Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People Essay Example

Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People Essay Promote equality, diversity and inclusion in work with children and young people 1. 1 Identify the current legislation and codes of practice relevant to the promotion of equality and valuing of diversity. When working in a school it is important that staff is aware of the ever changing legislation, especially the aspects related to promoting equality and valuing diversity. We need to be able to identify their relevance in school and that we are aware of them when carrying out our roles. Current legislation and Codes of Practice Every Child Matters 2003 covers children and young adults up to the age of 19, or 24 for those with disabilities. Its main aims are for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to: †¢Be healthy †¢Stay safe †¢Enjoy and achieve †¢Make a positive contribution †¢Achieve economic well-being Each of the above has a detailed framework. In order for success within these frameworks many different agencies work together. The agencies in partnership may include, children’s centers, early years, schools, children’s social work services, primary and secondary health services, Playwork and Child and Adolescent Mental Health services. It is important that all these professionals work together and understand each other roles in order to provide the best possible service. The fundamental aim of Every Child Matters is to ensure every pupil is given the chance to be able to work towards the goals referred to within it. Children Act 2004 aims to ensure that the welfare of the child is paramount and works in partnership with parents to protect children from harm. We will write a custom essay sample on Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Promote Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Work with Children and Young People specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Act is intended to strengthen the child’s legal position, to give him/her equal rights, feelings and wishes and ensures children are consulted and kept informed. The Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000) – makes it unlawful to treat a person less favourably than another on the grounds of race including, race, colour, nationality and national or ethnic origin. The Act outlawed discrimination whether it is direct, indirect or victimisation. It placed a general duty to promote race equality and good race relations. Positive discrimination (affirmative action) is illegal in the UK and The Race Relations Act does not allow it. In other words a teacher cannot change the stability of the classroom by selecting a child mainly because she or he is from a particular racial group. This would be discrimination on racial grounds and against the law. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (amended 2005) it is unlawful to discriminate against people in respect of their disabilities. All disabled people should be treated in a fair and equal way in relation to employment, the provision of services, education and transport. It has been unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably for a reason related to their disability. They have had to make adjustments for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way they provide their services. Also service providers may have to make other adaptations in relation to the physical features of a building in order to overcome physical barriers. Schools are now encouraged to include children with disabilities into mainstream school. Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 introduces the right for disabled pupils (primary age higher education) not to be discriminated against in education, training and any services provided for pupils. Student services covered by the Act can include a wide range of educational and non-educational services, such as field trips, examinations and assessments, short courses, arrangements for work placements and libraries and learning resources. It will be unlawful to treat a disabled person ‘less favourably’ than a non-disabled person for a reason that relates to the person’s disability. If a disabled person is at a significant disadvantage, you are required to take reasonable steps to prevent that disadvantage. This might include: †¢changes to policies and practices †¢changes to course requirements or work placements changes to the physical features of a building †¢the use of interpreters or other support workers †¢the delivery of courses in alternative ways †¢the use of material in other formats Human Rights Act 1998 helps create a society where people’s rights and responsibilities are balanced. All humans have the same rights and are treated equally. Human rights are meant for everyone, no matter what their race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, age, sex, political beliefs, intelligence, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Our basic human rights are: †¢Right to privacy †¢Right to live †¢Right to have a family To own property †¢Free Speech †¢Safety from violence †¢Equality of both males and females †¢Fair trial †¢To be innocent until proven guilty †¢To be a citizen of a country †¢The right to express his or her sexual orientation †¢To vote †¢To think freely †¢To believe and practice the religion a person wants †¢Health care †¢Education †¢Not be forced into marriage †¢The right to love †¢The right to work †¢The right to express oneself (Source: wikipedia. org – Human Rights) Un Convention on the Right of the Child 1989 it sets out in detail what every child (under the age of 18) needs to have for a safe, happy and fulfilled childhood. It includes children’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and promises to provide what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential. This applies to every child, no matter who they are or where they are from. Equality Act 2010 covers nine characteristics that are protected by this act. They cannot be used in any way to treat people unfairly. Everyone has one or more of the protected characteristics, so everyone is protected against unfair treatment. The protected characteristics are: †¢age †¢disability †¢gender reassignment marriage and civil partnership †¢pregnancy and maternity †¢race †¢religion or belief †¢sex †¢sexual orientation As far as schools are concerned this means that they cannot unlawfully discriminate against pupils because of their sex, race, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation. This also includes pupils who are pregnant or undergoing gender reassignment. Th e Sex Discrimination Act 1975 makes it unlawful to treat a woman or a man less favourably in employment, training, education and the provision of goods, facilities and services on the grounds of their gender or marriage. It prohibits direct or indirect sex discrimination against individuals in employment. Types of direct sex discrimination include sexual harassment and treating a woman unfavourably because she is pregnant. Indirect sex discrimination is where a requirement is applied to both sexes, but negatively affects more of one gender than the other, e. g. a requirement to be under 5ft 10ins would discriminate against men, while a requirement to work full-time might discriminate against women. Equal Pay Act 1970 prevents discrimination between male and female employees in the same job in relation to pay and terms and conditions. The Gender Reassignment Regulations 1999 extended the Sex Discrimination Act to make it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of gender reassignment. Civil Partnership Act 2004 allows same-sex couples to make a legal commitment to each other by entering into a civil partnership. This means that gay and lesbian couples who register their relationship will have similar rights and responsibilities to married couples including, property rights, social security and pension benefits, parental responsibility, tenancy rights, full life insurance and next of kin rights in hospitals. EU Employment Directive 2000 prohibits employment discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. It prohibits both direct and indirect discrimination and also includes harassment. Employment Equality (sexual orientation) Regulations 2003 – gives rights to lesbian, gay and bisexual workers. The regulations make it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation in employment and professional training, including university students. The regulations include protection against direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, victimisation and harassment. Employment Equality (religion and belief) Regulations 2003 make it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of religion or belief held (or not held) in employment and professional training, including university students. Again, the regulations include protection against direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, victimisation and harassment. Employment Equality (age) Regulations 2003 make it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of age in all areas of employment, including training. The regulations do add in some situations where discrimination can be lawful if there is good reason but these are subject to strict guidelines. Statutory Code of Practice on Racial Equality in Employment – helps prevent unlawful racial discrimination and is relevant to all employers. It will help: †¢understand the Race Relations Act and be aware of your duties, rights and responsibilities †¢treat all workers in the same way, no matter what race, colour, nationality or ethnic group they are †¢improve your equality practices The code will help you draw up an equal opportunities policy and put it into practice. It must apply to all workers, throughout all stages of employment and should include: †¢advertising and recruiting for a post offering equal terms and conditions to potential employees †¢providing access to training, promotion or other opportunities †¢dismissing someone from a post †¢preventing harassment on racial grounds in the workplace Some of the above legislation has merged together under the Equality Act. These include: The Race Relations Act 1976 (amended 2000), The Disab ility Discrimination Act 1995 (amended 2005), The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Equal Pay Act 1970, Employment Equality (age) Regulations 2003, Employment Equality (religion and belief) Regulations 2003 and Employment Equality (sexual orientation) Regulations 2003 Every school has a number of policies that set out the guidelines and procedures for ensuring equality. These take account of the rights of all individuals in school. When considering the way policies work to ensure equality and inclusion, it is important that we take into consideration all aspects of school life i. e. teaching, learning, values and practice. All schools should have a commitment towards promoting inclusion and equality. This usually comes in the form of written policies, which reflect the rights and responsibilities of all people associated with the school environment. Policies also provide guidance for staff and visitors on the ways the school ensures inclusive practice. A few examples of these policies are: †¢Health and Safety †¢SEN. †¢Behaviour †¢Equality and diversity †¢Attendance †¢Anti-bullying †¢Code of Conduct †¢Confidentiality †¢Inclusion †¢Safeguarding All of the above policies will include ways that schools work in relation to: †¢Race cultural diversity †¢equality of opportunity inclusive practice †¢safeguarding bullying †¢gifted talented pupils †¢special educational needs †¢disability access. †¢ The different ways in which schools promote the rights and equality for children are included in the policies. Schools must monitor the strengths and weaknesses in a policy and amend them in response to the ever changing legislation. To make this all a little easier to understand it can be viewed as a cycle. The cycle of development of legislation, policies and practice (Source:Pearsonschoolandfecolleges. co. uk) 1. 2 Explain the importance of promoting the rights of all children and young people to participation and equality of access Equality of Access is the idea that all pupils have equal rights of access to any aspect of school life. All pupils have the right to an expansive curriculum and schools have a duty to ensure that all pupils have equality of access no matter what their background, race, culture, gender, additional need or disability. Equality of access ensures that all discriminatory barriers are removed allowing for children’s individual needs to be met. An example of the importance of promoting equality of access, in my own experience, involves the child I worked with. She had a hip operation and was wheel chair bound for three months. As the school had ramp access to the building her education wasn’t hindered in any way. Participation is as important as equality of access and includes everyone within the school. It involves finding opportunities to talk to children and their parents about all aspects of school life and the curriculum. They could be asked what works, what doesn’t work, what could work better and they could also be involved in decisions about how their education is delivered to them and the evaluation process. Children want to be involved in the running of school and this process creates a sense of well being and worth. Children are more likely to interact and enjoy everything school has to offer. Participation also helps reduce bullying, improve school safety and supports a child’s emotional and social development. In my setting, participation is achieved formally and informally. We have a school council, made up of two children from classes 1-6. They meet on a regular basis and discuss school issues, set up play buddies, set up events to raise money for local charities and much more. Basically giving children a voice. Informally, we often chat in class or have whole school assemblies to come up with ideas for the future. At the start of term the whole school put together the new school rules with the head teacher, which the children agreed to and then signed. 1. 3 Explain the importance and benefits of valuing and promoting cultural diversity in work with children and young people Culture can have many different meanings and it’s what gives groups of people in our society their identity. Valuing and promoting cultural diversity of individuals and groups within the school will develop learning and encourage the knowledge and understanding of all pupils. Understanding and taking account of our pupil’s background and culture is essential for us to build effective relationships and provide appropriate support. Our school provides opportunities to ensure that children from all cultures feel welcome. We value and promote cultural diversity by: †¢making children feel valued and good about themselves †¢ensuring that children have equality of access to learning †¢creating an nvironment of mutual respect and tolerance †¢encouraging positive behaviour in children e. g. kindness and inclusion †¢exploring different faiths and cultural practices as part of the curriculum – RE and PHSE lessons †¢displaying signs around school in a variety of languages †¢taking part in awareness assemblies †¢using learning resources representing different cultures e. g. play sets, empathy dolls, books †¢taking part in celebration days/lessons – we recently had a cookery lesson led by a parent who is from Thailand and a lady from India spent a day with us teaching there way of dance. Both were thoroughly enjoyed by all the children (and staff! ) It is important to help children feel settled and secure in their environment and this can be achieved by participating in all of these opportunities, in turn children know that their culture is respected. Valuing and promoting cultural diversity are beneficial in that they build children’s confidence, develop their understanding and awareness and give a sense of pride. In time this will create an environment that is socially accepting. 2. 1 Explain ways in which children and young people can experience prejudice and discrimination Discrimination is defined as the unjust treatment of different categories of people or things and prejudice is most often referred to as preconceived, usually unfavorable, judgments toward people or a person because of gender, social class, age, disability, religion, sexuality, race or other personal characteristics. There are many ways a child can experience prejudice and discrimination in school and unfortunately a lot of children are subject to it. Children can experience these forms of discrimination in different ways: †¢Direct discrimination This occurs when one person treats another person less favourably than they would another because of a protected characteristic. One person is specifically singled out e. g. a child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is not permitted to take part in the school play because of fears about their behaviour. †¢Indirect discrimination This occurs when a working condition or rule appears neutral, but its impact particularly disadvantages people with a protected characteristic. Specifically excluding a person by being selective e. g. the school is fitted with lifts but the building has a set of six steps at the front entrance. Entry for those needing to use the lift is through the back entrance near the bins. Those using a wheelchair can’t get into the building from the front entrance. †¢Victimisation – This occurs by treating somebody less favourably than others because they tried to make a complaint about discrimination. It is an ongoing form of bullying where a person/group is pinpointed. e. g. a teacher shouts at a pupil because he thinks she intends to support another pupil’s harassment claim. 2. 2 Analyse the impact of prejudice and discrimination on children and young people In an experiment carried out by Jane Elliot, ‘Brown eyes, blue eyes’, Elliot saw co-operative, thoughtful children turn into nasty, vicious children within the space of 15 minutes. She found that children experiencing discrimination had very negative feelings. They felt inferior which resulted in low self esteem. The children didn’t even want to try and accomplish anything, they just gave up. Learning was influenced by the attitude of their self and tasks took longer to complete. The basis of discrimination can be the smallest thing, as you can see from the previous diagram, but can have an immense negative impact on a child. Depending on the seriousness of the discrimination and how long it goes on for, prejudice and discrimination can create social and emotional tension and can lead to fear and anxiety. It can undermine the self-esteem and self-confidence of those being ridiculed and make them feel unaccepted and unworthy. Children stop liking themselves and think that no one wants to know about them because they feel different from their peers and not worthy. A child will start to feel that they are not valued as a person. In turn, their school performance often suffers. A child who does not feel part of the class due to discrimination or prejudice will not be happy or feel safe in school and will not want to put their hand up to ask a question in class as it will draw attention to them. They may become depressed and socially withdrawn, becoming less able to join in with activities with their peers. With a lack of confidence it’s also difficult to make friends and with fewer positive relationships being developed with peers or adults the impact on prejudice and discrimination can be very depressing and childhood can become a much less happy time. 2. 3 Evaluate how own attitudes, values and behaviour could impact on work with children and young people Our own values and attitudes have a critical impact on the way we make decisions and conduct ourselves. It is important to be clear about these personal values and beliefs so they don’t have a negative impact on the children we support. We must be aware and make sure we are not judgemental in any way on the basis of race, gender, religion, ethnicity etc We have a duty to protect the rights of the children we work with. My personal background, upbringing and experiences can have an effect on attitudes towards individuals and groups, so it is important that I recognise these. I could overcome them by developing a greater understanding of groups in society e. g. finding out about the religious beliefs and cultures of the children I work with and learn about any special educational needs or disabilities. It is important I don’t make assumptions about children and young people. Finding out about their backgrounds, interests, abilities and individual needs will help me to provide more effective, appropriate and personalised support. It is quite difficult to evaluate my own attitudes, values and behaviours because sometimes you don’t realize you hold this belief until faced with it. However, whilst at work it is important to put aside these beliefs and not impose my opinions on the young impressionable children I work with. I would like to say that I treat all the children the same at school and give each child equal opportunities. However, I work with a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and it is so hard not to treat him a little differently. He is very demanding of my attention and certain measures need to be in place to enable him to function in the classroom. This immediately sets him apart from the others in the class. Nevertheless, I do ensure that he receives the same treatment as the rest of the class when it comes to discipline etc. When it comes to age, race, gender, religion or ethnicity I hold a very positive attitude. There are only a handful of children from multi cultural backgrounds at my school but I respect and value them as much as any child. I live my life according to my own religious belief and I take a genuine interest in learning about other peoples religious beliefs and celebrations. The setting I work educates children from 3-11 and my colleagues age range from 22-50+. Every person, no matter what their age, is worthy and valued, and all of them make a positive contribution to the school. I feel that displaying these positive values and behaviour characterises me as a positive role model and has a positive impact on the children I work with. . 4 Explain how to promote anti-discriminatory practice in work with children and young people The promotion of anti-discriminatory practice should be at the forefront of any schools practice. As well as having the policies in place, it is paramount that anti-discriminatory practice is demonstrated in everything we do. As a member of the school te am it is my shared responsibility to ensure that anti-discriminatory practice is promoted. To promote anti discriminatory practice it’s important that all staff act as good role models. Children are very impressionable and replicating this ehaviour will teach children to respect one another. It is important to include the children in as much as you can and listen to what they have to say. You may need to differentiate or adapt the work so that all the children are given equal opportunities to complete it. All barriers need to be removed so that children can have full access to the curriculum. Children need to be recognized as unique and they all need to be treated as individuals. Our school council has set up a play buddies system at playtimes. This ensures that all the children can play together; no body is left out for any reason. This also gives the older children a sense of responsibility and they enjoy it. If I was to ever become aware of any victims of discrimination either in the class room or in the playground, I would make sure that it was dealt with promptly and efficiently. It is very serious and must not be ignored. This will hopefully prevent it from happening again and stop any discrimination from escalating and becoming a bigger problem. 2. 5 Explain how to challenge discrimination. Within my role as a Teaching Assistant there is a chance I will be required to challenge pupils over their behaviour because I feel it is potentially discriminatory. This must be done as soon as it is witnessed. Discriminatory behaviour must never be ignored and it is often common practice to record any incidences. A lot of the time children are unaware of the implications of a comment they might make. They could be mimicking what they have heard elsewhere and not mean to be insensitive. How you choose to challenge inappropriate behaviour will depend on the situation it occurred in and the age of the child but it is important to challenge effectively so there is less chance of it happening again. The following are useful to consider: †¢Talk to the child and make them aware of why, what they did or said was wrong †¢Depending on the age and ability of the child you could turn it into a game i. e. role play †¢Ensure you talk to the child at their level of understanding †¢Ask what actually happened, why it happened and how they would feel if it happened to them In an incident that occurred in my setting the named child I work with called another child ‘a nigger’. I didn’t witness the episode but it was reported straight to me. He was immediately removed from the situation and sent to the head teachers’ office. The Head and I explained in a sensitive manner, the seriousness of his comment. It turned out the comment is something he had overheard at home and he didn’t realise the offence it would cause. The child apologised personally to the other child and a letter was sent home to parents so that they could reiterate what we had said in school. Challenging discriminatory behaviour is important to ensure we create a learning environment that is free of discrimination. We need to show that we value differences. It also reinforces the policies and procedures that we have in place at school. In all instances it needs to be made clear that a child inappropriate behaviour or comments are not acceptable and that everyone in school deserves to be treated fairly and with respect. 3. 1 Explain what is meant by inclusion and inclusive practices Inclusion is about creating a secure, accepting, collaborating and stimulating school community in which everyone is valued and all the pupils can achieve their best. Inclusion involves making sure all children are given the opportunity to access all areas of the curriculum including out of school activities e. g. school trips. Everyone in school has an important role in promoting and supporting an inclusive culture. Everything we do, on a daily basis, is inclusive practice and there are three main elements to its success: †¢Attitudes – staff should have high expectations of all their pupils. The work set should be adjustable so that all pupils can be included. Diversity should be celebrated and valued, certainly not feared and all pupils should be encouraged to believe in the ‘I can’ attitude. †¢Skills – all staff should be equipped with the right skills, dependant on the child’s need, to enable them to provide an environment that welcomes all. †¢Resources all pupils should have access to the same range of resources. Some of the resources will be specific to pupils particular needs e. g. hearing aid, sound systems, mobility aids and it is important we know how to use these so all children can gain access to all aspects of school life. The child I work with has ADHD and doesn’t take kindly to any changes in his daily routine. If there is a sudden change he lashes out which means he needs to be removed from the classroom and therefore misses out on parts of his education. To overcome any potential problems we have now introduced a visual timetable on his desk so he can see exactly what he is doing and when. This minimizes any possible outbreaks and results in a smooth lesson. Other examples of inclusive practice in our school are things like introducing a physical aid for a pupil during PE. A child I used to work with had Dyspraxia, therefore struggled using certain PE equipment. Once I adapted the resources she could take full part in the lesson. We use thicker pencils for children who have difficulty with fine motor skills. Our school is also equipped with ramp access to the building and a disabled toilet. 3. 2 Identify barriers to children and young people’s participation A barrier to participation is anything that can hold back a child from being involved in any experiences a school has to offer. These could possibly include:

Proconsul Facts and Figures

Proconsul Facts and Figures Name: Proconsul (Greek for before Consul, a well-known circus ape); pronounced pro-CON-sul Habitat: Jungles of Africa Historical Epoch: Early Miocene (23-17 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 3-5 feet long and 25-100 pounds Diet: Omnivorous Distinguishing Characteristics: Monkey-like posture; flexible hands and feet; lack of tail About Proconsul As far as paleontologists can tell, Proconsul marks the time in primate evolution when the old world monkeys and apes diverged from a common ancestor - which means, in laymans terms, that Proconsul may (or may not) have been the first true ape. In fact, this ancient primate combined various characteristics of monkeys and apes; its hands and feet were more flexible than those of contemporary monkeys, but it still walked in a monkey-like way, on all fours and parallel to the ground. Perhaps most tellingly, the various species of Proconsul (which ranged from a smallish 30 pounds or so to a largish 100) lacked tails, a distinctly ape-like trait. If Proconsul was, in fact, an ape, that would make it distantly ancestral to humans, and perhaps even a true hominid, though its brain size indicates that it wasnt much smarter than the average monkey. However it winds up being classified, Proconsul holds a special place in hominid paleontology. When its remains were first discovered, back in 1909, Proconsul was not only the oldest ape yet identified, but the first prehistoric mammal ever to be unearthed in sub-Saharan Africa. The name Proconsul is a story in itself: this early Miocene primate wasnt named after the revered proconsuls (provincial governors) of ancient Rome, but after a pair of popular circus chimpanzees, both named Consul, one of which performed in England and the other in France. Before Consul, as the Greek name translates, may not seem very dignified for such a remote human ancestor, but thats the moniker that has stuck! Many people mistakenly believe that Proconsul was one of the immediate predecessors of Homo sapiens. In fact, though, this ancient primate lived during the Miocene epoch, from about 23 to 17 million years ago, at least 15 million years before the first recognizable human ancestors (like Australopithecus and Paranthropus) evolved in Africa. Its not even a sure thing that Proconsul spawned the line of hominids that led to modern humans; this primate may have belonged to a sister taxon, which would make it more of a great-great-great uncle a thousand times removed.

Statistical significance, hypothesis testing, Type I and Type II Essay

Statistical significance, hypothesis testing, Type I and Type II errors - Essay Example When completing hypothesis testing there are two types of errors that may occur: a Type 1 or a Type 2 error. A Type 1 error occurs when the null hypothesis is rejected even though it was true (Bluman 2003). A Type 2 error occurs when the null hypothesis is accepted or not rejected even though it was false (Bluman 2003). An example of a Type 1 error would be a pregnancy test that indicates a person is not pregnant when they actually are. A Type 1 error probability is denoted by an alpha or the Greek symbol of ?. This is in contrast to the Type 2 error, which is denoted by beta or the Greek symbol of ?. An example of a Type 2 would be a pregnancy test that indicates a person is pregnant when they are not. According to the article entitled â€Å"Statistics Tutorial: Power of a Hypothesis Test,† â€Å"the probability of not committing a Type II error is called the power of a hypothesis test†(â€Å"Statistics tutorial: power of a hypothesis test†). Finally, the statis tical significance relates to the probability level of â€Å"committing† the Type 1 error within a hypothesis test (Bluman 2003). The power of a particular statistic, in contrast, is helpful in determining the likelihood of committing a Type 2 error.

Five Ways Leading to the Mystical Union Assignment

Five Ways Leading to the Mystical Union - Assignment Example St. Teresa said let me suffer or die. They look at their old selves with disgust. In raising oneself to purity one has to be ready, for example poverty is common, so one has to endure pain and suffering. This phase has two components; mortification and detachment. The later refers to voluntary poverty, which according to the Catholic Church is chastity where, there is cleansing of the soul from all personal desires. Finally one must obey the voice and teachings of God. A good example is the biblical beatitude that says, blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall receive the kingdom of God. The mystic must detach from all material stuff and aim for purity, because God is pure. Mystics here choose to associate with only clean creatures. Material possessions usually cloud our aim for reaching purity. According to St. John of The Cross, we are nothing; we have nothing and therefore lack nothing. Mortification on the other hand is purification, to ensure the death of old habits of the old self, which prevents oneself from becoming a new being. Any necessary physical and mental torture is required to free oneself from earthly pleasures and satisfaction. It can only stop when one has shed selfhood. Love of all people and creatures, plus service to humanity is important. Old days had the step of physical torture, which included several ways of crucifying oneself. 3) Illumination. This stage transfers self centeredness into a God-centered world. Once detached from earthly attathchments, the mystic is sure of the existence of God. The mystic and the superior being are not yet one, the relationship can be compared to betrothal but not marriage. There is consciousness of the presence of God; therefore there is joy and pleasure. It is a... The essay "Five Ways Leading to the Mystical Union" describes five ways to achieve the state of union with reality and considers the nature of mysticism. According to Evelyn Underhill, mysticism is the state of union with reality. But in order for mysticism to occur there has to be changed in an individual’s life, after the experience beyond human description. The first way 'The awakening of self' is a stage much higher than religious conversion. A person moves from a stage of physical limitations, placed on them by the world and moves to a state of greater revelation. People find meaning in life. The second one is 'Purgation of self'. The awakened parson goes higher, on the slow spiritual journey in order to arrive at a higher consciousness of reality. The path involves shedding off older, evil self of the world and embracing God. The next way 'Illumination' transfers self-centeredness into a God-centered world. Once detached from earthly attachments, the mystic is sure of the existence of God. The mystic and the superior being are not yet one, the relationship can be compared to betrothal but not marriage. 'The dark night of the soul' is the fourth way which is a purification of the spirit before it merges with the absolute. There is no joy but fatigue, deprivation, and darkness. The old temptation of mystics’ desire for earthly desires creeps in, due to exhaustion from friends and family. And the final way 'The unitive life' comes after years of destruction of selfhood. Here the old self is replaced by the divine self.

Schuman Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 11000 words

Schuman Plan - Coursework Example In fact she had been already actively engaged in NATO along with the U.S.A. Looking at the success of the ECSC however , Britain was tempted to canvass for membership but her attempt was twice scuttled by Charles de Gaulle who opined that Britain had no real interest in joining the ECSC but was trying to enter as the Trojan horse of the U.S.A. which in a way was obvious since the U.S.A. had been advising her to enter the ECSC and try to change its policies on a broader perspective in tandem with NATO. Thus it took almost 22 years for her to make an entry into the community which by then had become EEC from ECSC, only after the exit of Charles de Gaulle from the French Government. The other five states had been longing for Britain's entry and hence the passage was smooth for Britain though France under the premiership of Pompidou allowed her entry only on firm commitments with respect to the EEC budget contributions and on community's Common Agricultural Policy. The conclusion is ther efore that Britain's entry into EEC was politically motivated rather than on economic motives. The unification of Europe was felt ... Thus it took almost 22 years for her to make an entry into the community which by then had become EEC from ECSC, only after the exit of Charles de Gaulle from the French Government. The other five states had been longing for Britain's entry and hence the passage was smooth for Britain though France under the premiership of Pompidou allowed her entry only on firm commitments with respect to the EEC budget contributions and on community's Common Agricultural Policy. The conclusion is therefore that Britain's entry into EEC was politically motivated rather than on economic motives. Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background The unification of Europe was felt to be the only way to avoid war among nations. France and Germany were sworn enemy nations during world wars I & II. The cessation of hostilities after the end of World War saw many a world leader advocating cooperation between nations in Europe. Robert Schuman, the Foreign Minister of France startled the world by his announcement on May 9, 1950 that Coal and Steel Industry of European nations would have common platform to conduct uniform trade in the said industries what famously came to be known as Schuman Plan. In spite of the apparent advantages of this kind of arrangement, Britain opted out of joining it. While Britain had its own reasons, her rejection of the Schuman plan was not taken lightly by France because of which though Britain quickly realised its importance, it took almost 23 years for it to manage to join the EEC after its formation. 1.2 Aims and Objectives With the above background, aims and objective is to go into the aspects of Britain's hesitation to join the EC initially and

The Three Crusades :: essays research papers

The Three Crusades   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were three Crusades and they all took different routes from western Europe to Palestine. THE FIRST CRUSADE - The first crusade began in A.D. 1095. Pope Urban II mounted a platform outside the church at Clermont, France. The crowd shouted â€Å"Deus vult!† in response to the pope’s plea. Knights and peasants alike vowed to join the expedition to the Holy Land. For knights, the Crusade was a welcome chance to employ their fighting skills. For peasants, the Crusade meant freedom from feudal bonds while on the Crusade. All were promised immediate salvation in heaven if they were killed freeing the Holy Land from non-Christians. Adventure and the possibility of wealth were other reasons to join the Crusade. The First Crusade heightened already existing hatred of non-Christians and marked the onset of a long period of Christian persecution of the Jews. During the First Crusade, which began in A.D. 1096, three armies of Crusader knights and volunteers traveled separately from western Europe to the eastern Mediterranean. On the way, many of them killed Jews and sometimes massacred entire Jewish communities. The three armies finally met in Constantinople in A.D. 1097. From there the Crusaders made their way to Jerusalem, enduring the hardships of desert travel as well as quarrels among their leaders. In June A.D. 1099, the Crusaders finally reached the city. After the siege of almost two months Jerusalem fell. Crusaders swarmed into the city and killed most of its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants. The success of the First Crusade reinforced the authority of the Church and strengthened the self-confidence of western Europeans. The religious zeal of the Crusaders soon cooled, however, and many knights returned home. Those who stayed set up feudal states in Syria and Palestine. Contact between the Crusaders and the relatively more sophisticated civilizations of the Byzantines and the Muslims would continue for the next 100 years and become major factor in ending the cultural isolation of western Europe. THE SECOND CRUSADE - Less than 50 years after the First Crusade, the Seljuks conquered part of the Crusader states in Palestine. Pope Eugenius IV called for a Second Crusade to regain the territory. Eloquent sermons by the monk Bernard of Clairvaux persuaded King Louis VII of France and Holy Roman Emperor Conrad III to lead armies to Palestine. The Second Crusade, which lasted from A.D. 1147 to A.D. 1149, was unsuccessful. Louis VII and Conrad III quarreled constantly and were ineffective militarily. They were easily defeated by the Seljuks. THE THIRD CRUSADE - A diplomatic and forceful leader named Saladin united the Muslim forces and then captured Jerusalem in A.D. 1187.

Psychotherapy Main Concepts Essay

                       When we study human behavior, specifically focusing on the development of personality and crucial to how a person or individual conducts him/herself, psychology offers a variety of dimensions. The concept of personality is central to our attempt to understand ourselves and others and is part of the way in which we account for the differences that contribute to our individuality. Psychologists have been particularly concerned with shaping of the personality in relation to genetic and environmental influences. We have been fortunate that the study of human personality has been thriving and fruitful. We can choose from as many models we can to help us see ourselves better and maintain good relationships (Atkinson et al., 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     For the thrust that this paper is taking, I wish to mention then my views individually, on Behavioral, Cognitive-Behavioral, Psychoanalytic, and the Existential, Humanistic perspectives. The Behavioral   model utilizes what is termed as the learning theory posited by Skinner and Watson and the rest of the Behaviorism school. It assumes that the principles in learning i.e., conditioning (Associative and Operant) are effective means to effect change in an individual. Generally, the thrust of this theoretical perspective is focused on the symptoms that a person is experiencing. Just as many of the errors of the patterns of behavior come from learning from the environment, it is also assumed that an individual will be able to unlearn some if not all these by using the techniques as applied based on the learning principles. To a certain extent I believe that this still works: reinforcements are effective to some extent and in some or many people hence I am incorporating this stance separate or distinct from the Cognitive-Behavioral approach.   In behavior therapy therefore, thoughts, feelings and all those â€Å"malfunctioning† and unwanted manifestations revealed in one’s activities can be unlearned and the work of a behavior therapist. The basic concepts include â€Å"extinguishing† – utilized when maladaptive patterns are then weakened and removed and in their place habits that are healthy are established (developed and strengthened) in a series or progressive approach called â€Å"successive approximations. When these (factors) are reinforced such as through rewards in intrinsic and extrinsic means, the potential of a more secure and steady change in behavior is developed and firmly established (Corey, 2004). – Cognitive-Behavioral therapy. In the cognitive approach alone, the therapist understands that a client or patient comes into the healing relationship and the former’s role is to change or modify the latter’s maladjusted or error-filled thinking patterns. These patterns may include wishful thinking, unrealistic expectations, constant reliving and living in the past or even beyond the present and into the future, and overgeneralizing. These habits lead to confusion, frustration and eventual constant disappointment. This therapeutic approach stresses or accentuates the rational or logical and positive worldview: a viewpoint that takes into consideration that we are problem-solvers, have options in life and not that we are always left with no choice as many people think. It also looks into the fact that because we do have options then there are many things that await someone who have had bad choices in the past, and therefore can look positively into the future. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy postulated primarily by Ellis and Beck â€Å"facilitates a collaborative relationship between the patient and therapist.† With the idea that the counselor and patient together cooperate to attain a trusting relationship and agree which problems or issues need to come first in the course of the therapy. For the Cognitive Behaviorist Therapist, the immediate and presenting problem that the client is suffering and complaining from takes precedence and must be addressed and focused in the treatment. There is instantaneous relief from the symptoms, and may be encouraged or spurred on to pursue in-depth treatment and reduction of the ailments where possible (Corey, 2004). – Psychoanalytic therapy. The Psychodynamic perspective is based on the work of Sigmund Freud. He created both a theory to explain personality and mental disorders, and the form of therapy known as psychoanalysis. The psychodynamic approach assumes that all behavior and mental processes reflect constant and often unconscious struggles within the person. These usually involved conflicts between our need to satisfy basic biological instincts, for example, for food, sex or aggression, and the restrictions imposed by society. Not all of those who take a psychodynamic approach accept all of Freud’s original ideas, but most would view abnormal or problematic behavior as the result of a failure to resolve conflicts adequately. Many of the disorders or mental illnesses recognized today without a doubt have their psychodynamic explanation aside from other viewpoints like that of the behaviourist, or the cognitivists. From simple childhood developmental diseases to Schizophrenia, there is a rationale that from Freud’s camp is able to explain (Kaplan et al, 1994). – The Existential approach, as put forward by Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Sartre, Heidegger, Rollo May, and Frankl, believes that the individual’s potential may lie dormant but that it is there waiting to be ushered in time. It recognizes that man is able to achieve great heights and that these are just waiting to be tapped not only by him/herself but that also when helped by a practitioner who is persuaded of this notion. It examines such major issues as free will and the challenges of exercising this free will, the issue of mortality, loneliness and in general, the meaning of life. The Therapy is effective when the practitioner works with elderly care and death and dying issues. It focuses on the individual needs but takes into consideration the significant relationships and the meanings they bring into the person’s life. Transcending the issues and problems are primary intentions of the therapist at the same time being realistic that certain limitations do exist and may hinder the process of recovery (Corey, 2004). –Humanistic therapy. Allport, Bugental, Buhler, Maslow Rollo May, Murphy, Murray, Fritz Perls and Rogers are those that helped usher in the Humanistic theory and consequent therapy. It holds in view the individual as possessing the options or freedom to choose, creativity, and the capability to attain a state where he/she is more aware, freer, responsible and worthy of trust. Because the human mind has immense potential, the approach assesses as well that forces from the environment bear on with the individual and depending on the interplay that occurs within the individual person, the result will either be destructive or constructive to the person. In sum, humanism takes into the perspective that essentially humans are good and not evil, and that the therapy facilitates by harnessing on the human potential through the development of interpersonal skills. This results to an enhanced quality life and the individual becomes an asset rather than a liability to the society where he revolves in (Corey, 2004). Reference:   Atkinson, R.L., R.C. Atkinson, E.E Smith, D.J. Bem, and S. Nolen-Hoeksema. Introduction to Psychology. 13th Ed. New York: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000. Corey, Gerald, 2004. Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Thomson Learning, USA. Kaplan, HI, BJ Saddock and JA Grebb. 1994. Kaplan and Saddock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences clinical psychiatry. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.