their bodies ridiculed by others, Dumbo’s shame about his ears seems less tied to his actual disability and more tied to his opinion of self. Even when told by Timothy the Mouse (his friend) that his ears are beautiful, Dumbo hides behind them. Dumbo does not trust anyone not to make fun of him or his ears, something that has been systematically taught to him throughout his short young life. One Friend Looking Past Disability can make the Difference: Timothy feels sorry for Dumbo when he sees the other elephants picking on the â€Å"little guy† and wants to help him, â€Å"Lots of people with big ears are famous † Timothy tells Dumbo in order to make him feel more comfortable with his ears, but then struggles to come up with any examples (Sharpsteen, 1941). The idea to overcome the disability in order to be accepted by circus society introduces a new stereotype, the supercrip. â€Å"Supercrips are people who overcoming the challenges of disability and becoming more ‘normal,’ in a heroic way† (Martin, 2009). To help this idea along, Timothy decides that the only way to help Dumbo fit in at the circus and be reunited with his mother is for Dumbo to become the headliner of an act involving all the other elephants. Unfortunately the failure of this first attempt only makes matters worse, because Dumbo is reduced to a clown after he causes the big top to fall. Dumbo’s ears, his disability, once again become the thing that is seemingly holding him back from success, acceptance and his mother; a â€Å"normal† life. By being demoted to a clown it seems that the expectations for Dumbo overcoming his disability are nonexistent. This feeling of failure and hopelessness is reiterated to the crows in a speech made by Timothy: Why I ask ya why just because he’s got those big ears, they call him a freak, the laughing stock of the circus. Then when his mother tried to protect him they throw her into the clink and on top of that they made him a clown socially he’s washed up. (Sharpsteen, 1941) Without knowing how to overcome his disability, Dumbo seems doomed to go through life at the circus as a clown and a side show â€Å"freak†. However, finding themselves in a tree forces Timothy to try to sort out how it could have happened. While Timothy tries to figure it out, one of the crows mockingly yells, â€Å"Maybe ya flew up? †(Sharpsteen, 1941). As ridiculous as this idea seems to the crows Timothy believes it, and sees flying as the answer to all of Dumbo’s problems. â€Å"Dumbo you flew your ears are perfect wings the very things that held you down are going to carry you up and up and up †(Sharpsteen, 1941). The crows, however, make a good point, a point that could hinder Dumbo’s ability to overcome his big ears â€Å"have you ever seen an elephant fly? † This point does not deter Timothy and the crows acknowledge his determination. The crows are the one’s that give Dumbo the â€Å"Magic Feather† that will help him fly and lead to his ultimate fame and success. The â€Å"Magic Feather,† given to Dumbo by the crows, is ultimately a tool to help Dumbo believe in himself, and when lost in midair would have caused even more humiliation for the little elephant if he had not decided that he did not need it to fly. There are two important things to take away from this method of overcoming a disability. First, in order to overcome a disability it must be that person’s decision. The decision or the action of overcoming a disability is not something that can be forced on someone or expected of them; force and expectations can lead to the supercrip stereotype becoming problematic. The supercrip stereotype â€Å"focuses on a single individual’s ability to overcome, then puts onus on other disabled people to do the same† (Martin, 2009). Second, the responsibility or belief that all disabled people can overcome their disability to be â€Å"normal† is not realistic or rational for society to place on a person that has a disability. By placing the view that people can overcome a disability again puts â€Å"normal† as superior to anything less then that. Conclusion: Dumbo is looked at as the amazing flying elephant at the end of the movie, but in reality Dumbo is no different at the end of the movie then what he was in the beginning (Sharpsteen, 1941). The only thing that changed was the circus societies view that Dumbo was now not a â€Å"freak† but instead extraordinary. It took a little elephant to find a use for his disability and belief in himself to become someone that everyone would except, unfortunately real society is very similar. Instead of looking at people with disabilities as equals whether they do extraordinary acts or not, society looks down on peoples differences creating standards that people must live up to, to be considered a part of excepted society. Today people with disabilities are not forced into asylums, or left to join the circus sideshow but it is far from ideal. There is much more awareness regarding disabilities today compared to just ten years ago, but there is still a long way to go. For Society to become less judgmental society needs to become proactive in understanding what disability is, and stop placing stigma and assumptions on the disabled person. Once all of society is accepted as equal whether they are the same or different then everyone, society is truly not going to become an inclusive, thriving, equal opportunity world for everyone living within it. By not becoming aware of the importance of differences, society will miss out on opportunities to become a richer culture, gaining valuable insight and opportunities that people with disabilities have to offer us all. With knowledge, awareness, understanding, and acceptance there is less likely that people that are different will be colonized, segregated, or oppressed, that in itself is the most important reason for society to understand and learn from the mistakes from the past on the treatment and view of people with disabilities. References Ingstad, B. (1995). Mpho ya modimo- A gift from God: Perspectives on â€Å"attitudes† toward disabled persons. In B. Ingstad S. R. Whyte (Eds. ), Disability and Culture (pp. 246-265). Berkley, CA: University of California Press. Martin, R. (2009). Global Comment. No One wants to Play â€Å"Super Chip†. Retrieved March 16, 2013 from: http://globalcomment. com/no-one-wants-to-play-super-crip/ Morris, J. (1991). Pride against Prejudice: Transforming Attitudes on Disability. London: The Women’s Press Ltd. Norden, M. F. (1994). The Cinema of Isolation: A History of Physical Disability in the Movies. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Raymond, E. B. (2008). Learners with Mild Disabilities: A Characteristics Approach. Boston: Pearson Press. Sharpsteen, B. (Director). (1941). Dumbo [Motion picture]. United States: Walt Disney Productions.

Learn About the Sahara Desert

Learn About the Sahara Desert The Sahara Desert is located in the northern portion of Africa and covers over 3,500,000 square miles (9,000,000 sq km) or roughly 10% of the continent. It is bounded in the east by the Red Sea and it stretches west to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, the Sahara Deserts northern boundary is the Mediterranean Sea, while in the south it ends at the Sahel, an area where the desert landscape transforms into a semi-arid tropical savanna. Since the Sahara Desert makes up nearly 10% of the African continent, the Sahara is often cited as the worlds largest desert. This is not entirely true, however, as it is only the worlds largest hot desert. Based on the definition of a desert as an area receiving less than 10 inches (250 mm) of precipitation per year, the worlds largest desert is actually the continent of Antarctica. Geography of the Sahara Desert Stocktrek Images / Getty Images The Sahara covers parts of several African nations including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia. Most of the Sahara Desert is undeveloped and features a varied topography. Most of its landscape has been shaped over time by wind and includes sand dunes, sand seas called ergs, barren stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys, and salt flats. Around 25% of the desert is sand dunes, some of which reach over 500 ft (152 m) in height. There are also several mountain ranges within the Sahara and many are volcanic. The highest peak found in these mountains is Emi Koussi, a shield volcano that rises to 11,204 ft (3,415 m). It is a part of the Tibesti Range in northern Chad. The lowest point in the Sahara Desert is in Egypts Qattara Depression at -436 ft (-133 m) below sea level. Most of the water found in the Sahara today is in the form of seasonal or intermittent streams. The only permanent river in the desert is the Nile River that flows from Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. Other water in the Sahara is found in underground aquifers  and in areas where this water reaches the surface, there are oases and sometimes small towns or settlements like the Bahariya Oasis in Egypt and Ghardaà ¯a in Algeria. Since the amount of water and topography varies based on location, the Sahara Desert is divided into different geographic zones. The center of the desert is considered hyper-arid and has little to no vegetation, while the northern and southern portions have sparse grasslands, desert shrub and sometimes trees in areas with more moisture. Climate of the Sahara Desert Samere Fahim Photography / Getty Images Although hot and extremely dry today, it is believed that the Sahara Desert has undergone various climatic shifts for the last few hundred thousand years. For example, during the last glaciation, it was bigger than it is today because precipitation in the area was low. But from 8000 BCE to 6000 BCE, precipitation in the desert increased because of the development of low pressure over ice sheets to its north. Once these ice sheets melted, however, the low pressure shifted and the northern Sahara dried out but the south continued to receive moisture due to the presence of a monsoon. Around 3400 BCE, the monsoon moved south to where it is today and the desert again dried out to the state it is in today. In addition, the presence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, ITCZ, in the southern Sahara Desert prevents moisture from reaching the area, while storms north of the desert stop before reaching it as well. As a result, the annual rainfall in the Sahara is below 2.5 cm (25 mm) per year. In addition to being extremely dry, the Sahara is also one of the hottest regions in the world. The average annual temperature for the desert is 86 °F (30 °C) but during the hottest months temperatures can exceed 122 °F (50 °C), with the highest temperature ever recorded at 136 °F (58 °C) in Aziziyah, Libya. Plants and Animals of the Sahara Desert kristianbell / Getty Images Due to the high temperatures and arid conditions of the Sahara Desert, the plant life in the Sahara Desert is sparse and includes only around 500 species. These consist mainly of drought and heat resistant varieties and those adapted to salty conditions (halophytes) where there is sufficient moisture. The harsh conditions found in the Sahara Desert have also played a role in the presence of animal life in the Sahara Desert. In the central and driest part of the desert, there are around 70 different animal species, 20 of which are large mammals like the spotted hyena. Other mammals include the gerbil, sand fox,  and Cape hare. Reptiles like the sand viper and the monitor lizard are present in the Sahara as well. People of the Sahara Desert Zine Elabidine Laghfiri / EyeEm / Getty Images It is believed that people have inhabited the Sahara Desert since 6000 BCE and earlier. Since then, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks,  and Europeans have been among the peoples in the area. Today the Saharas population is around 4 million with the majority of the people living in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, and Western Sahara. Most of the people living in the Sahara today do not live in cities; instead, they are nomads who move from region to region throughout the desert. Because of this, there are many different nationalities and languages in the region but Arabic is most widely spoken. For those who do live in cities or villages on fertile oases, crops and the mining of minerals like iron ore (in Algeria and Mauritania) and copper (in Mauritania) are important industries that have allowed population centers to grow.

Vaclav Havel and Image of Moral Leadership Essay

Vaclav Havel and Image of Moral Leadership - Essay Example Vaclav Havel an Image of Moral Leadership What one person or culture regards as immoral could be moral in a different setting. The subject of morality has received a lot of attention over a long period of time. Theologians and philosophers alike have been at work explain the determinants of morality in man. Vaclav Havel will be the main focus of this essay as we seek to establish the fundamentals of moral leadership. Description Vaclav Havel, may he rest in peace, was born in 1936 in Prague. He came from a prominent entrepreneurial family who owned an entertainment company and numerous housing complexes. Havel was a celebrated playwright in Czechoslovakia, way before the country became the Czech Republic. He became a prominent writer in the 1960s, with a majority of his works focusing on absurd political regime of the time. His articles focused on the rampant violations of human rights in Czechoslovakia. He openly criticized the authoritarian rule of the time which included such acts as censorship and human rights infringeme nt. In addition to being a playwright, Havel was also a nonconformist to the authoritarian rule, which he explicitly defied. He was a man of great courage amidst all the terror, violence and human rights abuses of the 20th century, in his country and beyond. His involvement in politics came in 1989 after the fall of the communist system, when he became the informal leader of government opposition. Havel’s concern for morality in the way Czechoslovakia was governed ultimately led his election as the president Czechoslovakia in 1990. Following the split of Czechoslovakia into Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Havel became the first president-elect of the Czech Republic. By the time Havel left office in 2003, he had made an everlasting mark on true democracy. Throughout his theatre and dissidence life and reign as president, Havel exhibited exemplary moral leadership qualities that earned him international recognition. Analysis Even before joining politics, Havel was a strong adv ocate for fair treatment of the people of Czechoslovakia. During his days as a playwright, he wrote articles and one time wrote a letter addressed to a top government official, to relent on the contravention of human rights. As a dissident he, in collaboration with others such as Jan Patocka founded Charter 77, a human rights movement. Seeing the way the powerful subjugated the ordinary citizens made Havel write one of his greatest works â€Å"the Power of the Powerless†. Here, he was telling the leaders of the time that the people had power to dislodge them from office, without resorting to violence. He claimed that Czechoslovakia had become a country governed by morally bankrupt people out to subjugate the citizens. He urged the citizens to do what is morally right; instead of turning violent against the regime, they should continue with their activities like nothing was wrong. Knowing very well that Czechoslovakians were â€Å"living within a lie†, he did not advise them to use violence against the oppressive regime. Havel saw violence as an unethical resolve that would only rationalize the tyrannical government’s actions. For example, any foreigner in Czechoslovakia was required by law to register with the police on where they were living. The enforcement of this law however, was not easy for the authorities. The law was finally repealed after Czechoslovakians refused to abide by the ridiculous law, and would not register their guests. This was the power of the powerless that Havel

How pets help college students cope with stress and anxiety Assignment

How pets help college students cope with stress and anxiety - Assignment Example It has been observed that music therapy, art therapy and pet therapy have been able to decrease the mortality rate and increase the chances of living. According to a study conducted in 1977, pet therapy has been found to be the most efficient form of treatment for patients suffering from psychological distress (Moorhouse, 2009). In the year 1990, Dr. William Thomas used pets in a long-term care facility and the significance of animal usage was clearly visible. Animals helped people to recover fast because they were amused with the presence of animals. The anxiety, tensions and frustrations automatically reduced with the presence of animals. This shows that animals have tremendous effect in coping with psychological distress of patients. An experiment was conducted in the United States by involving fourteen adults with clinical depression in a farm animal-assisted intervention. The patients were allowed to work in the farm fields with animals as well as they were allowed to stay in contact with dairy cattle. Each patient was video-recorded twice during the sessions. After a 12 week session, reports were absolutely in favour of pet therapy. The patients showed improvements tremendously. Their depression and anxiety decreased and self-efficiency increased. Pet therapy has also been found to be effective during the treatment of cancer and chronic illnesses (Pederson, Martinsen & Berget, 2011). This shows that pet therapy is very important form of treatment for a variety of illnesses including depression and anxiety. Pets allow patients to reduce their stress and feel hopeful and happy. This factor helps in the treatment of patients who suffer from depression and they recover fast. Dogs have been used for therapeutic purposes in medical settings. It has been observed that the activities by dogs entertain people, which amuse them. Dogs play a very important role in the