Black Boy1 :: Essays Papers

Black Boy1 Frederick Douglass and Richard Wright wrote memoirs recounting their experiences with racism. Though their writing styles are completely different from one another, the subjects they discuss are similar. After reading each piece they have both made me empathize with their feelings, however different their lives are from mine. Their memoirs, My Bondage My Freedom and Black Boy, provide insightful images of the racist and cruel treatment these writers experienced. Despite all of their stylistic differences, after both excerpts I understand the passion they felt for the hatred they endured. The variation of the writers’ use of quotation marks provides insight to the degree of formality that Wright and Douglass express. Wright uses quotations frequently and exclusively in dialogue. Included within the quotes are the unjust requests, unfair news, and degrading remarks that infuriated him. â€Å"‘Hello, Ned. What’s new?’ I asked. ‘You’ve heard, haven’t you?’ he asked. ‘About what?’ ‘My brother, Bob?’ ‘No, what happened?’ Ned began to weep softly. ‘They killed him,’ he managed to say. ‘The white folks?’ I asked in a whisper, guessing. He sobbed his answer. Bob was dead; I had met him only a few times, but I felt that I had known him through his brother (p. 382).† I feel as though I can hear the words just as he did. Richard Wright’s use of quotations is effective in creating an informal tone and expressing his feelings of powerlessness. It is a very effective tool for an empathetic reaction from the reader. Douglass’ use of quotation marks is quite opposite from Wright’s. Screaming and song are only in quotes to place emphasis on the importance of the information he includes. â€Å"Let my mammy go†-â€Å"let my mammy go†, a child screams (p. 143). His economical use of quotes makes each outburst extremely powerful and passionate. This shout of terror makes it easy to feel the urgency Douglass felt. Their use of â€Å"I† also attributes to the greater understanding of their cruel experiences. Frederick Douglass rarely refers to himself with â€Å"I†. He does, however, mention incidents that had a direct effect on him. â€Å"Although my old master- Capt. Anthony- gave me at first, (as the reader will have already seen,) very little attention, and although that little was remarkably mild and gentle description, a few months only were sufficient to convince me that mildness and gentleness were not the prevailing or governing traits of his character (p.

Stem Cell Research: Scientific Advancement vs. Human Rights Essay

Introduction to Stem Cells As improvements in scientific technology and techniques allow for better observations and insights into the natural world, so to do advancements in medical research occur on a seemingly daily basis. On such research topic that has found itself the center of a global debate is the issue of stem cell research. Hailed by some as one of the most dynamic areas of research ever to exist, it is thought to be the next big â€Å"revolution† in medicine, surpassing even the advent of anesthesia and antibiotics (Towns, 2004). Though the reputation does not come without controversy, stem cell research can be found in the headlines of news publications for changes in policy or position on the topic equally as much as breakthroughs in research. With the recent death of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy’s pledge to find a cure for the debilitating Alzheimer’s disease from which he suffered, stem cell research became a leading domestic issue in the President race of 2004. Defined as â€Å"unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods through cell division† and â€Å"under certain physiological or experimental conditions. . . can be induced to become cells with special functions,† stem cells hold the key to many developmental mysteries for biologist (National, 2002). Originally described by Owen in 1945 when studying chimerism in a pair of twin cows (Cogle, 2003), stems cell research has gained momentum since the mid 1970’s culminating with the first successful culturing of human embryonic stem cells in November 1998 at the University of Wisconsin. Scientists currently working with both animal and human stem cells are currently working at identifying the factors behind stem cells’ ability to remain u... ...Reproductive BioMedicine Online. Jun2003, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p438. Theodosius. â€Å"Embryonic stem cell research in the perspective of Orthodox Christianity.† Orthodox Church in America. (Website). Last Updated 10/17/2001. http://www.oca.org/pages/ocaadmin/documents/Pastoral-Letters/2001-Stem-Cell-Research.html Towns, C. R.; Jones, D. G. â€Å"Stem cells, embryos, and the environment: a context for both science and ethics.† Journal of Medical Ethics. Aug2004, Vol. 30 Issue 4, p410-13. University of Wisconson. â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cells: Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.† (Website). http://www.news.wisc.edu/packages/stemcells/. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Can Adult Stem Cells Suffice?† Science. 06/08/2001 , Vol. 292 Issue 5523, p1820-22. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Regulations Constrain Stem Cell Research Across the Globe.† Science. 8/9/2002 , Vol. 297 Issue 5583, p924 Stem Cell Research: Scientific Advancement vs. Human Rights Essay Introduction to Stem Cells As improvements in scientific technology and techniques allow for better observations and insights into the natural world, so to do advancements in medical research occur on a seemingly daily basis. On such research topic that has found itself the center of a global debate is the issue of stem cell research. Hailed by some as one of the most dynamic areas of research ever to exist, it is thought to be the next big â€Å"revolution† in medicine, surpassing even the advent of anesthesia and antibiotics (Towns, 2004). Though the reputation does not come without controversy, stem cell research can be found in the headlines of news publications for changes in policy or position on the topic equally as much as breakthroughs in research. With the recent death of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy’s pledge to find a cure for the debilitating Alzheimer’s disease from which he suffered, stem cell research became a leading domestic issue in the President race of 2004. Defined as â€Å"unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods through cell division† and â€Å"under certain physiological or experimental conditions. . . can be induced to become cells with special functions,† stem cells hold the key to many developmental mysteries for biologist (National, 2002). Originally described by Owen in 1945 when studying chimerism in a pair of twin cows (Cogle, 2003), stems cell research has gained momentum since the mid 1970’s culminating with the first successful culturing of human embryonic stem cells in November 1998 at the University of Wisconsin. Scientists currently working with both animal and human stem cells are currently working at identifying the factors behind stem cells’ ability to remain u... ...Reproductive BioMedicine Online. Jun2003, Vol. 6 Issue 4, p438. Theodosius. â€Å"Embryonic stem cell research in the perspective of Orthodox Christianity.† Orthodox Church in America. (Website). Last Updated 10/17/2001. http://www.oca.org/pages/ocaadmin/documents/Pastoral-Letters/2001-Stem-Cell-Research.html Towns, C. R.; Jones, D. G. â€Å"Stem cells, embryos, and the environment: a context for both science and ethics.† Journal of Medical Ethics. Aug2004, Vol. 30 Issue 4, p410-13. University of Wisconson. â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cells: Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.† (Website). http://www.news.wisc.edu/packages/stemcells/. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Can Adult Stem Cells Suffice?† Science. 06/08/2001 , Vol. 292 Issue 5523, p1820-22. Vogel, Gretchen. â€Å"Regulations Constrain Stem Cell Research Across the Globe.† Science. 8/9/2002 , Vol. 297 Issue 5583, p924

Lord Of The Flies: Chapter 8 Notes :: essays research papers

1. The conch being inexpertly blown and the fact that Piggy has only one lens shows that society has begun to function poorly. The reason for this decline in society is Jack. Jack broke Piggy's lens, and now Jack who has power, represented by the conch, does not know how to blow it properly. This tells us that Jack is an inept leader who misuses power and destroys knowledge. To become an expert at something, such as blowing a conch or leading a society takes time, so this is also significant because it shows that Jack has just recently come to power. Because the conch and Piggy's glasses are crippled, knowledge and power are crippled, but not yet fully eliminated.2. When Simon says, " I think we ought to climb the mountain.", he means that society should conquer its fears and reclaim the island. When the boys first founded society, one of the first things that they did was to climb the mountain and attain knowledge of the island. It is important to note that knowledge was a priority for this early society. Climbing the mountain was also a task undertaken with great enthusiasm and the offering of hope for what their society could be. This was the peak of their civilization. Ever since then their society has been "declining" or going "downhill", so the mountain represents the "peak" or "height" of their civilization. As the boys' civilization fell apart, it became primitive and controlled increasingly by evil elements (Jack). Because of this the boys began to fear a beast. The beast was a symbol of this demise and an obstacle to the return of glory. I say that the beast is an obstacle because they now fear climbing the mountain, a mountain that symbolizes the peak of society. When Simon says that they should climb the mountain, he is also saying that the boys should abandon their primitive fears and return to previous glory.3. The new fire is symbolic because it is Piggy's attempt to rebuild society. Piggy believes that without Jack (evil), he himself (knowledge and civility) can prosper. The first step that Piggy decides to take is the construction of a new fire. The fire represents the domination and manipulation of nature and therefore the return to civility. It is important to note that the fire is in a new location. The new fire represents a new society engineered by Piggy and founded upon knowledge. Lord Of The Flies: Chapter 8 Notes :: essays research papers 1. The conch being inexpertly blown and the fact that Piggy has only one lens shows that society has begun to function poorly. The reason for this decline in society is Jack. Jack broke Piggy's lens, and now Jack who has power, represented by the conch, does not know how to blow it properly. This tells us that Jack is an inept leader who misuses power and destroys knowledge. To become an expert at something, such as blowing a conch or leading a society takes time, so this is also significant because it shows that Jack has just recently come to power. Because the conch and Piggy's glasses are crippled, knowledge and power are crippled, but not yet fully eliminated.2. When Simon says, " I think we ought to climb the mountain.", he means that society should conquer its fears and reclaim the island. When the boys first founded society, one of the first things that they did was to climb the mountain and attain knowledge of the island. It is important to note that knowledge was a priority for this early society. Climbing the mountain was also a task undertaken with great enthusiasm and the offering of hope for what their society could be. This was the peak of their civilization. Ever since then their society has been "declining" or going "downhill", so the mountain represents the "peak" or "height" of their civilization. As the boys' civilization fell apart, it became primitive and controlled increasingly by evil elements (Jack). Because of this the boys began to fear a beast. The beast was a symbol of this demise and an obstacle to the return of glory. I say that the beast is an obstacle because they now fear climbing the mountain, a mountain that symbolizes the peak of society. When Simon says that they should climb the mountain, he is also saying that the boys should abandon their primitive fears and return to previous glory.3. The new fire is symbolic because it is Piggy's attempt to rebuild society. Piggy believes that without Jack (evil), he himself (knowledge and civility) can prosper. The first step that Piggy decides to take is the construction of a new fire. The fire represents the domination and manipulation of nature and therefore the return to civility. It is important to note that the fire is in a new location. The new fire represents a new society engineered by Piggy and founded upon knowledge.

African Traditional Education Essay

TRENDS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN THE WORLD, AFRICA AND PARTICULARLY IN KENYA Course description History of Early childhood and primary school education from the ancient Greco-Roman times to the present times. The Renaissance period in Europe; The Industrial period in Europe; The Education in Traditional African set up; The History of Early childhood in colonial time. Childhood and Primary School Education in Independent Kenya Early Childhood Education in Old Greece. Generally, education and schooling can be traced to about 500 BC in old Greece. Old Greece as the pioneer of civilization had many city states. But prominent amongst these were Athens and Sparta. History reveals that early training of the Spartan Child was not only done at home with the mother of the child as teacher, but infant education was a state concern. This is in the sense that at infancy, the child was carefully examined by local elders to see if his physical and psychological posture would suit the aim of this predominantly militaristic state. Where the child was found physically weak he was immediately got rid of. The implication is that among the Spartans, only healthy children were raised to become citizens. The Athenians may not have paid particular attention to early childhood education in the beginning, but history tells us that with the coming of Athenian Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, recognition was given to the need for early childhood education from birth till about age seven. This period, (birth to 7years) in their view should actually be devoted as the first stage of â€Å"proper† elementary schooling. Early Childhood Education in Old Roman Empire. The Old Roman Empire came into being shortly after the collapse of Old Greece. Having conquered Greece, the Romans adopted the Greek system of education. Before then, education for the Roman child was mostly a home affair. Right from birth, the father of the newborn child actually determined his survival. – The newborn child was laid at his father’s feet. If the father lifted him that meant that he acknowledged and accepted responsibility for him. But if the father turned away, the reverse was a death penalty for the child. This also meant that before the influence of the Greeks, the Romans never had a set standard on formal schooling for the young child. Their idea of preschool education was learning the father’s trade. The mother on the other hand took care of the child’s moral training. The influence of Greek education brought about a new experience in the Roman ideal for education. This new Graeco-Roman educational system introduced the Ludus or elementary education amongst other stages of learning. The Ludus was the first stage of learning which took care of preschool education all through to elementary school. Specifically the Ludus preschool curriculum content had Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, using the play method. Generally in the matter of early childhood education in the old Roman Empire, one cannot  underestimate the contributions of Quintilian. He was an education theorist of Roman parentage. He took cognisance of the child as a learner who needed the right type of education. Quintilian has so much concern for the child, and parental responsibility towards his normal and effective growth. He advocated early childhood education contrary to the Roman entry school age of seven years. His emphasis on early childhood education centres on the argument that the elements of learning solely depends on memory. This also exists in young children, especially in their formative years of between zero to seven years. Generally Quintilian’s contribution to early childhood educational theory and practice was quite significant to educational development in the old Roman Empire. Early Childhood Education in the Renaissance Period. AD 1300-1600 Unlike the Middle Ages, the Renaissance period witnessed the birth of new ideas and knowledge of ancient Greek learning. A historical analysis of this period reveals that there were some notable scholars who contributed immensely to educational world view. Such scholars include Vittorrino da Feltre (1378 – 1446), Desdirus Erasmus, (1446 – 1536), Juan Luis Vives (1495 – 1553). All of them worked on a theory of early childhood education. Vittorrino da Feltre developed his idea of early childhood education along the line of Quintilian. He named his school for preschoolers, â€Å"The House of Joy†. In Erasmus’ theory and Practice of education, he recommended that education should begin with the first stage or pre-school stage. His belief for such recommendation is that at this early stage of learning, the child’s mind can easily acquire the seeds of piety which will make him accustomed to the rudiments of good behaviour. He also suggested that at this young age, subjects would be better learnt through games and stories. Erasmus also stressed the need for mothers to participate fully in the early education of the child, while fathers taught moral and scriptural instructions. Generally Erasmus’ emphasis on infant education suggested the right training and method of Instruction. Also in the generation of Erasmus was Juan Luis Vives. His contribution to the development of early childhood education in this age centred on helping the child imbibe goodness and right knowledge beginning at infancy. He also recommended that teaching at the early childhood stage could firstly be done in the child’s mother-tongue. Above all, learning should come through play and practical activities. The industrial period in Europe The rapid expansion in the overall population of Europe during the Industrial Revolution was matched by increases in the proportion of people who lived in towns and cities, and in the proportion of the population who were children. This dramatic social, political and economic transformation served to reveal the utter inadequacy of England’s educational provision. A number of reports highlighted the deficiencies and called for more and better schools. To fill the gaps, and to provide for England’s newly-industrialised society various types of school began to be established to offer some basic education to the masses. One such school is the infant school Infant schools They admitted two to six year olds and cared for them while their parents were at work in the local cotton mills. The instruction of children under six was to consist of ‘whatever might be supposed useful that they could understand, and much attention was devoted to singing, dancing , and playing’. Infant schools were thus at first partly ‘minding schools’ for young children in industrial areas; but they also sought to promote the children’s physical well-being and to offer opportunities for their moral and social training and to provide some elementary instruction in the 3Rs,(reading, writing and ‘rithmetic) so that the children could make more rapid progress when they entered the monitorial school. This system of infant education left its mark for many years on the curriculum and buildings of elementary schools (for children above age six). The Education in Traditional African setup African indigenous education can generally be defined as the form of learning in Africa traditional societies in which knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the tribe, were passed from elders to children, by means of oral instructions and practical activities. In traditional African society, education was quite functional and aimed at training the child to acquire knowledge and skills and internalize the customs and norms of the people. The African child is born into a family or society where he looks up to his ancestors and elders for support. The younger children look up to the older siblings as characters to emulate. Thus the traditional family with their communal living provided an anchorage for the younger ones in all aspects of their training. In this society, the extended family system, no matter how distant, was seen as a member of the immediate home, and played a role in the upbringing of the child. But today, with modernisation and increasing economic problems, it is becoming difficult to look beyond the immediate family. Essentially at a very early age, once the child was weaned, he was taught to accept some moral responsibilities. The traditional agencies of socialisation include the family, kin-group, social group and age groups. Even though today these agencies are still crucial to the early education of the child, they are quite modified with lesser roles. In other words, the cohesiveness of traditional African society is today weakened with the emphasis on child individualism as advocated by Rousseau and other child-centred pragmatists. Basically though, the African child in the traditional setting just like the kindergarten school child in modern society was taught in the most practical way. He was made to learn from older people, especially from his mother. He learnt through initiation, recitation and demonstration. He participated in recreational exercises like dancing and singing, wrestling, drumming and other physical displays that suited his age. He was also taught elementary practical skills. Finally, he imbibed intellectual training from story – telling, stories from local history of his people, poetry, proverbs and riddles. The learning experiences were made orally and the knowledge was stored in the heads of elders. The instructors were carefully selected from the family or clan. Their task was to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes to the young, informally at the didactic and practical levels. at the didactic level the teaching process took the form of the stories, legends, riddles, and songs; while at the practical level individuals enacted what they had learnt didactically, by imitating and watching what their elders performed. The child was also taught through play, the names of plants, animals, birds and the local geography of his area. DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN KENYA During colonial time The first recorded school for young children in Kenya was founded at Rabai (a coastal province) in 1886 by the Church Missionary Societies. The first early care centers can be traced to the 1940s, when British colonists established centers to serve both European and Asian children. During the same period, the colonial government established early childhood care centers for Kenyan children living on the tea, coffee, and sugar plantations. These centers were set up in response to Mau Mau uprisings and struggles for independence. The centers were nonacademic child care settings and only provided custodial care, a situation that persisted until the early 1970s Kenya’s system of early childhood care and education reflected a separate and stratified society, with Europeans receiving educational resources superior to that received by people from Asian and Arab cultures; Africans came last. The colonial government argued that the different races needed the kind of education that was deemed â€Å"appropriate† for their respective positions in colonial life. According to Rodney (1981), this colonial schooling approach was akin to â€Å"education for underdevelopment. † In 1954, UNICEF started supporting early childhood development and education in Kenya. Its focus was support for the health of mother and child. In later years, UNICEF expanded beyond the goals of child survival to include development and education. Post independence Kenya President Jomo Kenyatta’s call for a national philosophy of Harambee, which means â€Å"Let’s pull together. † saw mobilization of communal labor groups in order to achieve certain education and socioeconomic goals. Early care and education of children was considered to be a community concern necessitating collaboration. Communities raised money to purchase land and other materials to build schools. The labor was provided free of charge by community members. The parents and especially the mothers organized themselves into groups to build and manage the centres. The centres were small, simple in structure and catered for children from the village. Some of them were maintained within regular school buildingswhile others were placed in individual homes, makeshift sheds, or even outdoors, under trees. One of the mothers was chosen as the â€Å"teacher† and children were brought to the centre while the other mothers went to work. The activities were mainly games, songs and dances and a few ABC related activities. By 1970, the increasing participation of Kenyan women in the labor force, the growing number of female-headed households and changing family structures and child-rearing practices created new demands for external support. The community alone could no longer be the primary provider of nutrition, health care, and education for preschool children. Consequently, the government encouraged the formation of partnerships as a way to coordinate resources and share costs of early childhood care and education. The Ministry of Education became involved in overall administration, policy-making, provision of grants for training, and professional guidance of preschool education. Collaborative Partnerships In the 1970s, the government entered into partnerships with communities and other institutions engaged in the provision of preschool education in Kenya. These partnerships involved nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), parastatal bodies, religious organizations, the Bernard van Leer Foundation, The Aga Khan Foundation, and UNICEF In 1972, a 10-year Preschool Education Project was undertaken at the Kenya Institute of Education by the Ministry of Education and the Bernard van Leer Foundation. The main objective of the research project was to improve the quality of preschool education through three key areas: 1) development of training models for ECCE personnel; 2) development of a quality curriculum; and 3) development of support materials for use by children, teachers, and trainers. –In 1976 pre-school education was established in the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) to coordinate preschool programme. -October 1982 the Ministry of Basic Education and the Bernard Van Leer Foundation held a national seminar on preschool education in Malindi with the aim of reviewing the progress achieved during the preschool project’s first decade and making recommendations for the rapid development of preschool education in Kenya. Outcomes of the Malindi Seminar -(i) A preschool section was established in the Ministry of Education. (ii) Clear policies were formulated to guide preschool education in Kenya. (iii) In 1984, the Ministry of Education established the National Center for Early Childhood Education (NACECE), a national endeavor aimed at harmonizing the growth, evaluation, and oversight of early childhood education. (iv) In 1985 a network of sub-centers was established at the district level. These centers were called District Centers for Early Childhood Education (DICECE) Milestones of ECE in 1990s 1990 symposium in Mombasa -Kenyatta University and KIE funded by Bernard Van Leer foundation developed content components and regulations for the Bachelor of Education (ECE) . The prrogramme did not take off at this time . The centre for Early Childhood Education was established at Kenyatta University in 1995. –Increased funding by the government and the world bank of the early childhood development project. -In 1997 the Kenya government procured a credit from the world bank to support ECDE programmes in the centres. The project was implemented between 1997 and 2002. Its main objectives were to: (i) Increase access of ECDE services (ii) Improve child health and nutrition status (iii) Improve quality of personnel and reduce dropout and repetition rates at lower primary school –Alternative and complementary approaches launched by UNICEF. -The government through the sessional paper no. 1 of 2005 recommended the development of comprehensive ECDE policy framework and service standard guideline. The policy and the service standard guidelines were launched in 2007. ***************************************************************************** Access and participation in education at the ECDE level in Kenya are still low with a Net Enrolment rate (NER) of 42% in 2009 and 50% in 2010. This means that 58% and 50% 0f school age-going pupils were not in school in 2009 and2010 respectively. The lowest values in enrolment were observed in North Eastern province 5%. Low access levels in the country can be explained by the fact that ECDE was not compulsory in spite of being critical in laying the foundation for performance in the subsequent levels of education. Currently the following sponsors and agencies offer preschool education services in Kenya (i) Parents/committees/ local community : they are responsible for putting up buildings and furniture. (ii) church Organizations. Nursery schools are built on church compounds or use church buildings as classrooms during the week. Some churches employ teachers and some assist with a feeding programme. (iii) Firms, estates and corporations. Some have established preschools for their employees children. They also employ the teachers and provide the equipment. (iv) Voluntary organizations. (Lions Club, Red, Child Welfare Society). They have initiated the construction and running of preschools. (v) Women’s organizations such as Kanu Maendeleo ya Wanawake,YMCA,Women’s Guild which run some institutions for young children (vi) private communities/individuals (vii) Local government. Functions of NACECE * Training of personnel for ECE . * Development and dissemination of the curriculum for ECE programmes. * Identifying, designing, undertaking and coordinating research in ECE. * Offering services and facilitating interaction between agencies and sponsors. * Coordinating and liaising with external partners and also informing the public on the needs and developments of the ECE programme. The functions of the DICECE * Training of the pre-school teachers and other personnel at the district level. * Supervision and inspection of pre-school programme at district level. * Mobilization of local communities in the pre-school programme so as to improve the  care, health, nutrition and education of young children. * Development of pre-school curriculum. * Participation in the evaluation of pre-school programmes and carrying out basic research on the status of pre-school children in and out of school. Challenges facing Early Childhood Development Education Programmes in Kenya ?Mushrooming of ECDE centres. Many ECDE centres continue to be opened by communities And individuals sometimes without proper supervision and regulations. ?Low funding of ECDE programmes by the exchequer in comparison with other levels of education. ?Problems in Access: Household, communities, NGOs and other private providers primarily Provide ECDE, which makes the programme inaccessible to the majority of households due to the high cost of providing the services. ?Policy formulation: Inadequate clear policy to guide ECDE has led to un-coordinated service Provision between government organs, the NGOs, international agencies and the local communities. ?ECDE centers all over the country offer different services and this is made worse by competition for admission to good primary school and also the fact that many private centers are  commercially based and are competing for children. ?Education policy: Kenya has no clear national philosophy of education or a solid national Education policy. The two should be clearly defined and put in place to guide the development of education. ?Widespread poverty and poor economic growth hampering the quality of sustainable ECDE programmes. The government should increase learning facilities and also introduce feeding programmes. ?Lack of awareness: Many communities and parents lack awareness on the importance of ECDE for both girls and boys. The government should sensitize parents and communities on the  importance of ECDE. ? Lack of identification of children with special needs: . The government lacks an institutionalized system for early identification of children with special needs,specially gifted and talented children who cannot fit in the mainstream schools in ECDE centres. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed as the gifted and talented might end up dropping out of school. ?Inadequate Physical Facilities: Most ECDE programmes have inadequate physical facilities, equipments and materials inadequate ECDE materials owing to the fact that many publishers  decline to undertake publishing of ECDE materials as they lack quick and ready markets ? Lack of schemes of service for ECDE teachers: Low and irregular remuneration of pre-school Teachers thus adversely affecting the morale of pre-schoolteachers. To address this issue the government should develop and implement a scheme of service for ECDE teachers. . At the moment ECDE teachers are employed by community committees and their salaries depend on the local income of parents. ?Poor transition to primary school: Absence of a smooth transition from pre-school to primary. Schools result in high wastage in the form of elevated repetition and dropout rates at the primary education level, especially standard 1,2 and 3. A World Bank sponsored study by Nyamwanya and mwaura (1995)in its focus on transition between pre-school and primary school examined the teaching methods and learning of the two systems of education. The study observed that both teachers and parents of lower primary perceived child readiness from an academic perspective and this influenced the teaching methods and content used in pre-schools to prepare children for primary school. ?Inadequate qualified ECDE teachers Due to high rates of attrition as a result of the poor pay packages many pre-school teachers are untrained and so lack skills to enhance the holistic development and learning of children. ?Lack of supervision: This has also affected the quality of services. Quality Assurance Standard Officers (QUASO) is not adequately equipped to handle inspection and assessment of ECDE services, including issues relating to transition. ?Relevance to curricula: Relevance of ECDE refers to how appropriate a particular ECDE Programme addresses the development needs of pre-school children. Consequently, the area of curriculum in terms of teaching methods and content has raised attention from researchers’ in ECDE. Many pre-schools overemphasize the teaching 3 Rs. This is attributed to parental pressure and interviews for entry to standard one. Many ECDE teachers spend a lot of time preparing children for entry into primary school and cover the academic content of standard one. ?Rising number of orphans: HIV/AIDS pandemic is one of the greatest challenges to mankind. The Education sector is experiences lower Productivity due to absenteeism of ailing teachers. And students, also number of orphans has been in the increase resulting in low enrolment and increase in the dropout rates in ECDE centres. ?Medium of instruction: ECDE centres should use Kiswahili, or local language as the media of instruction, the government should institutionalize and put in place, mechanisms and strategies of making Kiswahili a medium of instruction. Books written in English should be translated to Kiswahili and other local languages. Teachers handling lower ECDE should be in serviced on the use of mother tongue as a medium for instruction. However children in the urban and slum areas learn different languages and hence young children do not learn their first languages adequately. ?Free Primary Education Universal Free Primary Education (FPE) in 2003 did not include ECDE services. Early Childhood Development services continue to be provided on a partnership basis between the parents, the local communities and the government. Free Primary Education affected the co- operation of ECDE parent sin the following ways: (a)Some parents refused to pay fees to ECDE centres (b)Parents refused to contribute toward the building of ECDE. (c)Some parents refused to take their children to ECDE centres hence wait for FPE (d)In some cases, the ECDE classes in public schools were taken by the FPE pupils leaving ECDE children out of class. (e)Some of the ECDE teacher’s lost their jobs while others were underpaid due to the non- payment of fees in the ECDE centres. (f)Many untrained teachers were employed to replace the trained teachers who were demanding more money/higher salaries. (f)The under age children were admitted in lower primary classes affecting enrolment in ECDE centres ? Culture: (a) female genital mutilation, early child marriage, gender bias. (b)Pastoralism ; affects ECDE in that Families might be far apart making the centre to be very far for some children to access. Children are also part of the society and are trained to look after animals at an early age so they also follow animals at the expense of schooling and as a result centres can only be established if there is a teacher who will be able to shift with the families. Early childhood Education There are different names for the various establishments that take care of preschool children * Daycare or play group: for children below the age of three. Working mothers use them as safe places to keep their children. * Creche : for children below three years. This establishment is usually located where the mother is working. * The kindergarten : normally refers to the school for children between three and six years. In Kenya they are found mainly in urban areas. They are privately run and costly. * Nursery schools : Usually for children between three and five years. A majority of these in Kenya are found in rural areas. They are managed by parents committees and some are assisted by local authorities. * Preschool units or reception classes: These are usually attached to and managed by primary schools. They serve children aged five and older who are preparing to enroll in the first primary grade at the same school. A majority of these are found in urban areas. The direct government in early childhood education started soon after independence in 1963. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health were charged with the responsibility of inspecting nursery schools and day care centres to ensure the health and the safety of children. –In 1966 in Kenya The German volunteers Services had assisted the department of community development and social services to train local  personnel to work inndaycare centres. –In 1968 there were 76 supervisors and 290 trained teachers. –Advisory committee on daycare centrwe programme was founded in 1968 under the ministry of housing and social services. This committee contributed to the formulation of the programme objectives and guidelines and made recommendations on instruction at the training and school levels. Tge committee became inactive in 1973. –In 1969 in a seminar to evaluate preschool education in Kenya , it was recommended that (i) There should be a national policy on pre-school education that would encourage self help efforts. (ii) Formulating a working committee to formulate the working principles of the programme and coordinate the efforts of all agencies concerned and to promote expansion of the proogramme by reviewing training programmes and conditions of services of personnel. (iii) The ministry of Cooperatives and Sociial Services was to function as the coordinator of nursery school activities. Central government was to provide nursery centre supervisors at provincial and district levels. –Establishment of major trainng centre to train personnel. There was one major training centre and several smaller units to train personnel at provincial levels. The government wass to contribute to and completely finance the highest category of district trainers and supervisors. The local committees and parent committee were to contribute by paying teaschers salaries and to subsidize their upkeep at the training centres. Theere was also a single certificate awarding body. –The government was to sponsor training. The candidates to be sponsored were to be 18 years old. They were to possess a minimum of certificate of primary education. The course was to be localized to allow the use of local languages. –Attainment of international standard, as pertains the nursery facilities; there were to be 25 children per teacher with the goal of achieving international standards of 15 children per teacher. –Establishment of parents committee. These were to give financial and moral support. They were also to seek advise of District planning committee before setting up nursery schools. 1970-1979 N. B 1969 recommendations served as a guiding principle for the future development of early childhood development in Kenya.

The Performing Arts and the Social Sciences

Music & Storytelling: When all of the slaves were freed in The Invisible Princess, there was â€Å"music and dancing and storytelling. † Visual Art: Faith Ringgold says that â€Å"art is about more than just technique and style. It's about ideas† ( Talking to Faith Ringgold, p. 23). She gets her ideas from events that are happening around her. (Refer to the painting on pp. 23-24. ) Creative Drama: Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech. The class can spin ideas from the book and research other African Americans who made a big impact on the freedom of their race.From here, the class can stage a production play. Language Arts: The Invisible Princess is an original fairy tale. The conflict in most fairy tales is good vs. evil. Fairy tales originated from dreams. Social Studies: The location of the terminals on the Underground Railroad are all across the United States. Tar Beach is set in Harlem during the Great Depression. Science â⠂¬â€ Cotton was grown on most of the large plantations in the South. The students can learn about the production of cotton and the other industries related to it. 2. Harry Sue by Sue Stauffacher, Illustrated by Sue Stauffacher. Yearling (April 10, 2007)Harry Sue is the moving, heartfelt, and sometimes funny story of a girl desperate for her mother’s love, and how compassion, resilience, and friendship can help a person survive just about any hardship that life can dish out. The Performing Arts and the Social Sciences Language Arts: Early on in the book, Harry Sue says, â€Å"Everybody has a back story, Fish. Garnett, Mary Bell, Homer, me. Remember that when you’re eyeballing a new con. The real story starts somewhere in the past. † (p. 23) This can be a good writing exercise for students; they will think about their â€Å"back stories† and create a narrative.Drama: There are parts of the story that are especially suited to a live performance, such as the standoff between Harry Sue and Granny in the basement, or one of the meals that Baba and Harry Sue share together in the art room. Students can learn their lines and to rehearse their scenes for a performance. Social Studies: Baba shares with Harry Sue his experiences and terrible personal loss as one of the â€Å"Lost Boys of Sudan. † The students can learn about the Sudanese civil war that resulted in thousands of refugees, and the story of how many of these boys were brought to the United States to start a new life.As a child of an incarcerated parent, Harry Sue is at greater risk of dropping out of school, abusing drugs and alcohol, experiencing mental illness, and committing crimes than children whose parents are not imprisoned. Students can research children of prisoners and and report on their findings. As an extension, the students can brainstorm what they can do as a class to help children of prisoners in their own community. Science: With a T-5 spinal cord injury, Homer Price is a quadriplegic. Unable to use his four limbs, he can only use the parts of his body above the neck: his head, mouth, and tongue.J-Cat introduces Homer to a device that allows him to draw using a light pen held in the mouth. With technology, Homer is again able to work out his inventions on paper. Students can research advances in spinal cord injury technology, and how severely disabled people like Homer are using these technologies to better their lives. Harry Sue finds solace in Mrs. Mead’s garden, and at the end of the story, she gardens with Moonie Pie and the other children at Baba and J-Cat’s day care center as a way of healing her heart and her brain. Students can research gardening or horticultural therapy and how it is used.In the spring, plant a Harry Sue flower garden with native flowers and plants that are as tough and resilient as Harry Sue. Art: J-Cat compares Homer’s situation to that of the great artist Henri Matisse toward the end of his life. When Matisse was no longer able to hold a paint brush, his assistants fastened a pencil to his hand so he could continue to draw. He also used large scissors to create the body of work known as cutouts. Students can explore the late work of Henri Matisse via the public library and the Internet. Students can then create their own cut paper collage inspired by the work of Matisse.BOOKS FOR GRADES 4-8 1. The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Yearling (December 1, 1985) In The Egypt Game, April Hall, an insecure and lonely 11-year-old, comes to live with her grandmother and surprises herself when she forms an immediate friendship with her neighbor Melanie Ross. April and Melanie, who share an unusual interest in ancient Egypt, use their intellect and vivid imaginations to develop an elaborate game of â€Å"Egypt. † Gradually, the game becomes more and more real, and frightening things begin to happen in the neighborhood. The children are faced with a soul-searchin g question: Has the game gone too far?The Performing Arts and the Social Sciences Language Arts: Each participant in The Egypt Game chooses an Egyptian name and its hieroglyphic symbol. Students can research library about the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. They can select an Egyptian name for themselves and create its hieroglyphic symbol. They can also compose a paragraph telling why they selected their particular names. Mysteries are solved in The Egypt Game and The Gypsy Game. At the end of The Egypt Game, April and Marshall's picture is in the newspaper along with a story about how Marshall helped the Professor save April.Students can write the article that appears in the newspaper. They can include quotations from each of the children of â€Å"Egypt,† various people from the neighborhood, and the Professor. Theater Arts: The characters in the book commune in a vacant lot where they play a game where they play specific roles as they try to reenact ancient Egyptian ri tuals. Students can learn about drama and how to study and act out a character. A play production of the book can also be staged. Social Studies: April and her friends conduct research about Egyptians and Gypsies before engaging in their games.Students can be asked to name other ancient cultures that they have studied, such as the Incas and Aztecs, and the ancient Babylonians, Chinese, and Greeks. Students should be equipped to speculate on which of the cultures would most likely interest April and Melanie and why. The Egypt Game, the children decide to perform an Egyptian â€Å"Ceremony for the Dead. † They think they will mummify the bird. Students can research the process of mummification, and how scientists determine the age of ancient mummies. 2. Adam of the Road (Puffin Modern Classics) by Elizabeth Janet Gray.Puffin (October 5, 2006) Adam of the Road is the story of eleven-year-old Adam who wishes to be a minstrel like his father, Roger. The story takes place in thirte enth-century England. Adam with his minstrel father, Roger, and his faithful cocker spaniel, Nick, are on their way to the Fair of St. Giles. Even good minstrels like Roger are not kept by their masters during the summer months and are forced to travel the countryside in search of work. While walking along the great roads of southern England, Adam's dog, Nick, is stolen. As he tries to catch the thief, he becomes separated from Roger.So begins a time of adventure for Adam. During nearly a year, while Adam continues to look for his dog and his father, he meets many strangers — jugglers, minstrels, plowmen, and nobles — who try to convince him that their life is best. Instead, Adam chooses to be a minstrel and is completely happy when he is reunited with his beloved father and his dog. The Performing Arts and the Social Sciences Language Arts: The English used in the book is mostly the terms used in the time of its printing, and outdated words are to be encountered.The b ook is for seventh grade Language Arts and fits well within an interdisciplinary unit on the Middle Ages. There are also 29 other books cited in the book, as well as excerpts from poetry. Students can research such literary pieces and that could be an aid to them in learning about the literature of Medieval Europe. Performing Arts: Music is a vital aspect of this book, as the main character is a singer and also a harp player. Moreover, the minstrels in the book also are singers. There is a great deal of singing here, and many characters are described as singing famous songs of that time.Social Studies: When the students are studying Medieval Europe in social studies, they can be reading Adam of the Road and researching life in the Middle Ages in Language Arts class. In the book, the presence of minstrels and knights in specific are interesting points to tackle. History: The book is set in Medieval Times and students can also research about the significance of that era and how we can relate the events in that time to our time today. There can be sessions where students can compare and contrast the past and the present.Science:Science as we can deduce, is not yet as advanced in the book as it is today. People back then travel by horse-drawn vehicles such as carriages and horse carts. Students can research about how transportation evolved and the Medieval Times may be their starting point. REFERENCES Pat Scales, Director of Library Services of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, SC. http://www. randomhouse. com/catalog/display. pperl? isbn=9780517885437&view=tg Colleen Carroll, Education Consultant, Curriculum Writer and Author.http://www. randomhouse. com/kids/catalog/display. pperl? isbn=9780375832741&view=tg http://www. randomhouse. com/teachers/catalog/display. pperl? isbn=9780440422259&view=tg Deborah Gaulin 1997. http://www. sdcoe. k12. ca. us/score/adam/adamtg. html Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold, Illustrated by Faith Ringgold. Dragonfly Books (1995) Harry Sue by Sue Stauffacher. Illustrated by Sue Stauffacher. Yearling (2007) The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Yearling (1985) Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray. Puffin (2006)

Mental Health the Medical Perspective: a Case Study

The aim of this assignment is to citically examine the medical model in relation to a client that I am working with, for reasons of confidentiality I have used a pseudo name: The medical perspectives in Mental Health. Background Alan is a 42 yr old white british male, he was diagnosed with schitzophrenia at the age of 21yrs. He is the eldest of two children, his sister resides with her husband and children nearby. Alan resides at home with his parents, who are in their early seventies. Alan has always complied with medication, and agreed to hospitalization when necessary, compulsory admission has not been required. Scitzophrenia is a devastating mental illneess, and probably the most distressing and disabling of the severe mental disorders. The first signs of schizophrenia typically emerge in adolescence or young adult. The effects of the illness are confusing and often shocking to families and friends. † http://www. psychiatry24x7. com. schizophrenia retreived 19/01/06. Alan i s seen by his psychiatrist, every six months, unless he is unwell, when he will be seen more frequently. He is reviewed through the Care program approach at hospital out-patients. His key worker is a community psychiatric nurse, (CPN). The psychiatrist plays a central role in the diagnosis of a mental disorder. Diagnosis is made after a mental health examination. The role of the psychiatrist in the mental state examination serves two purposes: â€Å"A detailed history is taken to identify change and characteristic clusters indicative of a specific psychiatric disorder. Secondly the psychiatrist has to make a comparison of change against a diagnostic criteria to establish presence or not of a specific psychiatric disorder. † (Holland, 2003, p. 938) After illiminating organic cause, by physical examination, the psychiatrist makes a diagnosis by classification of the symptoms. In todays psychiatry there are two systems used to more reliably identify a mental disorder. The International Classification of Disease, 10th revision, (ICD10), and the American Classification Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th revision, (DSMIV). European psychiatry are guided b y the former. The ICD10 catogarises schizophrenia under, F. 20. using the description of Kurt Schieder’s first rank symptoms, (1959). These are ranked as A – D, other symptoms E-I have also been added. (p. 49, ICD10, WHO 1992,). For a diagnosis of Schitzophrenia the person must show at least one of the first rank symptoms A- D and at least two of the symptoms, E- I. Alan experiences; – Thought withdrawal, insertion and broadcasting, he beleives that someone or something is responsible for this. (First Rank symptom A). – Auditory Hallucinations, he hears a running commentary about him. (First Rank symptom C). These are also known as the positive symptoms of schitzophrenia. Alan also experiences more than two of the symptoms E –I, he has thought disorder, anxiety,depression and poor motivation, referred to as negative symptoms. (Kingdom, cited Bailey, 2000) The ICD10, goes on to provide subsections for types of schizophrena, and notes; not everyone agrees with the sub-sections, due to the overlapping symptoms that can be present from one type to another. According to Alan’s medical notes and on asking him, he does not appear to have been diagnosed with a specific type of schizophrenia. Given the clusters of symptoms that e has experienced, at various times, it would be difficult to place Alan into one of the sub- sections. The medical model excepts that the schizoprenic brain has increased ventricles, (spaces in the brain), which leads to an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Using their main tool pshycopharmoglogy, they prescribe drugs to correct this imbalance. (Leonard,2003). The pathology of the illness considers that the chemical wh ich is imbalanced is dopamine. Drugs used to treat mental disorders are known as; neoroleptics or psychotropics, they target the chemical dopamine by blocking the neuroreceptors. The drugs effect behaviour, psychological cognitive function and/or the sensory experience. They also effect other neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonan, a chemical associated with affective disorders, therefore, the same drugs are used to treat different diagnosises. (Barry,2002). Alan has been prescribed various psychotropic drugs to try and control the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. His medical notes demonstrate that drugs have been introduced, decreased and increased on a number of occassions, with little effect of relieving the symptoms substancially over a long period of time. Over the years in psychiatry drugs have evolved, Alan has been prescribed some of the older drugs, Chlorpromazine and Haloperidol, these are referred to as ‘typical’drugs. These drugs cause side-effects such as; pseudoparkinsonism, (uncontrolable shaking of limbs), and Akathisia, (an uncomfortable internal restlessness and anxiety). (Barry 2002). Further medication was prescribed to combat these side- effects. Following this Alan’s psychiatrist changed his medication to the newer ‘atypical’drugs olanzipane and risperidone. Alan did not respond to this medication and after a deteration in his mental health he was admitted to hospital and agreed to try another ‘atypical drug’clozaril thearapy. Given the toxicity of clozaril it is not used as freely as other psychtropic medication. A complication of clozaril is the effect that it has on the white blood cells, if the deficiency becomes to great the drug can kill. (Barry 2002). To reduce the possibility of this the white cells are monitered through regular blood testing. The outcome of the long term effect of these drugs is not yet fully known. (Barry, 2002). Psychiatry does not go without critisim, Szass, (1997), best known as an anti – psychiatrist, challenges the concept of mental health as an illness. For an illness to be an illness it has to be classified as having three commonalities, cause – progression – and outcome. He argues that schizophrenia does not share any commonality, and that the reason a scitzophrenic patient becomes a patient is because those around him refuses to except a behaviour beyond the norm. Laing, (1985), also supports this theory and informs the reader that psychiatry is the only medical model that does not have an exact pathology that is proven by labortory testing. Another school of thought suggests; individuals are treated for the side-effects of medication moreso than the original illness, (Illich, cited in Laing 1985). â€Å"They can end up fighting side effects †¦One drug to combat another†¦. Prehaps it is the medication that ends up disturbing mental behaviour, warping personalities or or conditions in to bigger problems. ( Hewitt, 2001, p. 72) Alan prosponed the decision to take clorazil due to the risk of toxicity. Since commencing treatment, the symptoms have reduced but not deminished, he still takes medication for side-effects, anxiety and depression. He continues to struggle with daily living. His anxiety levels are so intense, that this condition has preceeded the effects of schizophrenia, which has led to further isolation from society, he wou ld like to engage in employment, paid or unpaid, however in his current frame of mind this is not a possibility. Labour force 1995, reported that employment figures in mental health patients are much lower than any other disabled group. Only 21% of people with mental health problems are working or actively seeking work. (Webb&Tossell, 1999). Warnings on some medication advise that machinery must not be used, vechiles must not be driven, due to side-effects of drowsiness, alcohol should not be taken with a lot of psyhcotropic medication. All of these restrictions impact upon Alan’s ability to function in society. Secondry to this, Alan has to cope with the stigma attached to mental health disorders. There is a stereo typical societal perception that individuals with mental health issues are more dangerous than others, regardless of research suggesting the opposite; Philo et al, (1993), published research to demonstrate that there is no evidence to suggest that a person with mental health issues is any more likely to harm than anyone else. Figures over the last 20 yrs demonstrate that there has been no increase in murder caused by someone with mental health problems,whilst the increase amongt the general polulation has more than doubled. Research shows that this discrimination within mental health does not stop with the lay person. White, western people have better experience of the service than other ethnic groups. (Haddad & knapp, 2000). The Sainsbury Cenre for Mental Health, (SCMH), (2002), in it’s aim to influence national policy high lighted the inequalities experinced by Black and African Carribean communities. SCMH’s findings suggest that professional have a fear of some ethnic minority groups, due to individual size or skin colour. It is these stereotypical beliefs, cultural ignorance and racist views, that prejudice assessments and influences treatment, reponses therefore rely on heavy medication and restriction. The consequences of which can be dentrimental, and have resulted in death, for people like David Bennett. In response to high profile cases, the Governement have produced various documentation to address issues of inequality. Delivering Race and Equality, (2003), set out to provide an action plan over 7yrs to improve mental health services for ethnic minority groups. The focus is on raising professional awarness around culture, ethnicity and racism. As the western world progresses towards a multi-cultural society, it is inevitable that more people from ethinic minorities will come in contact with mental health services. Fernando, (1991), considers this to be of a special concern and warns that; â€Å"The white domination of black people promotes, and often imposes a cultural domination so that ways of thinking, family life patterns of mental health and mental health care that are identified as ‘European’in tradition ‘white’by racial origin, are seen as superior to others. †(p. 198) Fernando, goes on to highlight the fact that many forms of human distress medicalised by western society are not medicalised by other societies, and notes that political forces dominates what is an illness and gives ultimate power to the psychiatry to treat. Therefore suggesting that individual diagnosis can depend upon where you reside in the world. Rack, (1982), notes that western psychiatry has an important role in social control, whilst Asian psychiatry is largely concerned with spiritual development. Fenando states; â€Å"†¦medicine too is part of a culture and not a system with a life of its own outside the culture in which it lives. † (P. 197) He advises that a reliable diagnosis is unlikely, unless the individual is interwiewed in their own language, as only a person with the same language knows what to look for. If Racks theory is correct then services have a lot to achieve to gain full equality. According to research it is not only the diagnosis in mental health that globally differs, it is also the recovery rate. Research under taken by WHO, (1938, 1958, 1988, 1998), ## evidenced that only 33% of individuals diagnosed with schizoprenia in western soceity were successfully treated by drugs. A further pilot study by the same organisation, in the recovery of schizophrenia demonstrated that recovery rates in London and Washington, (33%, 34%), were immensly lower than in IBADIAN AND MAGA PERDESH, (86%,87%). The variable out come appeared to be talking methods and a positve out look from the onset. People were advised that they would get better rather than being told there future would depend upon medication. Colman, (2004), suggests; â€Å"Most psychiatic doctors appear to be wedded to the idea that they must treat everyone with medication and that it is only through the use of medication that people recover. The evidence for ths view appears to be based on research carried out using moneys supplied by pharmacutical industry. †(p. 4). Colman’s view does not stand alone, Klass, (1975), advises that drug treatment is encouraged by the profit they make for their producers, who also provide the drugs to treat the side-effects. Large profits from the industry is used to provide research and advertise what they view as successful intervention for mental disorders. (cited Pilgrim&Rogers, 1987). In relation to Alan’s drug therapy and the side-effects of anxiety, I have spok en to his treatment team regarding alternative therapy such as; Anxiety Management. The response was that he had this previously and is unable to sustain self help techniques. My view was that this was a funding issue, psychosocial therapy costs more than drug therapy. (Pilgrim&Rogers, 1987). It appears to come secondary to drug therapy in the view of the medical model. â€Å" Whilst it is generally conceded by most commenters on psychiatry that it is now electic†¦ The bias towards physical treatment is still strong. † (p. 121. Baruch&treacher,1978, Roman,1985, Bushfield 1986, cited Pilgrim&Rogers, 1987). Alan has spoke with me regarding the conscequences of stopping treatment to combat the side-effects. Pilgrim & Rogers, (1987), amongst others acknowledge that individuals may stop complying with medication if the side effects from the drugs become intolerable and they are not listened to. â€Å" treating psychiatrists do not take their complaints about ‘side-effects’, or their concerns about the debilitating effects of the drugs, seriously. Instead, doctors tend to be concerned only with the effectiveness of the drugs in symptom reduction (assessed by them, not the patients themselves)’. p. 125 ) If Alan chose not to comply to medication, experienced a deteriation in his mental health and refused voluntary admission to hospital he could be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. (MHA). The mental state examination would be under took by a doctor who was not exculded under s12 of the act (MHA1983,cited Jones, 2004). In good practise Alan should be assessed by h is psychiatrist and his own general Practitioner. Thus meeting the requirements of s 12 [2], (MHA1983). Both doctors must examine the patient within five days of each other (s12,[1],MHA1983). As Alan is known to the clinical team, and has a specific diagnosis, admission for traetment (s3 MHA, 1983, cited Jones 2004), would possibly be the proposed section. (Code of Practise, 1999, ch5). Laing, (1985), Szass, (1997), claims that psychiatry is used to police society and not to treat the individual. Psychiatrists have been given the power to lock people up and treat them against their will, they have more power than a judge, and hospital wards provide a prison for the unconvicted individuals who do not meet societal norms. The approved social worker,(ASW), also has a powerful role under the 1983 Act and does make the ultimate decision as to whether treatment in hospital is the most appropriate form of treatment. (s13[2],MHA1983). As a social worker under taking the duty of an ASW, (albiet as a shadow), I have been faced with dilema’s whereby the role and duty of an ASW conflict with my social work values, instead of promoting rights and autonomy I am restricting them. I am managing this by addressing the issues in debriefing following the ssessments, in supervision, and by challenging other professional’s practise when necessary. For example, on one assessment, nursing staff had observed a patient as being withdrawn because he chose not to watch television in the communial lounge. During interview, the patient advised that he was a Johava witness and was oppossed to violence which was all that was on the particular channel viewed in the lounge. On addressing this with staff, it was clear that cultural or religous needs this had not been taken in to consideration. If Alan was formally admitted to hospital his psychiatrist does have the power to treat him against his wish. (part IV, MHA1983). This could include invasive treatment such as ECT, which Alan is oppossed to. I am therefore proposing Alan prepares an advanced directive, which will be incorporated in his careplan. Although, this does not over ride the clinical desicion his treatment team will need to take his views and wishes in to consideraton. MHA —————– Alan is supported by his family they have a good insight in to his illness, his father has recently been diagnosed with Alziemen’s disease. My current concern is that his mother is a carer for two family members. The largest proportion of community care is carried out by unpaid family members, who often miss out on employment and become isloated. (Webb&Tossell, 1999). To ensure that Mrs A, is able to continue in her role, her needs also must be met. I have therefore requested an updated assessment under The Carer’s (recognition and service) Act 1995. Mrs. A’s wellbeing is paramount in preventing deteriation of the home situation which would inevitabley impact upon Alan’s mental health. Mrs. A recognises the signs and symptoms when Alans mental health starts to deteriate, which in turn has historially prevented admission to hospital. Research from All Saints Hospital Birmingham evidenced that 59% of relatives recognise early warning signs one month before relapse and 75% two weeks before relapse. (cited Howe, 1998). Mrs. A feels that she is coping at present with the assistance of her support worker she is able to off load. She accesses carer’s groups which she finds helpful. If the situation becomes to much the family have agreed to access further support for Mr. A. nder The Community Care and National Health Service Act 1990. Alan receives support from the day centre where he is involved with Art therapy and other activities. He attends the Fountain club, (a mind project), where he has access to support through group therapy, and attends respite two days a month. Alan finds these resourses useful in helping him to live with not only schizophrena but also the sid e-effects of his medication. He is offered support and advise that is not from a medical perspective. The family also consider that alternative therapy is as important to them, as to Alan. Mrs. A considers that Alan and the family’s needs have been better met since a holistic approach has been under taken, as social and pshcological factors are adressed, aswell as the pathology of the illness. Howe, ( 1998), acknowleges that this has been a general failure in the medical model. I have not progressed with my original task regarding accomodation because I feel that Alan has enough going on in his life at present, in coming to terms with his father’s illness. Although his CPN, considers that this would be in his best interest, the family do not want it and I am not convinced it is what Alan wants either. Szass, (1997), refers to how the mentally ill pateint is considered to be incompetant where as the medically ill pateint is considered to be competant. If Alan did not have a mental disorder, residing at home would not be an issue for anyone, other than the family. I will continue to project my view wtih the CPN and in supervision. In conclusion to this assignment I would agree that all those who work with in this area have far to go in developing services. My role amongst this will be to challenge oppression, by raising awarness as I have done in practise, and to promote an holistic approach towards assessment. I am of the view that medication does help certian individuals, and their life has improved with medication. However in my view this should be minimal to releive distress and enhanced with other socialogical and pyshcological intervention. Although relapse cannot be illiminated, research and literature referenced throughout this assignment suggests that there is a high colleration between staying well and receiving a combination of services. Drawing from my previous managerial experience I have know doubt that the constraints on budgets will effect resources, which will inevitable effect the services individauls receive. Pilgrim&Rogers, (1987), acknowledge that the limitation of resourses and the cost to them, which is not measurable in comparison to physical treatment has been a factor that has prevented psychological and social models from competeing against the medical model. Undoubtabley this will need to change to allow individuals a successful chance of recovery. Authors referred to who opposs psychiatry and its role do have a fair arguement, in that drug treatment and legislation polices society, however no realistic alternative is provided. In my view the way forward is through raising public and professional awareness and de-stigmatising mental disorder. Word count 3297 References Barry, P. (2003). Mental Health and Mental Illness. (7th ed). Philidelphia.. Lippincott. Colman, R. (2004). Recovery an Alien Concept. (2nd Ed). Fife. P. P press. Delivering Race and Equality, (2003) The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, breaking the Circles of Fear, breifing 17. A review of the relationship between mental health services and African Caribbean communities. London. Fernando, S. (1991). Menatal Health Race and Culture. London. Mind publications in association with Macmillon. Hewitt, P. (2001). So You Think Your Mad, 7 Practical Steps to Mental Health. Ppppppppppp Handsell Publishing. Howe, G. (1998). Getting in to the System, Living with Severe Mental Illness. London. Jessica Kingsley publishers Ltd. Jones, R. (2004). Mental Health Act Mannual. (9th Ed). London. Sweet &Maxwell Ltd. Laing, R. D. , (1985). Wisdom, Madness and Folly. Making sense of psychiatry. Basingstoke. Paper Mac. Leonard, B. E. (2003). Fundementals of Psychopharmocology. (3rd ed). Wiley. Pilgrim, D. ,and Rogers, A. (1987). A sociology of Mental Health and Illness. (2nd Ed). Pppppppppppp. Open University Press. Professor, Kingdom, (2000). D. Edited by Bailey D. 2000, At the Core of Mnetal Health. Key issuese for practitioners managers and mental heealth managers, Rack, P. (1982). Race Culture and Mental Disorder. forwarded by G. Morris. London. Routledge. Szass, T. (1997). Insanity. The Idea and it’s Consequenses. Syrcuse. University Press. WHO, (1992). The ICD10, Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidlines. Geneva. World Health Organisation. Webb. R. , & Tossell, D. , (1999). Social Issues for Carers Towards Posive Practice. (2nd ed) London. Arnold. Haddad, P. , & Knapp, M. , (2000). Health Professional’s views of services for schizophrenia – fragmentation and Inequality. Psychiatric Bulletin (24), p 47 – 50. http://www. psychiatry24x7. com. schizophrenia retreived 19/01/06. NICE, (2003). Recommends newer antipsychotic drugs as one of the first line options for schizophenia. Press release. retrieved 19/01/06. Webb site: http://www. nice. org. uk/page. aspx? 0=32928

Helping the Less Fortunate Essay

If I were a president of an organization, that made millions of dollars each year; I would create an organization within my organization that caters to the less fortunate. My organization would help to remove people off of the streets and give them a place to live, feeding the homeless in soup kitchens while passing out clothing, and also funding the education of those who cannot afford it. I believe that taking random people off of the streets and giving them a place to live is very important. As president of a million dollar a year business, I would definitely give the homeless a place to live. For example, I would send people out into the streets to search for random homeless people. I would pay for motels for a single person for a month and two for families because there are much more people to provide for. I will not just give people a place to stay; I would also find jobs for them. The jobs may be low paying, but it will help the homeless to get off of the streets. This may not help everyone, but it will take many off of the streets. Opening a soup kitchen will definitely increase my interaction with the â€Å"little people†. I think that having actual former poor people serve the poor is what will set my organization apart from others. I would do this because I know that the servers will connect with the poor on a personal and emotional level. This will ensure that the servers are very passionate about what they are doing. As president of the organization, I would also personally serve the homeless food while interacting with them to make them feel comfortable. I would ensure that they have faith that one day things will get better. Also, I would collect clothing and give to the homeless while feeding them. This will give them food on their stomach and clothes on their back. The clothes may not be in the best condition, but something is always better than nothing. My organization would also stress the importance of education. I believe that education is everything. I would ensure that everyone that enters my program have a very fortunate future. I would go into high schools and find that are below the poverty line. I will not stress the GPA of an individual. The person may have had to leave school for a period of time to help provide for his or her family. Although finding these individuals may be difficult, I am sure the process will run smoothly with the help of the school staff. I would focus on students that have the drive to want to go to college. I may be funding the education, but I will need the student’s full cooperation. The individual’s will have to provide documents proving that he or she is has little income, or receiving no income at all. My organ will provide funding for everything that an individual needs to attend college. This will include tuition, books, meal plans, housing and anything else the child needs for school. These procedures will be taken to ensure that the students have no worries while pursuing an education. It is very important to give back to the â€Å"little people†. Providing, shelter, jobs, food, clothes and education; will decrease poverty. This may not benefit the majority, but it will at least help some people out. Every homeless person that receives help counts. A million dollar a year organization would definitely remove many people at least a step away from the poverty line.