How Do You Ensure Pupils Understand Explanations? Essay

The purpose of this essay is to look at the ways in which a child retains information, how that information is processed and the possible barriers involved. There will be some focus on the theories of learning and the strategies and practices employed in the classroom. At this juncture it must be stated that ‘ensuring’ may be an ambiguous word, and that ‘enabling’ the understanding may be more precise, as no matter how vociferous the intention to ‘ensure’ there will always be pupils who fall through the net or may even have developed their own strategies to cope with not understanding yet leading the teacher to believe they have. Surely the answer to this statement must begin with good ‘communication’. It is recognised that communication is a ‘two way process’, starting as far back as pre-birth as stated by Elisbeth Hallett in her book ‘Soul Trek Meeting our Children on the Way to Birth’ (1995). If this idea is to stand the test of time, the pupils must therefore be given the opportunity to verbalise their level of understanding before a task is attempted. This relatively obvious procedure may not be possible in pupils with any existence of special educational need. Difficulties affecting the brain’s processing ability and auditory impairment may not always manifest themselves but will result in poor communication (Dittrich and Tutt, 2008). Therefore the need for effective two communication and pupils feeling empowered to be able to ask for help becomes a priority in teaching. Ed Balls (2007) states ‘effective communication and language skills are fundamental to young people’s learning, developing social skills and fulfilling their potential’. Whatever the age of the learner, the cognitive ability, the language or SEN barriers, good clear, age specific, decipherable communication must be the key to understanding. Piaget (cited Pound, 2005) believed that children learnt in stages dependent on age and awareness of their environment and surroundings. These stages will also impact on the ability for a child to understand an explanation. Therefore before logical thinking arrives at around 7-11 years of age, visual, tactile clues and instructions, will be  more easily absorbed. However the need still exists to enable understanding of the need to progress on to attempting and succeeding. Creating that perfect classroom setting where the teacher delivers the starter and instructions and the class independently commences the task without any clarification is an ideal not often witnessed. This could be for many reasons; the class size, noise levels or even visibility of the teacher. Psychologists such as Maslow (1954) talk about the 5 levels of need in life, from the very basics of environmental issues to self-actualisation and problem solving. Therefore being conscious of these factors, room layout, and temperature, even lighting, may influence the ability to understand and disseminate instructions independently. These physical ideals are not always possible, given the large number of pupils in the classroom. As reported in a study by the Dfe (2011), ‘research findings from England show that in smaller classes, individual pupils are the focus of a teacher’s attention for more time; there is more active interaction between pupils and teachers; and more pupil engagement’. Taking all these possible barriers into account and the different learning styles that exist, it is paramount therefore to create the correct atmosphere conducive to learning in the classroom. Planning should incorporate this and the use of good vocal skills will promote confidence and assertiveness (Bruce, 2005). Instilling a sense of self belief and esteem that encourages children to engage and be able to ask for help or explanation. However despite all these strategies being in place it must be noted that levels of understanding will differ and aiming the teaching at the correct level of ability is essential. Froebel (cited, Pound 2005) states ‘to begin where the learner is’. A valid statement that is underpinned by most theorists who believe that cognitive understanding relates to developmental stages in age and maturity. Piaget believed that learning was supported by action. That thought is developed by experiencing and active experimenting. With the knowledge of al l the impediments in place let us know consider the classroom strategies available. A tried and tested method is to ask the pupils what they think their course of action will be. For example ‘what do you think I want you to do when you have read through the text?’. (Case, 2010). This in itself for some, may take some  coding and decoding and therefore present vast possibilities of misunderstanding (Denby, 2012). Obviously the message has to be first ‘coded’ by the teacher , in other words putting it into a form that can be understood, this may be visual or written. As many theorists claim however, interpretation of the spoken word is not only auditory. Approximately 35% of meaning is in the way it is actually said and a further 55% in body language and facial expression (Mehrabian, 1971). Highlighting as previously mentioned the importance of the positioning of the teacher in the room and the classroom layout. If the pupils cannot see the teacher, they may miss important facets of the instruction that will then mean them having to fill in the gaps by guessing. As Piaget states ‘ learning is a process of active discovery’ (Piaget sited MacNaughton, 2003). As teachers there is a need to facilitate the understanding by firstly using age and ability levelled speak. If the cognitive level is pitched too high there may only be a small number of the class that understand. Merely asking â€Å"do you all understand ?â€Å", is as good as useless as Swift (2007) demonstrates. This question will leave those that haven’t understood too shy to admit it and some that think they have understood but may in fact have not. A more successful way would be to ask them to repeat back the instructions, making sure a less able pupil is asked so there is a better gauge of the whole class and not just the brightest pupils. It may be a practical task that two pupils could demonstrate to show their level of understanding, or if it’s a written task, they might offer the answer to the first question for instance. A further method for tasks that are known to the pupils, ask them what they think they have to do. This draws on prior learning and offers the teacher information for future planning also. It may be possible to just give instructions for the first part of the lesson. Stopping half way through to do a mini plenary, and then giving the second set of instructions to finish the task can also help to pace out the amount of instructions being given. Having the explanation and expected outcomes within the Learning Intention that the pupils write in their books can offer help to those who may wander off track too. Or indeed having them all written on the whiteboard or displayed on the IWB. (1339) Balls, E. (2007) Department for Children Schools and Families. [online],  available at http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/quotes.html [Accessed 4 No 2012]. Bruce, T. (2005) Developing learning in early childhood. Buckingham: Open University Press. Case, A. (2010) Making Sure Students Understood Your Instructions. [online]. Available at http://edition.tefl.net/articles/teacher/instructions/ [Accessed 18 Nov 2012]. Denby, N. (2012) Training to Teach- A guide for students. London: Sage Publications. Department for Education, ( 2011). Economics, Evaluation and Appraisal Team Education Standards Analysis and Research Division. [online] at : https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR169.pdf Dittrich,H. and Tutt, R. (2008) Educating Childern with Complex Conditions. London : Sage Publications. Hallett, E. (1995) Soul Trek: Meeting our Children on the Way to Birth. Montana : Light Heart Publishing. MacNaughton, G. (2003) Shaping Early Childhood : Learning, curriculum and context. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Maslow, A. (1954) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. [Accessed : 16.11.12]. online at : http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html Mehrabian, A. (1971) Silent Messages. California. Wadsworth. Pound, L. (2007) How children learn. London: Step forward publishing. Swift, S. (2007) Giving and Checking Instructions. [online] at : http://ezinearticles.com/?Giving-and-Checking-Instructions&id=404950 [Accessed : 19 Nov 2012].

Festival

The Brightest Colorful Fiesta There are many festive emotions around the world that can never fade from the faces of every person. These festive emotions keep on growing with each passing season. Each and every country celebrates their festivals with great joy and happiness. The Indian festivals are based on most of the religious or mythological patterns. There are many such stories that can easily describe about the reasons behind these festivals.People express their happiness by dancing, singing, and enjoying every moment of celebration of the festivals. People in India are completely devoted towards the celebrations and the related ritual ceremonies related to the festivals. Holi is one of the festivals where people enjoy and express their love towards the festival by sharing happiness with each other. Holi is celebrated by playing with colors, and is mainly celebrated in India as one of the main festival. The festival of Holi, does have a mythological reason behind its celebratio n.According to the Indian Mythology, ‘Prahlad’, son of a king ‘Hiranyakashyapu’, was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. But ‘Hiranyakashyapu’ did not let his son to pray Lord Vishnu. He always wants his son to devote himself praying the king. Many times he conspires to kill his son, but always failed. ‘Holika’, the sister of ‘Hiranyakashyapu’, had the blessings from Lord Agni that fire cannot even touch her. ‘Holika’ was blessed with immunity from fire. After many failures, ‘Hiranyakashyapu’ asked his sister, ‘Holika’ to sit with ‘Prahlad’ in the fire.As ‘Prahlad’ was the great devotee of Lord Vishnu, he came alive out of the fire and ‘Holika’ was burnt alive in the fire. This happened because ‘Holika’ wants to kill ‘Prahlad’, but ‘Prahlad’ was innocent about their conspiracy and all time he chanted the nam e of Lord Vishnu. On the next morning, it was seen that ‘Holika’ was burnt alive and the ashes turned into the Tesu flowers. ‘Prahlad’ was seen playing with the flowers spread all over. This event turned into defeat of ‘Hiranyakashyapu’.The event is now celebrated as the festival of Holi, because ‘Prahlad’ was seen playing with the Tesu Flowers. The burning of ‘Holika’ is celebrated as Hoilka Dahan prior to the second day of Holi called Dulhendi. According to the Hindi calendar, Holi falls on the last Full Moon day of Falguna Maas. The Holi festival is celebrated in different ways at different places. At some places the festival is enjoyed by playing with colors, at some places it is played with mud, at some places with long wooden stick, Tesu flowers, cow dung, etc.At some places, the celebration of the festival extends for 3-5 days. On this festival, people meet their friends and relatives, exchange sweets and wish t hem Happy Holi! The preparations of the festival begin from 1 month before the day of the celebration. People make Gujiyas, Gulab Jamun, Dahi Bhallas, and many more things to eat. But Gujiya is one of the important dishes on the occasion of Holi. On this day people forget all their sorrows and play with full enthusiasm by throwing colors and splashing color water on each other.

Analysis of Consumer and Business Buying Behavior Essay

Analysis of Consumer and Business Buying Behavior - Essay Example In that direction, RetailCo can adopt electronic payment systems like Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), PayPal and Mobile Phone Payment. These payment systems were selected based on the fact that the target customers of RetailCo are largely upper-class, educated and receptive to online shopping, and so would be interested to buy RetailCo’s products through online mode by utilizing any one of the above mentioned payment systems. Then, importantly as the customers and even the staffs of RetailCo would like to have secure and easy to use payment systems, these options were selected. Apart from the already implemented card systems, RetailCo can first adopt the payment system of Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), which involves the electronic transfer of money by the customers from their bank account to the account of RetailCo. If RetailCo includes the EFT option, the customers can click it, and it will lead to a list of banks with which RetailCo has a business arrangement. The customers can select their bank (or the bank in which they will have account), enter the account details with their personal password, and initiate the transaction. This payment option provides the customer an easier option to make the purchase, as they do not have to keep their cards with them all the time, and needing to input all the card details, because they can just remember their internet banking details. However, RetailCo has to include all or majority of the banks by making arrangements with them, otherwise, certain customers may find their banks missing in the list. The next key pa yment option that could be included is the PayPal option, where the customers can buy products by transferring their money electronically from their PayPal account. â€Å"Money would be exchanged via cyberspace - all users needed were an e-mail address, a credit card or bank account number and an Internet connection.† (â€Å"Electronic

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Psychology - Essay Example They encounter serious kinds of attacks frequently while some overcome them with consummate ease, depending upon the nature of stress one has to go through over a period of time. Workplace stress also entails within it issues of anxiousness at work whereby it is regarded as another kind of mental anomaly, which tears down the mind and the body in a number of different ways. Workplace stress leads to different kinds of depressions within oneself on top. The employees start feeling alienated with the tasks and feel their bodies having all forms of aches every now and so often. These people also comprehend the pressures from their job settings which in reality are of a normal nature and have little bearing on them in the real sense. The pressure-exertion effect makes them feel more stressed at the end of the day, which then again is a very perilous thing. Workplace stress can be reduced when employees know that the task they are putting their best energies at, are worth the shot and in the end, the same will help them to grow exponentially. In fact they must be apprised of their hard work and the rewards that they get. This is indeed a nice gesture which means a lot on the part of the hard working and committed employees and workers (Harmon 2003). The hard working employees should balance their work commitments with their physical and mental needs as 100 percent commitment can only be made possible when there is zest and enthusiasm from within and not when a person is made to do one thing or the other by force or against his wishes. The reason why one should believe this approach will work is because in the initial sense, it will build a strong rapport between the firm and its employees and also it will convey a strong message that the organization does not compromise on the needs of the employees who are working for it day in day out just for having that extra bit of work completed by them (Bergman 2003). It also means that the organization is thorough and profes sional in its approach and is not willing to surrender in a rat race when the talk goes out loud of competing within the relevant industry or even with companies just for the sake of nothing but competition. The intensity within organizations is pretty much understandable but the madness should not be substituted on the part of the employees and getting work done out of them so that the figures could be reached and new records could be broken within the shortest possible time is nothing but insanity to say the least. Other useful workplace stress removing remedies are accounted for in the form of exercising regularly, having an intake of healthy diet, taking proper sleep, developing trustworthy social support regimes and more than anything else enjoying quality family time (Linton 2000). The physical and psychological implications thus have direct and serious effects on the way the employees look after their work tasks and thus the bottom line remains all jammed up for a number of r easons – most of which are related with stress in one way or the other. It is true to state that workplace stress affects employees at all levels which could include the physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral stages. The physical indications entail the speech difficulties and complexities, headaches, ulcers, infertility issues, fatigue and sudden weight loss and

Apple Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Apple Case Analysis - Essay Example There was no surprise to see people standing in long queues eagerly anticipating the launch of ipad3, almost everyone wanted to get their hands on the newest gadget launched by Apple again underlining their dominance and global reach. Apple is arguably the best brand in the world because they have spent a lot of money on innovation and they have achieved their objectives in the recent past of making their gadgets better than other similar gadgets available in the market. Steve Jobs always wanted to make a computer which was easy to use and he managed to do it, Apple II was launched in the year 1978. It was an easy to use computer, it is said that the launch of Apple II completely revolutionized the computing industry. Apple also became a leader after the launch of Apple II in 1978. Competitive Position Apple’s dominance was challenged by IBM, IBM entered the fray in the year 1981, Apple found their newest rivals in IBM. There was a major difference between the systems produced by the two companies, Apple’s computer was a prototype and could not be cloned on the contrary IBM’s system could be cloned by others very easily. IBM heavily relied on Intel to supply processors but that was not the case with Apple. IBM’s entry into the market did not affect Apple’s revenue but IBM took away the market share from Apple to a certain extent and Apple had their eyes set on winning the market share once again and restoring normalcy. A significant changed occurred in the year 1984; a very young Steve Jobs presented Macintosh to the whole world in an endeavor to win back their lost market share. The technical elegance and the design of the new Macintosh, was captivating beyond imagination but when it came to performance the Macintosh disappointed its users. It was really slow and because of these lags it did not sell as expected by the honchos at Apple. Between 1983 and 1984 Apple had a torrid time, net income of the company fell by 17% and s uddenly the company was in crisis. Steve Jobs was removed from his post after these series of setbacks, John Sculley was at the helm back them. He was the same man who reinvigorated Pepsi and fought successfully against Coca Cola to gain dominance. Sculley worked on graphics and designs and knew that these were the two key elements that could take Apple to where it originally belongs. Desktop publishing was another key area which Sculley targeted and Apple all of a sudden started producing systems which were best when it came to desktop publishing. Major Competitive Advantages As discussed earlier Apple’s design and elegance were two factors which gave it an edge over other companies but these two factors were anything but enough to propel the company to the very top. Several other competitive changes were made by Sculley during his time at the helm, his tie-up with Aldus which is now known as Adobe was a great move for Apple and it restored much needed stability in the compa ny, products designed by Aldus were used for desktop publishing and the same made Apple one of the best in the world once again post the Steve Jobs era. The Macintosh started selling like hotcakes once the products made by Aldus were used in the Macintosh, Apple recorded record sales of the Macintosh and that was when Apple regained its prominence. Accessories like laser printers were also sold by Apple and the same had unmatched capabilities and this is why

Pivot Tables Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pivot Tables - Assignment Example Excel also allows you to generate charts from the data in your pivot table which can be very handy in comparisons. Similarly, Pivot Tables are interactive means of summarizing the data, allowing you to add or delete fields in the contingent (summary) tables. This is especially useful when a sample has to be chosen from a specific characteristic of the population which endows various other characteristic as well that are irrelevant. Pivot Tables are also dynamic which can automatically recalculate the data based on addition or elimination of new fields. This feature is really helpful in saving time and effort of the data collector. Pivot tables are also easy to change if the data from original source is changed. As a result, these tables are really important when the changes in data are quick and frequent. These tables can help you to keep your records updated at all times and can be used when the original data keeps on changing. Multiple worksheets are really handy in grouping and summarizing data. A collection of two or more worksheets is called group worksheet. In order to group two or more work sheets, you need to first click the tab of first worksheet, then you press and hold shift key and click the tab of the other worksheet that you want to group.

A specific insurance company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A specific insurance company - Research Paper Example For the year 2013 the company’s products/operations were divided as followed: In 2012 the company reported an additional 2% increase in revenues mainly due to increased sales of property/casualty premiums and higher return on investments. Although the company has reported improved revenue streams during the past few years, their growth has been mainly fueled by expected organic growth. The company growth strategy has been geared towards increasing insurance premiums sales by enhancing their independent agent network, improving sales support and organization and improving their online sales platform. Allstate has also been working to lean down operations through the sale of less profitable segments such as the sale of the Lincoln Benefit Life unit to Resolution Life in 2014 for $600 million (Hoovers). The purchase of their subsidiary Esurance in 2011 helped solidify Allstates online presence and improve their corporate image as an innovator. Allstates management has been working towards improving their profitability through careful risk management, maintaining their current levels of profitability in the auto segment as well as increasing returns in their homeowners insurance and annuity business segments. It is interesting that the majority of the insurance advertisements in cable TV, as well as online popular TV websites such as Hulu are about Esurance and Allstates brands. Allstates main rival is State Farm, a giant privately held company with currently the largest market share in the U.S. insurance market. State Farm is the top provider of casualty, property, life, health as well as auto insurance. The other main competitors for Allstate are Progressive (PGR) with a $19.86 billion in market capitalization and Farmers Group (Yahoo). To better gauge Allstate’s financial performance I will analyze some of the companys key financial ratios and how the compare with industry averages. From the

Against Legalizing Prostitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Against Legalizing Prostitution - Essay Example nthropology, and Social Work at Central Michigan University and Shekarkhar works at the Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law at the University of Florida. Hayes-Smith and Shekarkhar focus on the flaws of the current construction and propose alternative constructions instead of prostitution decriminalisation. According to Hayes-Smith and Shekarkhar, prostitution remains illegal in most parts of the US. The authors question whether there is empirical evidence to support United States’ argument that prostitution must remain illegal for maintenance of public health/safety. According to the article, there are four assumptions of laws on prostitution. These assumptions include illegalisation of prostitution deters the soliciting of such services, prostitution spreads sexually transmitted diseases, sex work increases the vulnerability of prostitutes to victimization, and prostitution creates social disorder. Hayes-Smith and Shekarkhar argue, â€Å"†¦these assumptions have fear-inducing component directed towards prostitutes† (45). The authors add that the assumptions may also not be empirically valid. Hayes-Smith and Shekarkhar believe that laws on prostitution are directed towards benefiting certain people and groups in society, but devastating others. Community members do not have common beliefs; hence, the laws are beneficial who believe that exchange of sex for money is morally reprehensible and a way out of the traditional family order. The authors posit that illegalisation of prostitution leads to injustices because it stigmatizes sex workers, infringing their right to use their bodies as a source of income. The flaws identified in the current prostitution laws makes Hayes-Smith and Shekarkhar call for an alternative construction for addressing the inefficiencies. Additionally, Hayes-Smith and Shekarkhar posit that prostitution should actually be decriminalised because it is rampant among the upper class citizens whose chances of criminalization are

McDonalds customer service and training model Essay

McDonalds customer service and training model - Essay Example McDonalds have become the byword of fast food industry in the world today. "The company began in 1940 with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald, but it was their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 that established the principles of the fast-food restaurant." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_Corporation Unlike usual restaurants, fast food joints have their own pertinent and unbreakable rules. These rules and policies are usually made by the top management and are interpreted and enforced by the Store Manager. Like any other chain businesses, McDonalds too are centrally managed. All the policies and rules are made centrally and the branches and franchises are simply expected to follow them. The least requirement of fast food business is that it has to maintain very high level of service and efficiency throughout to every customer and it should be of unquestionable quality. In addition, cleanliness and safety standards are exceptionally important. Fast food joints manage this through proactive floor control. Rest of all decisions are made by the centre of the organisation, and most of the decisions are foreseen, expected and already clarified. There are a certain differences between the regular res... More stringent and immediate financial control is maintained over the fast foods as money moves fast in these joints owing to brisk business. It is also true that careful and meticulous control at the spot is impossible in places like McDonalds and as such, accounting should be frequent. They cannot afford to wait for the monthly balance sheet. Profit and loss are controlled by accurate inventory aided by the frequent statistical reports and many other systems like ordering of replenishments on time and much in advance, manpower scheduling for the entire month and sticking to it, and urgent building maintenance, maintenance of supporting machinery, including that could be necessary at a later date. The entire concept of fast foods is that of a 'man in a hurry' as they are catering to men in proverbial hurry. So, equal forethought and time slots are allotted to administrative work, documentation, recruitee training, wage reviews, performance reviews and disciplinary actions and awards , pecuniary or otherwise. Efficiency is linked with the increase in the pace of life, according to Ritzer. It is beneficial for consumers and workers both, as more customers get served and profits are increased. "But as is the case with rationalization in general, and each of its dimensions, irrationalities such as surprising inefficiencies and the dehumanisation of workers and customers, emerge from the drive for increased efficiency," (Ritzer, 2000, p.40). According to him, fast food restaurant 'has helped turn efficiency into an increasingly universal reality'. Ritzer argues that because of the fastness of the food, 'the emphasis on quantity tends to affect adversely the quality of both the process and the result'. For customers eating on the run

Nursing and Care Essay Example for Free

Nursing and Care Essay The concept of Synergy can be applied to the practice of nursing by means of education and service. To obtain Synergy in nursing the nurse’s knowledge and skills are able to meet the individual needs of the patient population that is presented. Currently in Western Pennsylvania, there is a rising number maternal substance abuse during pregnancy. This epidemic in turn creates a different type of population in infants than other areas of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with specific healthcare needs. One area that is lacking synergy is the care of this rising patient population of infants suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). This creates a gap between nursing education and clinical application. Due to the rise in NAS infants it is important for nurses to be educated in proper care for an infant presenting with this diagnosis, symptom management, communication skills, and the fundamental knowledge Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Poor patient outcomes can be caused by a lack of understanding addiction. The Vermont Oxford Network states, â€Å"Fear of stigmatization, discrimination, child removal, poor treatment, and criminal prosecution has deterred women from seeking care. However, the research suggests that providing substance dependent women with comprehensive healthcare, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, and social support improves pregnancy, birth, and child development outcomes. † (Horbar, Soll Buus-Frank, 2013) When the infant is admitted into the acute care setting, the care needs of these patients should focus less on the immediate outcome, and more on what will create the greatest good for each patient as an individual. There is an essential need for the development of collaborative solutions for care and education in the healthcare setting for the care of this rising population. Often this would be to provide care with a realistic goal of maintaining optimal levels of comfort with minimal side effects of withdraw. â€Å"About 40% of infants who exhibit withdrawal symptoms can be treated without medication. † (White, 2013) Nurses who take time to ensure a level of comfort will help to alleviate symptoms of NAS withdraw and also help support the family in their infant’s care. In addition to providing comfort will help decrease the need to be medicated for withdraw and ultimately will lead to a shorter hospitalization. The manager of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will need to address this issue and implement change in order to improve patient outcomes. The competencies that make up the Synergy model are clinical judgment, advocacy and moral agency, caring practices, facilitation of learning, collaboration, systems thinking, response to diversity, and clinical inquiry. For the NAS population advocacy, clinical judgment, caring practices and facilitation of learning are most important. Advocacy proposes the nurse to serve as a moral agent to work on the infant’s behalf in order to provide the greatest good to help resolve concerns that are both clinical and ethical. Clinical judgment is the ability for the nurse to take on the leadership role to care for their patient. Infants are unable to make healthcare decisions; the nurse must consider the parent’s wishes and what the result the nurses’ actions will yield for this infant. These actions must positively contribute to their plan of care overall. Caring practices creates a compassionate and therapeutic environment for each the patients, recognizing the unique needs of each infant. The nurse acts as a facilitator of learning when he/she incorporates the understanding of the infant’s family into the care. The Synergy mode includes patient characteristics, which are, resiliency, vulnerability, stability, complexity, resource availability, participation in care and decision-making and predictability. For the NAS population the patient characteristics would immediately associate complexity, vulnerability, and participation in care and decision-making. Complexity as referred to as to the multitude of symptoms that are to be considered for proper care of the patient. These infants are unable communicate pain, symptoms needs, and what their desire’s are. For example, these infant’s cry and are inconsolable until the nurse goes through a trial and error until he/she figures out the needs of the child. They do not understand what is happening to them. Vulnerability includes the stressors that these patients will be exposed to that may affect outcomes. The infants depend on the decisions their families and healthcare professionals. Increased length of hospital stay can lead to problems that may decline in their already compromised condition, for example, infection. Lastly, the NAS patients are vulnerable due to the fact that they are unable to make their own healthcare decisions and have to depend on parents and healthcare providers to be speak on their behalf. The parents participate in care as they receive information and help assist in the care for their child. Analyze the Case Nursing education places emphasis on clinical presentation, physical stressors and conditions that affect the patient and their associated treatments. Increased education is needed for nurses on the postpartum and NICU units about the treatment for this specific patient population. With the increase in drug dependent mothers there seems to be little nursing education provided on postpartum and NICU nursing units about the care for these infants, and this issue needs to be addressed. â€Å"Infants with NAS have higher rates of neonatal complications, prolonged lengths of stay and consume substantial NICU and hospital resources. Further, they impose a growing burden on already strained healthcare resources because state Medicaid expenditures are disproportionately impacted. † (Horbar, Soll Buus-Frank, 2013) The administration and education team needs to identify this problem and incorporate teaching and updated research on these units. One competency that lacks synergy in the nursing care of the NAS population is collaboration. â€Å"Collaboration enhances the capacity of a group and increases the potential for success. † (Hardin Kaplow, p. 75, 2005) It is not uncommon when different discipline areas such as the nurse, doctor, social worker etc. identify different goals for the patient. Poor communication causes the team to not work in unison to collaborate and work towards a common goal. â€Å"A key to collaboration is the communication that must exist between the patient, family, and health care team members as well as among members of the health care team. Another synergy lacking competency would be caring practices, which is the unique nursing care provided to the patient and families. Within the NAS population nurses have to recognize the differences and incorporated them into the infants care. Having compassion and creating a calming environment help provide comfort in a therapeutic environment. Often times the NAS population is considered as level II care, this allows for the nurses to take on a multiple patient assignment of three to five infants at a time. The NAS population is unique; they require much coddling and almost constant attention from the nurse. Having greater than three patients causes a great disadvantage to these children due to the nurse having to spread herself thin to meet the basic needs of feeding, changing and medicating, the nurse does not have adequate time to rock and soothe the infants causing greater withdraw symptoms. The rational decision-making model will help identify and implement the appropriate changes that are essential in optimizing care for the NAS population. Improvement in the education of the healthcare staff will create better patient outcomes. This decision making process includes three steps to achieve this objective: identify possible outcomes, determine probability of each outcome, and take action with the highest probability to achieve a positive outcome. The considered actions are increased in-person training, mandatory review of printed materials, or an on-line training course. The greatest positive outcome would come from increased in-person training. Create a Change Proposal Part of the nursing orientation for staff will be to participate in a class specified for the training related to care of the NAS infant prior to working in the NICU. Written material as well as a presentation will be provided. The attending physician will make a statement about services provided to the NAS infant, medications and important facts that the physician would like in report. For the staff nurses’ senior nursing projects are assigned yearly and are presented to maintain their status on the unit. Assigning NAS care to a few nurses each year will keep the most up to date research on the unit. These nurses will participate in Internet presentations that focus on quality, safety and care for infants and families of and NAS infant. Finally, a staff member from the social work team will join and present his/her role in the case of a NAS infant. The unit will provide CEU’s for this training. This proposal will affect the unit internally by involving the management team and multiple staff disciplines. The management team will help aid in this proposal by providing a day that is designated this additional training and appoint the appropriate nursing, physician and social work staff to participate in running the program. Finally obtaining CEU’s approved by the state board of nurses to offer education credits for after the completion of training. The designated nurses assigned to NAS as a senior project must keep up to date with the training information prior to the class of new staff, doing so will ensure they are prepared for questions that may arise. With this proposal the staff has the potential to increase the patient stability, outcome and satisfaction. Also this proposal will be aimed to help the nurses caring for NAS infants to promote patient care through evidenced based research. A change model that applies to this proposal would be the Lewin’s change model. This model is based on unfreezing, moving, and refreezing. First the unfreezing stage, the current beliefs and ideas will change with the desired outcome. The health care team will sufficiently identify the epidemic and need for changes in care for the NAS infant, inspiring the education and treatments needed to move the staff towards bettering practices. Lastly, refreezing, the nursing staff will have a new outlook or attitude towards NAS infants. Changes in the treatment process will be instituted based on the staff’s new outlook. Having the knowledge and resources for the care of the NAS infant will allow the care team to handle each unique case with evidenced based approach. Along with any type of change there will always be positive and negative outcomes on the environment. Positive outcomes will include an influx in nursing knowledge, better patient outcomes and an increased amount of resources for the staff. Negative outcomes may include not having the adequate amount of staff to run this program and the biases formed by individuals prior to participating in this class. A way to follow up with the care provided to these patients and their families would be an optional survey completed by the families allowing the unit to see their strengths and weaknesses. The survey will allow for improvement of care. â€Å"Nurses who have confidence in their ability to positively impact maternal parenting behaviors through education and skill building may impact patient care outcomes. It is imperative that the management and supervisors recognize the issues that nurse’s experience when caring for NAS infants. Educating staff will allow for a balance of practice and the nurses actions. Instituting this educational program will provide synergy to the NICU units and the epidemic of withdraw infants. The unit directors will be able to see that the changes to the unit and education instituted has worked when NAS infants have a shorter hospital stay, a decrease in the use of morphine and phenobarbital and finally patient/parental and nurse satisfaction. In conclusion, with the epidemic of substance abuse mothers on the rise it is imperative that neonatal nursing units properly educate their staff about the treatment and care of NAS infants. With the changes proposed in this case the care of this specific population will be enhanced. These infants are very fragile and require a lot of special attention. The proper care and education could make the world of a difference in a baby’s life.

ILETS Test Evaluation

ILETS Test Evaluation IELTS The International English Language Testing System The purpose of any test is to diagnose what the learners know or dont know, in other words to check learning. The International English Language Testing System or IELTS test is a language proficiency test which covers all four language skills reading, writing, listening and speaking and is the most widely used and accepted test for English language. Each paper holds a percentage of the final score each equally weighted at 25%. The IELTS test is unique in that you cant fail it (Takeielts.britishcouncil.org, 2017). Although we live in a very more modern, electronic world, the IELTS test is still a pen and paper-based test (Takeielts.britishcouncil.org, 2017). The papers/tests covering the four skills are: Reading a 60 minute test which includes three texts to be read Writing a 60 minute test showing the test takers ability to summarise, explain or describe Listening this test is a 30 minute test Speaking this is the shortest of all four tests at 11-14 minutes. My essay will be focusing on the evaluation and the validity or fitness for purpose of the speaking test within the IELTS test. Michael Halliday (1968 cited in Levine and Spencer, 1996, p. 46) quotes; Language is a form of culturally determined behaviour and this behaviour includes the ability to take on a range of linguistically defined roles in speech situations. Unless the child grows up in an environment in which all these speech situation roles are open to him, he will fail to master important areas in the grammar of his language. With this is mind we must understand that all types of tasks have both advantages and limitations (or disadvantages) so it is necessary to ascertain the Fitness for purpose of a particular task and to use a different range of task types within the framework. We must provide different speaking tasks which activate our different speaking processes. The tasks should elicit behaviour which truly represents the candidates ability and which can be scored validly and reliably (Hughes, 1991, pg. 101). Although speaking can seem both simple and natural it is, in fact, a very complex skill with several stages to follow. From the conceptualisation of an idea we must then convert that idea into language. This is done through both lexical and grammatical knowledge. Through this knowledge we are able to form sentences and phrases in order to vocalise our idea. Once we have the essential words, sentences and phrases these are then changed into sound or articulated. This is how a non-verbal idea becomes an actual verbal expression. As you will know, when we speak we are constantly monitoring ourselves in order to ensure the flow of speech continues smoothly, whether this be through our internal access to vocabulary, grammar or intonation, etc. When we s peak all of these stages are completed automatically and naturally this is why speaking can be so challenging for learners. If a learner lacks both lexical and analytical knowledge their retrieval of that vocabulary or grammar may well take longer causing a less natural or automatic response to a task or question through longer pauses and hesitations. We must then ensure that testing incorporates all manner of validity and reliability in order to produce a rounded and more thorough outcome. The IELTS speaking test is a face-to-face, one-on-one interview between the test taker and the IELTS trained examiner. The interview only lasts between 11 to 15 minutes and is recorded. The speaking test can be taken before the other three sections listening, reading, writing of the test and the speaking comprises of three separate sections. The first section or part 1 is known as the introduction and interview segment. Here the interviewer introduces him or herself to the test taker. This is then continued as if it were an interview albeit a little formal whereby the test taker shares information with the examiner. The examiner will have a script of questions to ask the test taker which cover every day familiar topics e.g. work, study, where you live, food, holidays, friends, goig out, festivals, sports, school and public transport (TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC, 2017). The test taker provides the examiner with information about themselves, their family, work and interests through a series of open-ended questions like those in appendix 1 e.g. Whats the most interesting part of your village/town? Would you say its a good place to live? Why? (Ieltsessentials.com, 2017) and answers them to the best of their ability. This section usually takes around 4-5 minutes. The second section or part 2 is known as the individual long turn. In this segment the candidate or test taker is given a topic card (see appendix 2). The topic card has a subject on it which the test taker must talk about for two minutes. Before speaking, the candidate is allowed one minute in order to prepare notes on their given topic. These topic tasks are generally about a personal experience, for example, a memorable day or a person of great significance to them and they then have to produce a monologue on this topic. Once the candidate has completed their monologue the examiner will then ask them some follow up questions which then leads them into part 3 of the test. The third section or part 3 is known as the two-way discussion. This two-way discussion or dialogue is between the test taker and the examiner and is generally thematically linked (Karim and Haq, 2014) to part 2. If you look at appendices 2 and 3 you will see that the candidate in part 2 spoke about a piano he once owned and in part 3 the examiner then asks to have a discussion regarding things we own. Interviewing is a tried and tested way of assessing a language learners speaking capabilities, however, it can seem intensely formal to the interviewee and cause the interaction to be dominated by the examiner (Karim and Haq, 2014) in their role as interviewer in the IELTS test. In the test then, this tends, to lend itself toward a situation in which the speaking is less natural in form than it could be if it were in a different format e.g. an informal discussion over coffee. Hughes (1991) states the most obvious format for the testing of oral interaction is the interview, however, it has at least one potentially serious drawback. When the test taker feels they are in an interview situation they will speak to the examiner as if speaking to a superior (Hughes, 1991, pg.104). Therefore, the speaking confidence of the test taker may be put to a disadvantage. This limitation may well be avoided should the candidate feel they are able to ask questions as well as the examiner. Through a re laxed dialogue rather than an interview the conversation could well take a more natural path providing more confidence for the test taker. Also, interviews can cause unnecessary anxiety and nervousness to the test taker which could limit their interaction. We could also argue that natural conversation is built up with more informal language, whereby a conversation is not scripted but flows along an unseen path to an unseen destination. Conversation does not follow a strict or distinct route but is nudged along in many different directions. The question we are asking is Is the test successful in achieving its objectives? and for this we need to look at what is known as the validity and reliability of a test. Validity has several forms and I have looked at content, face and criterion-related validity. Content validity is a representative sample of the skills and abilities which have been taught. The structure and content of the IELTS speaking test is the same at all levels. This means that an elementary level candidate will be answering the same questions of those at advanced levels. This does not provide a concrete level of testing as the structure and content do not provide a more challenging course for those with more advanced skills. Face validity looks at the measurement of skill the test should be assessing. If we look at the format of the IELTS test we can see that it is clearly established. It is universal in its approach and anywhere you look for information on the IELTS test it always provides the same information. In contrast both IELTS academic and General English tests are no different with regards to what is tested for in the speaking section. If we look at the band descriptor (appendix 4) we can see that there is no distinction for specific English. This brings into question the validity of criterion-based validity. The reliability of the IELTS test must also be looked at. A single examiner is responsible for rating the candidate, therefore, the inter-rater reliability has to be questioned due to interpretation but a single person of the test taker. The scoring is split between four categories (appendix 4) within these four categories there is no in-depth breakdown so scoring is at the discretion of the examiner. The effectiveness of the IELTS speaking test has some limitations. Overall it is a meaningful test which shows validity and reliability in some areas but there are areas in which both validity and reliability fall short as has been shown. The following suggestions could make the IELTS speaking test somewhat more valid and reliable provide more time for the candidate to talk freely in the first section. In this way we could elicit more authentic data from the candidate and be provided with a more in-depth analysis of the actual ability the candidate has. More tasks would elicit a better performance from the candidate discussion about a picture or tasks which represent different communicative processes. The grading scale should be open to more variables to provide a broader perspective and finally, more than one examiner would ensure a more reliable assessment. APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 Speaking sample task Part 1 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart1recording.ashx?la=en Part 1 Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidates identification. It then continues as an interview.] Lets talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Whats the most interesting part of your town/village? What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do? Would you say its a good place to live? (Why?) Lets move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in? How long have you lived there? What do you like about living there? What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in? Speaking sample task Part 1 transcript Part 1 Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidates identification. It then continues as an interview.] Transcript Examiner: Now, in this first part, Id like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK? Lets talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Candidate: Its quite a small village, about 20km from Zurich. And its very quiet. And we have only little two little shops because most of the people work in Zurich or are orientated to the city. Examiner: Whats the most interesting part of this place village? Candidate: On the top of a hill we have a little castle which is very old and quite well known in Switzerland. Examiner: What kind of jobs do people in the village do? Candidate: We have some farmers in the village as well as people who work in Zurich as bankers or journalists or there are also teachers and some doctors, some medicines. Examiner: Would you say its a good place to live? Candidate: Yes. Although it is very quiet, it is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ people are friendly and I would say it is a good place to live there, yes. Examiner: Lets move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in APPENDIX 2 Speaking sample task Part 2 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart2recording.ashx?la=en Part 2 Individual long turn Candidate Task Card Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should say: where you got it from how long you have had it what you use it for and explain why it is important to you. You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. You have one minute to think about what youre going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish. Rounding off questions Is it valuable in terms of money? Would it be easy to replace? Speaking sample task Part 2 transcript Part 2 Individual long turn Transcript Examiner: Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so dont worry if I stop you. Ill tell you when the time is up. Candidate: OK Examiner: Can you start speaking now, please? Candidate: Yes. One of the most important things I have is my piano because I like playing the piano. I got it from my parents to my twelve birthday, so I have it for about nine years, and the reason why it is so important for me is that I can go into another world when Im playing piano. I can forget whats around me and what I can forget my problems and this is sometimes quite good for a few minutes. Or I can play to relax or just, yes to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to relax and to think of something completely different. Examiner: Thank you. Would it be easy to replace this, this piano? Candidate: Yes, I think it wouldnt be that big problem but I like my piano as it is because I have it from my parents, its some kind unique for me. APPENDIX 3 Speaking sample task Part 3 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart3recording.ashx?la=en Part 3 Two-way discussion Lets consider first of all how peoples values have changed. What kind of things give status to people in your country? Have things changed since your parents time? Finally, lets talk about the role of advertising. Do you think advertising influences what people buy? Speaking sample task Part 3 transcript Part 3 Two-way discussion Transcript Examiner: Weve been talking about things we own. Id like to discuss with you one or two more general questions relating to this topic. First, lets consider values and the way they can change. In Switzerland, what kind of possessions do you think give status to people? Candidate: The first thing which comes in my mind is the car. Yes, because lots of people like to have posh cars or expensive cars to show their status, their place in the society. Examiner: Is that a new development? Candidate: No, I think it isnt. Examiner: People have thought like that for quite a long time? Candidate: Yes. Another thing is probably the clothing. It starts already when you are young. When the children go to school they want to have posh labels on their jumpers or good shoes. Examiner: What do you think of this way of thinking that I need to have a car or certain clothes to show my status? Candidate: Probably its sometimes a replacement for something you dont have, so if your wife has left you or your girlfriend, you just buy some new, I dont know, new watches or new clothes to make you satisfied again. Examiner: You dont think of it as a healthy way of thinking? Candidate: Its probably not honest to yourself. You can understand what I mean? Examiner: Yes. And do you think this will change? In the future, will cars and designer clothes be status symbols in the same way? Candidate: Im sure that clothes will be that the thing with the clothes will be the same. Im not so sure about the cars because cars cause lots of environmental problems and probably in some years, a few years, this will change because its not reasonable to drive a car anymore. Examiner: Can you tell me a little bit more about that? APPENDIX 4 IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Band Fluency and coherence Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy Pronunciation 9 speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction; any hesitation is content-related rather than to find words or grammar speaks coherently with fully appropriate cohesive features develops topics fully and appropriately uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision in all topics uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately uses a full range of structures naturally and appropriately produces consistently accurate structures apart from slips characteristic of native speaker speech uses a full range of pronunciation features with precision and subtlety sustains flexible use of features throughout is effortless to understand 8 speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self- correction; hesitation is usually content-related and only rarely to search for language develops topics coherently and appropriately uses a wide vocabulary resource readily and flexibly to convey precise meaning uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary skilfully, with occasional inaccuracies uses paraphrase effectively as required uses a wide range of structures flexibly produces a majority of error-free sentences with only very occasional inappropriacies or basic/non-systematic errors uses a wide range of pronunciation features sustains flexible use of features, with only occasional lapses is easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility 7 speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence may demonstrate language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition and/or self-correction uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of topics uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and shows some awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices uses paraphrase effectively uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist shows all the positive features of Band 6 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 8 6 is willing to speak at length, though may lose coherence at times due to occasional repetition, self-correction or hesitation uses a range of connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and make meaning clear in spite of inappropriacies generally paraphrases successfully uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility may make frequent mistakes with complex structures though these rarely cause comprehension problems uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control shows some effective use of features but this is not sustained can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times 5 usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self correction and/or slow speech to keep going may over-use certain connectives and discourse markers produces simple speech fluently, but more complex communication causes fluency problems manages to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility attempts to use paraphrase but with mixed success produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems shows all the positive features of Band 4 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 6 4 cannot respond without noticeable pauses and may speak slowly, with frequent repetition and self-correction links basic sentences but with repetitious use of simple connectives and some breakdowns in coherence is able to talk about familiar topics but can only convey basic meaning on unfamiliar topics and makes frequent errors in word choice rarely attempts paraphrase produces basic sentence forms and some correct simple sentences but subordinate structures are rare errors are frequent and may lead to misunderstanding uses a limited range of pronunciation features attempts to control features but lapses are frequent mispronunciations are frequent and cause some difficulty for the listener 3 speaks with long pauses has limited ability to link simple sentences gives only simple responses and is frequently unable to convey basic message uses simple vocabulary to convey personal information has insufficient vocabulary for less familiar topics attempts basic sentence forms but with limited success, or relies on apparently memorised utterances makes numerous errors except in memorised expressions shows some of the features of Band 2 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 4 2 pauses lengthily before most words little communication possible only produces isolated words or memorised utterances cannot produce basic sentence forms Speech is often unintelligble 1 no communication possible no rateable language 0 does not attend REFERENCES Hughes, A. (1991). Testing for language teachers. 1st ed. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press. Ieltsessentials.com. (2017). Speaking Practice Tests. [online] Available at: https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/prepare/freepracticetests/speakingpracticetests [Accessed 01 Mar. 2017]. Karim, S. and Haq, N. (2014). An Assessment of IELTS Speaking Test. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 3(3). Levine, J. and Spencer, M. (1996). Developing pedagogies in the multilingual classroom. 1st ed. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books. Takeielts.britishcouncil.org. (2017). IELTS teachers questions answered | Take IELTS. [online] Available at: http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/teach-ielts [Accessed 7 Feb. 2017]. TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC. (2017). Evaluating speaking the IELTS speaking test. [online] Available at: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/evaluating-speaking-ielts-speaking-test [Accessed 07 Mar. 2017].

Character in Lord of The Rings and Wheel of Time :: Lord of the Rings Essays

Character in Lord of The Rings and Wheel of Time  Ã‚   Conventionally characters in fantasy fiction develop very little, with almost none of the personal evolution one expects in literature. They tend to be stereotypical "goodies" and "baddies," the handsome, courageous heroes and the cruel, ugly forces of evil. They are the epitome of the force for which they fight. Over the past few decades very few fantasy fiction writers have escaped from this rut. The Lord of the Rings and the Wheel of Time are linked by the fact that none of their major characters remain static. There are also very few stereotypical characters present in each text. The ways in which character development is achieved and what causes it, will be explored in this essay. The characters that show the most development in the Lord of the Rings are undoubtedly the hobbits. From being "absurd, helpless hobbits" at the start those in the company are "Fearless hobbits with bright swords and grim faces" when they return to the Shire. While "there was a note in the voices of these [hobbits] that they [the bandits in the Shire] had not heard before. It chilled them with fear." Even Mr Butterbur, who sees them only twice, says "You have come back changed from your travels, and you look now like folk as can deal with troubles out of hand." Frodo's development begins when he is told the history of the ring by Gandalf. He had never before suspected that such evil could exist. How could he? In the Shire there is no real evil because of the Ranger's unceasing vigilance. Furthermore Bilbo's tales1 would have skimmed over bad times and concentrated on what the hobbits wanted to hear about, Big People, dragons and mountains of treasure. The stench of the dead and the terror that Smaug the dragon caused would not have been mentioned. In the Wheel of Time it is the three ta'veren that show the most change. They start out as simple village boys knowing almost nothing of the world beyond the two rivers. Perrin becomes a wolfriend, Mat commands the Band of the Red Hand (six-thousand men) and Rand is the Dragon Reborn, destined to fight the Last Battle against the Shadow. Rand's ability to channel is what changes him most. He "had been brought up to fear any man that could channel, fated to go mad and, before the Shadow-tainted male half of the Source killed him horribly, bring terror to everyone around him.

History Of Skateboarding :: essays research papers

Skateboarding has rich history of innovation and is full of intriguing stories. Many of these stories are documented in this book in great detail. However, this essay will provide you with an overview of the last nine decades. The first type of skateboards were actually more like scooters. These contraptions, which date back to the early 1900's featured roller skate wheels attached to a two by four. Often the wood had a milk crate nailed to it with handles sticking out for control. Over the next five decades kids changed the look of the scooter and took off the crate and started cruising on two by fours with steel wheels. Tens of thousands of rollerskates were dismantled and joyfully hammered on to planks of wood. In the 1950's modifications were made to the trucks (the device that hold the wheels) and kids started to maneuver more easily. Towards the late 1950's, surfing became increasingly popular and people began to tie surfing together with cruising on a board. By 1959, the first Roller Derby Skateboard was for sale. Clay wheels entered the picture and sidewalk surfing began to take root. By the time the 1960's roll around, skateboarding had gained an impressive following amongst the surf crowd. However, when Larry Stevenson, publisher of Surf Guide begins to promote skateboarding, things started to take off. Larry's company, Makaha designed the first professional boards in 1963 and a team was formed to promote the product. The first skateboard contest was held at the Pier Avenue Junior School in Hermosa, California in 1963. In 1964, surf legend Hobie Alter teamed up with the Vita Pakt juice company to create Hobie Skateboards. While most skaters took to the street or sidewalk, some brave souls decide to ride empty swimming pools. By 1965, international contests, movies (Skater Dater), a magazine (The Quarterly Skateboarder) and cross country trips by teams of skateboarders elevated the sport to enormous heights. Over fifty million boards were sold within a three year period and then all of a sudden skateboarding died in the fall of 1965. The first crash of skateboarding came about due to inferior product, too much inventory and a public upset by reckless riding. The manufacturers were so busy making product that little was done in the way of research and development. Although some companies developed better quality wheels, clay wheels were the cheapest to manufacturer. However, clay wheels did not grip the road well and skaters fell everywhere.

Julius Caesar Essay: Superstition in Julius Caesar :: Julius Caesar Essays

Julius Caesar: Superstition In the play of Julius Caesar, we see a brief picture of Roman life during the time of the First Triumvirate. In this snap shot, we see many unfortunate things. Shakespeare gives us the idea that many people try to circumvent what the future holds, such as unfortunate things, by being superstitious. Superstition seems to play a role in the basic daily life of most Roman citizens. The setting of the first scene is based upon superstition, the Feast of Lupercal. This feast is in honor of the god Pan, the queen of fertility. During this time, infertile females are supposed to be able to procreate, and fertile ones are supposed to be able to bear more. It is also a supposed time of sexual glorification and happiness. Other scenes depict how throughout Rome, roaming the streets are mysterious sooth-sayers, who are supposedly given the power to predict the future. Dictating what is to come through terse tidbits, these people may also be looked upon as superstitious. In the opening scene, one sooth-sayer, old in his years, warns Caesar to "Beware the Ides of March," an admonition of Caesar's impending death. Although sooth-sayers are looked upon by many as insane out of touch lower classmen, a good deal of them, obviously including the sayer Caesar encountered, are indeed right on the mark. Since they lack any formal office or shop, and they predict forthcomings wi thout fee, one can see quite easily why citizens would distrust their predictions. Superstition, in general elements such as the Feast of Lupercal, as well as on a personal level such as with the sooth-sayers, is an important factor in determining the events and the outcome of Julius Caesar, a significant force throughout the entire course of the play. As the play develops we see a few of signs of Caesar's tragic end. Aside from the sooth-sayer's warning, we also see another sign during Caesar's visit with the Augerers, the latter day "psychics". They find "No heart in the beast", which they interpret as advice to Caesar that he should remain at home. Ceasar brushes it off and thinks of it as a rebuke from the gods, meaning that he is a coward if he does not go out, and so he dismisses the wise advice as hearsay. However, the next morning, his wife Calphurnia wakes up frightened due to a horrible nightmare.

Case 12-05

MEMO: LabCo must determine if their accounting policy for the revenue treatment of its construction contracts is reasonable, if it is appropriate for LabCo to change its method of accounting for the Halibut contract from the percentage-of-completion method to the completed-contract method and how the change should be treated on the basis of the guidance provided within ASC 250, and how LabCo’s accounting policy and accounting for the Halibut contract may change under IFRS if adopted in the coming year.This memorandum will provide support for how the overall conclusion, based on the issues above, was reached. Facts Accounting Policy for Revenue Treatment LabCo is a large construction contracting firm, and negotiates all of its contracts with its customers on either a fixed-price or cost-plus basis. LabCo has developed an accounting policy for revenue recognition related to its customized construction contracts, as follows: â€Å"The Company performs under a variety of contract s, some of which provide for reimbursement of cost plus fees, and others that are fixed-price-type contracts.Revenues and fees on these contracts are primarily recognized on a contract-by-contract basis using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting, which is most often based on contract costs incurred to date compared with total estimated costs at completion (cost-to-cost method). † â€Å"The completed-contract method of accounting is used in instances in which reliably dependable estimates of the total costs to be incurred under a specific contract cannot be made. † Change in Method of Accounting for Revenue TreatmentLabCo has entered into a contract with Halibut to build a six-axis laser cutting machine. The contract entered into was for a fixed-price and requires detailed and involved performance specifications. Even though this was a unique arrangement that required a great deal of customer specification, LabCo believed that with its extensive experience p erforming under similar contracts, including previous contract with Halibut, the percentage-of-completion method of accounting for this contract was appropriate.After LabCo began experiencing significant difficulties in the design and manufacture of the six-axis laser cutting machine, (including design revisions, certain engineering costs needing to be outsourced, and the cost of steel used in the production of the frame of the machine rising unexpectedly) they determined that their estimate of the overall cost to complete the contract needed to be revised. LabCo expected that the overall project would incur total costs that would be in excess of the total fixed-fee contract price negotiated with Halibut.As a result, management updated its estimates used in percentage-of-completion accounting to reflect both the cost overruns incurred as well as the cost overruns expected to be incurred, and also recorded a provision for the entire loss on the contract in the period in which it beca me aware that the contract costs would exceed the total contract value. After six-months, LabCo delivered the six-axis laser cutting machine to Halibut. Yet, when final test were ran using the six-axis, the machine failed to perform up to Halibut’s specifications as defined in the contract.LabCo then had to redesign, fix, and remedy the various issues with the machine. Upon notification of these continued problems, LabCo’s CAO determined that total estimates of the contract costs to be incurred for the Halibut contract were no longer able to be reliably determined. Therefore, the use of the percentage-of-completion method of accounting was deemed no longer an appropriate method of revenue recognition for this particular contract.As a result, the determination was made that LabCo would switch to a completed-contract method of revenue recognition for the duration of its contract with Halibut. Analysis Percentage-of-Completion Method Based upon review of ASC 605-35-25-56, the use of the percentage-of-completion method depends on the ability to make reasonably dependable estimates, which, for purposes of this Subtopic, relates to estimates of the extent of progress toward completion, contract revenues, and contract costs.Furthermore, according to ASC 605-35-25-57, the percentage-of-completion method is considered preferable as an accounting policy in circumstances in which reasonably dependable estimates can be made and in which all the following conditions exist: a. Contracts executed by the parties normally include provisions that clearly specify the enforceable rights regarding goods or services to be provided and received by the parties, the consideration to be exchanged, and the manner and terms of settlement. . The buyer can be expected to satisfy all obligations under the contract. c. The contractor can be expected to perform all contractual obligations. ASC 605-35-25-61 states, an entity using the percentage-of-completion method as its basic accounting policy shall use the completed-contract method for a single contract or a group of contracts for which reasonably dependable estimates cannot be made or for which inherent hazards make estimates doubtful. Completed-Contract MethodBased on review of ASC 605-35-25-90, when lack of dependable estimates or inherent hazards cause forecasts to be doubtful, the completed-contract method is preferable. Inherent hazards relate to contract conditions or external factors that raise questions about contract estimates and about the ability of either the contractor or the customer to perform all obligations under the contract. Inherent hazards that may cause contract estimates to be doubtful usually differ from inherent business risks.Business entities engaged in contracting, like all business entities, are exposed to numerous business risks that vary from contract to contract. The reliability of the estimating process in contract accounting does not depend on the absence of such risks . Assessing business risks is a function of users of financial statements. According to ASC 630-35-25-97, Circumstances to be considered in determining when a project is substantially completed include, for example, delivery of the product, acceptance by the customer, departure from the site, and compliance with performance specifications.Changes to and from Percentage-of-Completion and Completed-Contract Methods Based on review of ASC 605-35-25-94, the completed-contract method is preferable in circumstances in which estimates cannot meet the criteria for reasonable dependability discussed in paragraph 605-35-25-57 or in which there are inherent hazards of the nature of those discussed in paragraphs 605-35-25-65 through 25-66.An entity using the percentage-of-completion method as its basic accounting policy shall depart from that policy and use the completed-contract method for a single contract or a group of contracts only in the circumstances described in paragraph 605-35-25-61. In addition, 605-35-25-95 states, an entity using the completed-contract method as its basic accounting policy shall depart from that policy for a single contract or a group of contracts not having the features described in paragraphs 605-35-25-92 through 25-93 and use the percentage-of-completion method on one of the bases described in paragraphs 605-35-25-60 through 25-61.Accounting Changes and Error Corrections According to ASC 980-250-55-3, if a regulated entity changes accounting methods and the change does not affect costs that are allowable for rate-making purposes, the regulated entity would apply the change in the same manner as would an unregulated entity. If a regulated entity changes accounting methods and the change affects allowable costs for rate-making purposes, the change generally would be implemented in the way that it is implemented for regulatory purposes.A change in the method of accounting for research and development costs, either from a policy of capitalizat ion and amortization to one of charging those costs to expense as incurred or vice versa, is an example of that type of change. Adopting IFRS Based on review of IAS 18 – Revenue, the recognition of revenue by reference to the stage of completion of a transaction is often referred to as the percentage-of-completion method.Under this method, revenue is recognized in the accounting periods in which the services are rendered. The recognition of revenue on this basis provides useful information on the extent of service activity and performance during a period. When the outcome of the transaction involving the rendering of services cannot be estimated reliably, revenue shall be recognized only to the extent of the expenses recognized that are recoverable. Conclusion Accounting Policy for Revenue TreatmentBased on the facts presented and the analysis performed, LabCo’s accounting policy for the revenue treatment of its construction contracts appears reasonable. On the other h and, while it makes sense to use the percentage-of-completion method for contracts that can be reasonably estimated, the completed-contract method of accounting appears to be the â€Å"preferred† method, due to the specific criteria that must be met in order to qualify for such reasonableness under the percentage-of-completion method of accounting. Change in Method of Accounting for Revenue TreatmentBased on the facts provided and the analysis performed, it is appropriate for LabCo to change is method of accounting for the Halibut contract from the percentage-of-completion method to the completed contract method. According to the guidance (stated above), â€Å"An entity using the percentage-of-completion method as its basic accounting policy shall depart from that policy and use the completed-contract method for a single contract or a group of contracts only in the circumstances described in paragraph 605-35-25-61. The Halibut contract adheres to this policy, and because the re were unexpected issues that caused for the contract to no longer be reasonably estimated, they are correct in their reasoning for changing to the completed-contract method. On the basis of the guidance provided within ASC 250, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections (provided above), this change should be treated in one of two ways: (1) If a regulated entity’s change in accounting methods does not affect rate-making costs, the change would be applied in the same manner as an unregulated entity. 2) If a regulated entity’s change in accounting methods does affect rate-making costs, the change would be implemented based on regulatory purposes. Adopting IFRS If LabCo decides to adopt IFRS in the upcoming year, there will be a slight change in the Company’s accounting policy, as well as their accounting for the Halibut contract. The use of the percentage-of-completion method when contracts can be reasonably estimated will remain consistent with IFRS.However, when ever these costs cannot be reasonably estimated, instead of using the completed-contract method, IFRS states that revenue shall be recognized â€Å"only to the extent of the expenses recognized that are recoverable. † Therefore, the accounting for the Halibut contract will change under IFRS in the same way. In this instance, rather than switching from percentage-of-completion to the completed-contract method, LabCo’s contract change would consist of altering the percentage-of-completion method in order to adapt to the recognition of revenue as stated by IFRS in the paragraph above.

The Golden Lily Chapter 10

THE SAN DIEGO TRIP continued to bother me, even though I knew I should let it go. As I often reminded myself, Adrian wasn't my concern, not like Jill and the others. Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about the terrible confrontation with him and Nathan – or Adrian's face afterwards. I felt even worse when a worried Eddie came to talk to me about Jill during breakfast on the following Monday. â€Å"Something's wrong with her,† he told me. Immediately, I looked up toward the cafeteria line, where Jill was waiting with her tray. There was a vacant look on her face, like she was barely aware of her surroundings. Even with no magical talent for auras, I could practically see the misery radiating off of her. â€Å"Micah's noticed it too,† Eddie added. â€Å"But we don't know anything that could be upsetting her this much. Is it because of Lia? Or is she being harassed again?† In that moment, I wasn't sure who I felt worse for: Adrian, Jill – or Eddie. There was practically as much pain in Eddie as there was in Jill. Oh, Eddie, I thought. Why do you keep doing this to yourself? He was clearly worried about her but wouldn't dare approach her or offer comfort. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with Jill. It's Adrian, and she's feeling it through the bond. He's going through a rough time.† I offered no more details on Adrian's situation. It wasn't my story to tell. Eddie's face darkened a little. â€Å"It's not fair that she has to endure his moods.† â€Å"I don't know,† I said. â€Å"Seems like it might be a fair trade for her being alive.† Adrian using spirit to bring Jill back from the dead was still a troubling matter for me. Every bit of Alchemist training I had said that kind of magic was wrong, far worse than any of the other magic I'd witnessed. One could even argue that what he'd managed was only a few steps away from the undead immortality of Strigoi. At the same time, whenever I saw Jill bright and alive, I was convinced that Adrian had done a good thing. I'd meant it when I said as much to him in San Diego. â€Å"I suppose,† said Eddie. â€Å"I wish there was a way she could block him out. Or at least a way to make him a little less moody.† I shook my head. â€Å"From what I've heard, Adrian was like that long before Jill was shadow-kissed.† Still, that conversation stuck with me, and I spent the day asking myself: what could I do to make Adrian happier? A new father obviously wasn't possible. I would have tried that on myself years ago if I could. Slushes were also out, partially because they only offered ten minutes of comfort and because I was still recovering from the last one. An idea finally came to me later on, but it wasn't one I could easily implement. In fact, I knew my superiors would say it was nothing I should even attempt – which is why I decided to do it in a way that wouldn't leave an e-mail or paper trail. I couldn't do it today, however, so I made a mental note to deal with it later. Besides, who could say? Maybe Adrian would shake off the effects of his fatherly encounter on his own. These hopes were actually reinforced when I saw Jill the next day at a school assembly. Assemblies like this were still a new concept to me, and we'd had exactly two since school started. One had been a welcoming gathering during our first week. The other had been a pep rally to cheer on the football team before Homecoming. Today's was called â€Å"Healthy Lifestyles.† I couldn't figure out what it was about or why it was important enough to interrupt my chemistry class. We were seated by grade in the school's gym, putting Jill and me in separate sections of the bleachers. Craning my neck to get a glimpse of her, I saw her sitting down near the front with Angeline and several friends she'd made through Micah. They'd welcomed her easily once they got to know her, which wasn't a surprise with how nice she was. Even Laurel, a girl who'd once tormented Jill, now gave her a friendly look. Angeline said something that made Jill laugh, and, overall, there was definitely an improvement in Jill's attitude. A very big improvement, judging from how much she was giggling. My spirits rose. Maybe Adrian really had bounced back. â€Å"Can someone tell me what this is about?† I asked. I had Eddie and Micah on one side of me, Trey on the other. â€Å"It's this group that comes to school and gives presentations about things like drugs and safe sex,† explained Micah. He was pretty active in student government, so I wasn't surprised he knew about today's agenda. â€Å"Those are kind of big topics,† I said. â€Å"Isn't this just supposed to be an hour? Doesn't seem like they can really provide thorough coverage of these issues.† â€Å"I think it's just supposed to be a quick overview,† said Trey. â€Å"Not like they're trying to do a seminar or anything.† â€Å"Well,† I declared. â€Å"They should.† â€Å"Did we miss anything?† Julia and Kristin pushed their way through others and squeezed themselves in between Trey and me. Trey didn't seem to mind. â€Å"We're trying to explain the point of this to Sydney,† Trey told them. â€Å"I thought the point was to get out of class,† said Julia. Kristin rolled her eyes. â€Å"This'll show you what you were missing by being homeschooled, Sydney.† Nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle that followed – mostly because never in my craziest dreams had I imagined weighty social issues would be addressed in musical numbers. The group performing for us called themselves Koolin' Around, and the inappropriate use of that K was nearly enough to make me walk out then and there. Before each song, they'd give a quick and totally vague info-blurb about the topic or – even worse – a skit. These little lectures always began with, â€Å"Hey, kids!† The first song was called â€Å"STDs Are Not for Me.† That was when I took out my math homework. â€Å"Come on,† Eddie told me, laughing. â€Å"It's not that bad. And people should know about this stuff.† â€Å"Exactly,† I said, not looking up from my homework. â€Å"In trying to be ‘hip' and ‘relatable,' they're trivializing issues that need to be taken more seriously.† The only time I tuned in again was when Koolin' Around had moved on to the evils of alcohol. One of the lyrics in their particularly atrocious song was, â€Å"Don't listen to what your friends say / Bourbon will totally ruin your day.† â€Å"Ugh. That's it,† I muttered. I sought out Jill again. She was watching with kind of a stunned disbelief, but just like earlier, there was none of that despair or melancholy. Some gut instinct told me why she'd had the mood change. Adrian hadn't snapped out of his gloom. Most likely he was drinking his way through it. Sometimes Jill would pick up some of the sillier side effects of intoxication – like the giggling I'd observed earlier – but eventually, alcohol actually numbed the spirit bond. The bright side of his indulgence was that it spared her some of his depression. The down side was that she could actually suffer the physical effects of a hangover later. Koolin' Around mercifully reached their last song, a big production number celebrating the joys of feeling good and living a healthy, happy lifestyle. They pulled up members of the student body to dance with them, earning a variety of reactions. Some students just stood there frozen and embarrassed, wearing expressions that said they were counting the seconds until this ended. Other students – particularly those who normally sought attention in class – made the biggest, most outlandish spectacle they could of themselves. â€Å"Sydney.† The warning note in Eddie's voice stopped me as I was about to return to my homework. That kind of concern could only be reserved for Jill, and I immediately looked at her again. Only, she wasn't the issue. Angeline was. One of the Koolin' Around members was trying to coax her out and even grabbed her hand. Angeline shook her head emphatically, but the guy seemed oblivious. Angeline might be okay around wild dances in the backwoods of West Virginia, but this was not a situation she was comfortable with. To be fair, what happened next wasn't entirely her fault. He really should have left her alone when she said no, but I guess he was too caught up in his feel-good mood. He actually managed to drag her to her feet, and that's when Angeline made her disapproval perfectly clear. She punched him. It was pretty impressive since the guy had almost a foot on her in height. I supposed that came from Eddie's training in how to take out taller Moroi. The guy staggered backward and fell, hitting the floor hard. There was a gasp from most of the students sitting nearby, though only one of the band members – a guitarist – noticed. The rest kept on singing and dancing. The guitarist hurried forward to her fallen colleague and must have threatened Angeline's personal space because Angeline punched her too. â€Å"Eddie, do something!† I said. He turned to me in astonishment. â€Å"Like what? I'd never make it there in time.† It was true. We were two thirds of the way up in the bleachers, surrounded by others. I could only watch helplessly as the rest of the spectacle unfolded. The band soon caught on that something was terribly wrong, and their music faltered, finally coming to silence. Meanwhile, a group of teachers had rushed the floor, trying to pry Angeline away from Koolin' Around's bass player. There was a frantic look in her eyes, like a trapped animal that had gone beyond reason and only wanted escape. The teachers finally managed to restrain her, but not before she'd thrown a speaker at the lead singer (she missed) and punched the school's shop teacher. Trey leaned forward, mouth gaping. â€Å"That's your cousin? Wow.† I didn't even bother responding. All I could think about was how in the world I was going to do damage control this time. Fighting was a serious offense in and of itself. I couldn't even imagine what attacking a motivational musical group would elicit. â€Å"She took out, like, three people twice her size!† Kristin exclaimed. â€Å"And I mean took out. Knocked them to the floor.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† I said dismally. â€Å"I'm right here. I saw it all.† â€Å"How was she even able to do that?† asked Julia. â€Å"I taught her some moves,† remarked Eddie in disbelief. Unsurprisingly, no one even bothered sending this to Mrs. Weathers. Angeline was referred directly to the principal and vice principal. After her display, maybe they felt there was safety in numbers. It may have been Mrs. Weathers's recommendation or simply the fact that our fictitious parents (and â€Å"cousin† Angeline's) were notoriously hard to get a hold of, but I was asked to accompany her when she met with the administration. My pre-briefing with Angeline was short and to the point. â€Å"You will act apologetic and contrite,† I told her as we sat outside the principal's office. â€Å"What's contrite mean?† â€Å"Apologetic.† â€Å"Then why didn't you just say – â€Å" â€Å"And,† I continued. â€Å"If pushed for reasons, you will say you were overwhelmed and panicked. You'll say you don't know what came over you.† â€Å"But I didn't – â€Å" â€Å"And you will not mention how stupid they were or say anything negative whatsoever.† â€Å"But they are – â€Å" â€Å"In fact, don't speak at all unless you're asked something directly. If you let me handle this, it'll be over fast.† Angeline apparently took that to heart because she crossed her arms and glared at me, refusing to say anything else. When we were ushered into the office, the principal and vice principal – Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding, respectively – were both sitting on the same side of one desk. They were side by side, presenting a united front that again made me think they feared for their lives. â€Å"Miss McCormick,† began Mrs. Welch. â€Å"I hope you know that what you did was completely out of line.† McCormick was Angeline's fake last name around here. â€Å"Violence and fighting of any kind are not tolerated at Amberwood,† said Mr. Redding. â€Å"We have high standards – standards meant to ensure the safety of everyone at this school – and expect our students to adhere to them. None of your other violations of school rules come close to what you did today.† â€Å"Even if we didn't have those other transgressions on file, there can be no question here,† said Mrs. Welch. â€Å"There is no place for you at Amberwood.† My stomach sank. Expulsion. Although the Keepers weren't entirely uneducated, her academic background had hardly been up to that of average high school students in the modern world. She was in a lot of remedial classes, and getting her into Amberwood at all had been quite a feat. Expulsion wasn't as bad as someone investigating how a petite girl like her could do so much damage, but it still wasn't an outcome I wanted. I could already imagine one of my superiors asking, why didn't you realize how volatile the school was making her? To which I would have to respond: because I've been too busy going on dates and helping vampires who aren't my concern. â€Å"Do you have anything to say for yourself before we notify your parents?† asked Mrs. Welch. They looked at Angeline expectantly. I braced myself for an irrational tirade. Instead, Angeline managed to produce some tears which, I had to admit, certainly looked contrite. â€Å"I†¦ I panicked,† she said. â€Å"I don't know what came over me. So much happened at once, and that guy was so scary, and I just freaked out. I felt threatened. I wanted everyone to get away from me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I was nearly convinced, probably because it was seeded with truth. Angeline had had a number of flustered moments at Amberwood, no matter her bravado. There were more people at the school than had been in her mountain community, and she'd been so overwhelmed in her first week that we'd had to take turns escorting her to class. I really should've been paying more attention to her. Mr. Redding looked a tiny bit sympathetic – but not enough to change his mind. â€Å"I'm sure that must have been hard, but it was hardly reason for you to act in that way. Injuring three people and damaging expensive audio visual equipment were in no way appropriate responses.† Understatement. I was tired of the formalities and needed to fix things before they escalated further. I leaned forward in my chair. â€Å"You know what else isn't appropriate? A thirty-year-old guy – because that's how old he was, no matter how young and cool they were trying to be – grabbing a fifteen-year-old girl. It was bad enough that he did so when she clearly didn't want to go with him. The point is he never should have touched her in the first place. She's a minor. If a teacher did that, he'd be fired. I've read the book teachers are given from your HR department.† It had been an attempt to see if Ms. Terwilliger was abusing me. â€Å"Medical emergencies and breaking up a fight are the only times teachers can lay hands on students. Now, you might argue that that guy wasn't a teacher or employed by the school, but his group was invited here by the school – which is obligated to keep its students safe. You're a private school, but I'm certain the California Department of Education would have a few things to say about what happened here today – as will Angeline's father, who's a lawyer.† He was actually the leader of a bunch of mountain vampires and had multiple wives, but that was beside the point. I looked back and forth between Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding's faces. â€Å"Now then. Shall we renegotiate your position?† Angeline was in awe after we left the office and went back to our dorm. â€Å"Suspension,† she exclaimed, a bit too much joy in her voice for my liking. â€Å"I really just get to skip class? That sounds more like a reward.† â€Å"You still have to keep up with your homework,† I warned. â€Å"And you can't leave the dorm. Don't even think about sneaking out because that will get you expelled, and I won't be able to save you again.† â€Å"Still,† she said, practically skipping, â€Å"this was all pretty easy.† I came to a halt in front of her, forcing her to face me. â€Å"It was not easy. You got off on a technicality. You've continually resisted efforts to follow the rules around here, and today – well, that was off the charts. You aren't back home. The only time you should even think about fighting here is if Jill is attacked. That's why you're here. Not to do whatever you want. You said you were up to the challenge of protecting her. If you get expelled – and it's a miracle you weren't – she's at risk. So get in line or start packing for home. And for God's sake, leave Eddie alone.† Her face had been kindling with anger as I spoke, but that last bit caught her off guard. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"I mean, you constantly throwing yourself at him.† She sniffed. â€Å"That's how you show a guy you like him.† â€Å"Maybe among the uncivilized! Here you need to back off and start acting like a responsible human being – er, dhampir. Whatever. You're making him miserable! Besides, you're supposed to be cousins. You're screwing up our cover.† Angeline's jaw dropped. â€Å"I†¦ I'm making him miserable?† I almost felt bad for her. The look of shock on her face was so great that it was obvious she really hadn't known what she was doing to Eddie was wrong. I was too worked up to feel much sympathy right then, though. Jill had acted out when we'd first arrived, and that had been just as frustrating. I'd come to enjoy our peace, and now Angeline was threatening all of that. Unlike Jill, she didn't seem to realize it, and I didn't know if that made things better or worse. I left an upset and frustrated Angeline off at her dorm room and also verified with Jill that Adrian had indeed been drinking. That and my agitation were more than enough to make me want to leave campus, if only for the escape. Brayden had asked earlier if I wanted to go out, but I wasn't up to that. I sent a quick text: Can't go out tonight. Family stuff. Then I headed off to Clarence's. I'd called ahead to make sure Dimitri and Sonya were there since I had no interest in having a one-on-one visit with the ancient Moroi. He wasn't around when I arrived. I found Dimitri and Sonya huddled over some cards with blots of dried blood, speculating on how to proceed. â€Å"It'd be interesting to get Strigoi blood and see if anything happened when I applied spirit,† she was saying. â€Å"Do you think you could manage that?† â€Å"Gladly,† said Dimitri. They noticed me. As soon as she looked up, Sonya asked, â€Å"What's wrong?† I didn't even bother asking how she knew. My face probably said more than my aura did. â€Å"Angeline got into a brawl with a motivational group at school.† Dimitri and Sonya exchanged looks. â€Å"Maybe we should go get some dinner,† he said. He grabbed a set of keys from the table. â€Å"Let's go downtown.† I never would've imagined that I'd look forward to going out with a Moroi and a dhampir. It was yet another sign of how far I'd advanced – or regressed, by Alchemist standards. Compared to most of the other people in my life, Dimitri and Sonya were grounded and stable. It was refreshing. I gave them a rundown of Angeline's behavior, as well as my thinly veiled legal threat. That part seemed to amuse Sonya. â€Å"Smart,† she said, twirling spaghetti on a fork. â€Å"Maybe you should be in law school instead of the Alchemists.† Dimitri found it less funny. â€Å"Angeline came here to do a job. She wanted out of the Keepers and swore she'd devote every waking minute to protecting Jill.† â€Å"There has been a bit of a culture shock,† I admitted, unsure as to why I was defending Angeline. â€Å"And those guys today†¦ I mean, if they'd tried to get me to join their sing-along, I probably would've punched them too.† â€Å"Unacceptable,† said Dimitri. He used to be a combat instructor, and I could understand why. â€Å"She's here on a mission. What she did was reckless and irresponsible.† Sonya gave him a sly smile. â€Å"And here I thought you had a soft spot for reckless young girls.† â€Å"Rose never would have done anything like that,† he countered. He paused to reconsider, and I could've sworn there was the hint of a smile there. â€Å"Well, at least not in such a public setting.† Once the Angeline topic was put to rest, I brought up the reason I'd come here. â€Å"So†¦ no experiments today?† Even Sonya's good nature faltered. â€Å"Ah. No, not exactly. We've gone over some notes on our own, but Adrian hasn't been†¦ he hasn't been quite up to the research this week. Or up to going to class.† Dimitri nodded. â€Å"I was over there earlier. He could barely answer the door. No idea what he'd been drinking, but whatever it was, he'd had a lot.† Considering their rocky relationship, I would've expected disdain in discussing Adrian's vices. Instead, Dimitri sounded disappointed, as though he'd expected better. â€Å"That's what I wanted to talk to you about,† I said. I'd eaten little of my dinner and was nervously tearing a roll into pieces. â€Å"Adrian's current mood isn't entirely his fault. I mean, it is, but I can kind of understand it. You know we saw his dad this weekend, right? Well†¦ it didn't go well.† There was a knowing glint in Dimitri's dark eyes. â€Å"I'm not surprised. Nathan Ivashkov isn't the easiest man to get along with.† â€Å"He sort of tore down everything Adrian's been trying to do. I tried to make a case for Adrian, but Mr. Ivashkov wouldn't listen. That's why I was wondering if you guys could help.† Sonya couldn't hide her surprise. â€Å"I'd gladly help Adrian, but something tells me Nathan's not going to really put much stock in what we have to say.† â€Å"That's not what I was thinking.† I gave up on the bread and dropped all the pieces to my plate. â€Å"You guys are both close to the queen. Maybe you could get her to tell Adrian's dad how†¦ I don't know. What an asset he's been. How much he's been helping. Obviously, she couldn't explain exactly what he's doing, but anything might help. Mr. Ivashkov won't listen to Adrian or anyone else, but he'd have to take a commendation from the queen seriously. If she'd do it.† Dimitri looked thoughtful. â€Å"Oh, she'd do it. She's always had a soft spot for him. Everyone seems to.† â€Å"No,† I said stubbornly. â€Å"Not everyone. There's a split. Half condemn him and write him off as useless like his dad. The other half just shrug and indulge him and say, ‘Well, that's Adrian.'† Sonya studied me carefully, a trace of that amusement returning. â€Å"And you?† â€Å"I don't think he should be babied or disregarded. If you expect him to do great things, he will.† Sonya said nothing right away, and I shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. I didn't like when she looked at me like this. It was about more than auras. It was like she could see into my heart and soul. â€Å"I'll speak to Lissa,† she said at last. â€Å"And I'm sure Dimitri will too. In the meantime, let's hope that if we follow your advice and expect Adrian to sober up soon, he will.† We had just paid the check when Dimitri's cell phone rang. â€Å"Hello?† he answered. And like that, his face transformed. That fierceness I so associated with him softened, and he practically glowed. â€Å"No, no. It's always a good time for you to call, Roza.† Whatever the response on the other end was, it made him smile. â€Å"Rose,† said Sonya to me. She stood up. â€Å"Let's give them a little privacy. You want to take a walk?† â€Å"Sure,† I said, rising as well. Outside, dusk was falling. â€Å"There's a costume store a few blocks away I actually want to check – if they're still open.† Sonya glanced at Dimitri. â€Å"Meet us there?† she whispered. He gave a quick nod. Once we were outside in the warm evening air, she laughed. â€Å"Ah, those two. In a fight, they're lethal. Around each other, they melt.† â€Å"Is that how you and Mikhail are?† I asked, thinking there wasn't much melting with Brayden and me, no matter how much I enjoyed spending time with him. She laughed again and glanced up at the sky, painted in shades of orange and blue. â€Å"Not exactly. Every relationship is different. Everyone loves differently.† There was a long pause as she chose her next words. â€Å"That was a nice thing you chose to do for Adrian.† â€Å"There was no choice to be made,† I countered. We crossed onto a busier street, full of brightly lit stores with water misters outside that were meant to cool off hot shoppers. I winced at what that mist was doing to my hair. â€Å"I had to help. He didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I can't imagine how Adrian's put up with that his whole life. And would you believe that what worried Adrian the most was that I would think less of him?† â€Å"Actually,† said Sonya softly, â€Å"I can very much believe that.† The costume store was still open, thanks to extended Halloween hours, but only for ten more minutes. Sonya wandered around the aisles with no real goal, but I headed immediately for the historical section. They had exactly one Greek-style dress left, a plain white gown with a gold plastic belt. I knelt down to take a better look. Opening the package, I felt the fabric. It was cheap, probably flammable. The dress was also an XL, and I wondered if Jill had learned enough in sewing club to take it in for me. With less than a week until the dance, my options were limited. â€Å"Really?† a voice beside me said. â€Å"Haven't you insulted me enough without resorting to this trash?† Standing above me was Lia DiStefano. Her curly hair was bound up with a bright red scarf, and a voluminous peasant blouse made her petite body look like it had wings. She peered down at me disapprovingly with kohl-lined eyes. â€Å"Are you following me?† I asked, getting to my feet. â€Å"Every time I'm downtown, here you are.† â€Å"If I were following you, I never would have let you set foot in here in the first place.† She pointed at the costume. â€Å"What is that?† â€Å"My outfit for Halloween,† I said. â€Å"I'm going Greek.† â€Å"It's not even the right size.† â€Å"I'll get it taken in.† She tsked. â€Å"I'm so appalled, I don't even know where to start. You want a Greek dress? I'll make you one. A good one. Not this monstrosity. My God. People know you know me. If you were seen in that, it'd ruin my career.† â€Å"Yeah, because what I wear to a high school dance will really make or break you.† â€Å"When's your dance?† she asked. â€Å"Saturday.† â€Å"Easy,† she declared. She gave me a once-over and nodded in satisfaction. â€Å"Easy measurements too. Is your sister dressing just as badly?† â€Å"Not sure,† I admitted. â€Å"She talked about making a fairy dress in sewing club. A blue one, I think.† Lia blanched. â€Å"Even worse. I'll make her a dress too. I've already got her measurements.† I sighed. â€Å"Lia, I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work. Jill absolutely cannot model for you again. It doesn't matter how much bribery you try.† Lia attempted an innocent look that was in no way convincing. â€Å"Who said anything about bribery? I'm doing this out of charity. It'd be a disgrace to let you two go out in anything less than the best.† â€Å"Lia – â€Å" â€Å"Do not buy that,† she warned, pointing at the costume. â€Å"It's a waste. You might as well set your money on fire – although, it probably wouldn't light as fast as that dress. I'll let you know when your costumes are ready.† With that, she turned on her high wooden heels and walked away, leaving me staring. â€Å"Did you get a costume?† Sonya asked me later, once the closing store forced us to leave. â€Å"Weirdly, yes,† I said. â€Å"But not from there.† Dimitri apparently wasn't done with his call, since he hadn't joined us yet. We strolled leisurely back toward the restaurant, wanting to give him more time with Rose. Other stores were closing, and the tourists were beginning to thin out. I explained the meeting with Lia. Sonya found it more amusing than I did. â€Å"Well, don't knock it,† she said. â€Å"If a designer wants to make you something, you're not obligated to give her anything else. Maybe she could help me out with bridesmaid dresses.† We crossed a less busy street and cut through a narrow alley with a brick building on one side and a tree-filled church lawn on the other. I'd admired the church on our way over, but now, in only a short time, evening had filled it with shadows and given it a foreboding look and feel. I was glad I wasn't walking through here alone. It felt strange to be reassured by a vampire's presence. â€Å"Lia does make amazing things,† I admitted. â€Å"But I don't know if we should encourage her.† â€Å"Fair enough,† said Sonya. â€Å"Maybe one of these days, you'll help me look for dresses. You've got a really good sense of – â€Å" She suddenly spun around toward the darkened churchyard. There was a look of fear on her face, but I saw nothing alarming – at first. Seconds later, four figures in black jumped out from behind the trees. One of them threw me against the brick wall while the other three pinned Sonya to the ground. I pushed back against my captor, but a muscled arm held me tightly. In the faint light, I saw a glimmer of something I never expected to see on the streets of Palm Springs: a sword. The dark figure poised it over Sonya's neck. â€Å"Time to go back to Hell,† he said.