A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Essays

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Essays A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Essay A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Essay A Mighty Fortress Is Our God In order for there to be any kind of interest, relationship, or in other words a preoccupation of any matter, there must be some sort of acknowledgement. For instance, when we take a look at the scientific method, we know that in order to make a hypothesis there must first and foremost be an observation. Once a strong observation is in place, it is only natural to become intrigued or maybe Just aware of the potential harm of something. In the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, written by Martin Luther, a sense of acknowledgement of the devil is quite evident. The people of this hymns era had an understanding that there were evil forces that did not coincide with their heavenly father. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear , for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. So because these people had an understanding, or rather an acknowledgement that there were devils (witches/demons/sorcerers) in their mist it became natural to draw attention to the issue. Once the attention is drawn, people start to become preoccupied; hence the literature, songs, and beliefs about the devil. Another way to become preoccupied or to portray evidence that interest is being shown is for one to begin to compare or give titles. Throughout the hymn Luther threw in some startling titles of the devil that might have been commonly used in his era. Such include the prince of darkness, evil force, and the ancient foe. These titles are all examples that the people of this era are ended giving interest to the devil, Just as they would give God titles and attention to. In terms of the music itself the organ in the background or sounds if you will, enhance and portray a very majestic and royal setting. Almost as if triumphing over someone or something ; which at the time would be God triumphing over the devil for his people. Luther did well in using this particular instrument for his hymn, because its been used to glorify God in so many classical music and even in music today.

How to Write Dialogue That Captivates Your Reader

How to Write Dialogue That Captivates Your Reader How to Write Dialogue That Captivates Your Reader And unfortunately, your first reader will be an agent or an editor. You can’t slip anything boring past them. Your job is to make every word count. That’s the way to keep your reader riveted until the final page- no small task. Making every word count is how to write compelling dialogue. Readers love dialogue because: It breaks up intimidating blocks of narrative summary. It differentiates (through dialect and word choice) and reveals characters. Done well, it can move the story without author intrusion. But, as you have likely discovered, writing great dialogue is hard. If yours is bloated or obvious or telling or is in any other way uninteresting, readers won’t stay with you long. So how about we leave them no choice? Need help writing your novel?  Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. How to Write Dialogue in 6 Steps Cut to the Bone Reveal Backstory Reveal Character Be Subtle Read Your Dialogue Out Loud Create a Make My Day Moment Step 1. Cut to the Bone Unless you need to reveal a character as a brainiac or a blowhard pretending to be one, omit needless words. Obviously, you wouldn’t render a conversation the way a court transcript includes repetition and even um, ah, uh, etc. But even beyond that, see how much you can chop without losing the point. Like this: â€Å"What do you want to do this  Sunday?  I thought wWe could go to the amusement park.† â€Å"I was thinking about renting a rowboat,† Vladimir said.  on one of the lakes.† â€Å"Oh, Vladimir, that sounds wonderful! I’ve never gone rowing  before.† That doesn’t mean all your dialogue has to be short and choppy- just that you’ll cut the dead wood to keep to the point. You’ll be surprised by how much power it adds to your prose. Step 2. Reveal Backstory Layering in backstory through dialogue is another way to keep your reader turning pages. Hinting at some incident for the first time is an automatic setup that demands a payoff. Example: As they headed toward the house, Janet whispered, â€Å"Can we not have a repeat of Cincinnati?† Jeanie shot her a double take. â€Å"Believe me, I don’t want that any more than you do.† â€Å"Good,† Janet said. â€Å"I mean- † â€Å"Can we not talk about it, please?† What normal reader wouldn’t assume they will talk about it at some point and stay with the story until they do? As the story progresses, you can reveal more and more about your protagonist’s past and have your story come full circle. This accomplishes two things: it offers a setup that should intrigue the reader, and it helps you avoid flashbacks. Need help writing your novel?  Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. Step 3. Reveal Character Your reader learns a lot about your characters through dialogue. You don’t have to TELL us they’re sarcastic, witty, narcissistic, kind, or anything else. You can SHOW us by how they interact and by what they say. Step 4. Be Subtle Dialogue can accomplish a number of tasks. Here are three: 1. Subtext- where people say other than what they mean. This can be fun. Example: My friend sold a short story to a general-market magazine years ago about a girl named Cindy who falls in love with the slightly older boy next door, who sees her as just a little sister type. When they get to high school, Tommy is the big man on campus, captain of the football team, dating the head cheerleader, and pretty much ignoring Cindy. She’s just his younger neighbor and friend. Tommy leaves for college and word soon gets back to Cindy during her senior year of high school that he and his girlfriend have broken up. So when he comes home after his freshman year of college and is changing a tire on his car, Cindy just happens to walk outside. She strikes up a conversation with Tommy, and he looks up, stunned. Who is this beautylittle Cindy from next door? She says, â€Å"Making a change, are you?† Tommy looks at the tire and back at her and says, â€Å"Yeah, I actually I am making a change.† Cindy says, â€Å"Well, I’ve heard that rotating can be a good thing.† And he says, â€Å"Yeah, I’ve heard that too.† That’s subtext. They’re not saying what they really mean. They’re not really talking about changing the tire, are they? 2. Sidestepping- when a character responds to a question without answering it. Instead, what the character says is so profound and unexpected that it offers a whole new understanding of what’s going on. Example: In the movie Patch Adams, the late Robin Williams played a brilliant young doctor who believes the Old Testament adage that â€Å"laughter is the best medicine.† He goes into the children’s cancer ward of a hospital wearing an inflated surgical glove on his head, making him look like a rooster. He wears bedpans for shoes and stomps about, flapping his arms and squawking. The children find it hilarious, but hospital directors consider it undignified and demand he stop. Patch Adams is trying to make one girl in particular- a hospital volunteer- laugh. But while everyone else thinks he’s funny, she never cracks a smile. Finally, Patch leaves the hospital to open a clinic in the country. Imagine his surprise when that humorless young lady appears to help him set up. At one point, she goes outside to rest, so Patch follows and sits opposite her. He says, â€Å"I’ve got to ask. Everybody thinks I’m hysterical, but you. I’ve tried everything. What is it with you? Why don’t you ever think anything I say is funny?† After several seconds of silence, she says, â€Å"Men have liked me all my lifeall my life† And we realize by the way she says it, she was abused as a child. Suddenly, we understand what this girl is all about. She doesn’t trust men, and she doesn’t laugh, because life isn’t funny. The way she responded did not answer his question. Her problem had nothing to do with him or his humor. Finally, Patch realizes that some things aren’t funny. Some things you just don’t make fun of. Sometimes, you need to quit cracking jokes and just listen. It’s a great turnaround in the story. And an example of sidestep dialogue. 3. Silence The old truism that silence can be golden rings true for our last technique. Many, including Abraham Lincoln, have been credited with the line: â€Å"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.† One of the toughest things to learn as a writer is to avoid filling silent gaps. Just like we shouldn’t tell what’s not happening in a story, neither do we need to write that someone didn’t respond or didn’t answer. If you don’t say they did, the reader will know they didn’t. Example: â€Å"Well John,† Linda said, â€Å"what do you have to say for yourself?† John set his jaw and stared out the window. â€Å"I’m waiting,† she said. He lit a cigarette. Linda shook her head. â€Å"I swear, John, honestly.† Now, too many writers feel the need to write here, â€Å"But he refused to say anything,† or â€Å"But he never responded.† Don’t! We know, we get it- and it’s loud, effective, silent dialogue. The reader knows because John is saying nothing, and yet saying everything. Silence is golden. Step 5. Read Your Dialogue Out Loud One way to be certain your dialogue flows is to read it aloud or even act it out. Anything that doesn’t sound right won’t read right either, so rewrite it until it does. Step 6. Create a â€Å"Make My Day† Moment Certain iconic lines of dialogue have become as legendary as the films and books they originate from: â€Å"Frankly my dear† â€Å"There’s no place like home.† â€Å"We’re not in Kansas anymore.† â€Å"To my big brother George, the richest man in town.† â€Å"What we have here is failure to communicate.† â€Å"Go ahead, make my day.† â€Å"May the force be with you.† â€Å"Houston, we have a problem.† â€Å"Run, Forrest, run!† â€Å"You had me at hello.† Most writers - even bestselling novelists - never create such an unforgettable line of dialogue. But striving to create one is a worthy effort. Ironically, it should fit so seamlessly it doesn’t draw attention to itself until fans begin quoting it. How to Use Dialogue Tags to Identify Speakers Dialogue attribution tags- he said, she said, etc.- indicate who is speaking. Resist the urge to get creative here. Said is almost always your best choice. Teachers who urge you to find alternatives are usually unpublished and believe agents and editors will be impressed. Trust me, they won’t be. Avoid mannerisms of attribution. People say things. They don’t wheeze, gasp, sigh, laugh, grunt or snort them. They might do any of those things while saying them, which might be worth mentioning, but the emphasis should be on what is said, and readers just need to know who is saying it. Keep it simple. All those other descriptors turn the spotlight on an intrusive writer. Sometimes people whisper or shout or mumble, but let their choice of words indicate they’re grumbling, etc. If it’s important that they sigh or laugh, separate that action from the dialogue. Jim sighed. â€Å"I can’t take this anymore.† Not: Jim sighed, â€Å"I can’t take this anymore.† Though you read them in school readers and classic fiction, attribution tags such as use of reply, retort, exclaim, and declare have become clicheÃŒ d and archaic. You’ll still see them occasionally, but I suggest not using them. Often no attribution is needed. Use dialogue tags only when the reader wouldn’t otherwise know who’s speaking. I once wrote an entire novel, The Last Operative, without attributing a single line of dialogue. Not a said, an asked, anything. I made clear through action who was speaking, and not one reader, even my editor, noticed. A common error is characters addressing each other by name too often. Real people rarely do this, and it often seems planted only to avoid a dialogue tag. Fictional dialogue should sound real. Don’t start your dialogue attribution tag with said. Rather, end with said. said Joe or said Mary, reads like a children’s book. Substitute he and she for the names and that will make it obvious. said he or said she just doesn’t sound right. Use said after the name for the best sound. Joe said or Mary said. Resist the urge to explain, and give the reader credit. The amateur writer often writes something like this: â€Å"I’m beat,† exclaimed John tiredly. Besides telling and not showing - violating a cardinal rule of writing - it uses the archaic exclaimed for said, misplaces that before the name rather than after, and adds the redundant tiredly. The pro would write: John dropped onto the couch. â€Å"I’m beat.† That shows rather than tells, and because John’s action has been described, we don’t need an attribution tag to know he’s speaking. How to Punctuate Dialogue Few things expose a beginner like incorrect punctuation, especially in dialogue. Agents and editors justifiably wonder if you read dialogue, let alone whether you can write it, if you write something like: â€Å"I don’t know.† she said. Or, â€Å"What do you think?† He said. To avoid common mistakes: Start a new paragraph for each speaker When one character’s dialogue extends to more than one paragraph, start each subsequent paragraph with a double quotation mark, and place your closing double quotation mark only at the end of the final paragraph. Place punctuation inside the quotation marks, the dialogue tag outside: â€Å"John was just here asking about you,† Jim said. The attribution tag goes after the first clause of a compound sentence: â€Å"Not tonight,† he said, â€Å"not in this weather.† When dialogue ends with a question or exclamation mark, the dialogue tag following the quotation marks should be lowercase:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’m glad you’re here!† she said. Action before dialogue takes a separate sentence: Anna shook her head. â€Å"I can’t believe she’s gone!† Quoting within a quote requires single quotation marks: â€Å"Lucy, Mom specifically said, ‘Do not cut your bangs,’ and you did it anyway!† When action or attribution interrupts dialogue, use lowercase as dialogue resumes: â€Å"That,† she said, â€Å"hurt bad.† Dialogue Examples If you’re old enough to remember the original Twilight Zone (hosted by Rod Serling) or Dragnet (starring and narrated by Jack Webb), you know how dialogue set the tone for their shows. Serling was sometimes whimsical, sometimes mysterious, but always provocative. â€Å"Consider one middle-aged adult, lost in space and time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jack Webb, as L.A. police detective Sergeant Joe Friday, was always deadly serious and monotone. â€Å"Just the facts, ma’am.† Contrast those with the dialogue between Tom and his Aunt Polly in Tom Sawyer. If you’re anything like me, you were laughing from page 1. There! I mighta thought of that closet. What you been doing in there? Nothing. Nothing! Look at your hands. And look at your mouth. What IS that truck? I dont know, aunt. Well, I know. Its jam- thats what it is. Forty times Ive said if you didnt let that jam alone Id skin you. Hand me that switch. The switch hovered in the air- the peril was desperate- My! Look behind you, aunt! The old lady whirled round and snatched her skirts out of danger. The lad fled on the instant, scrambled up the highboard fence, and disappeared over it. Great dialogue can set the tone for your entire story and also differentiate characters, as we discussed earlier. In Huckleberry Finn,  Mark Twain delineates between Huck the Southern white boy and Jim the runaway slave by just hinting at their respective accents. Twain doesn’t use tags to tell who’s speaking, yet the reader never confuses the two. Huck says, â€Å"Jim, did y’all ever see a king?† Y’all is the only word in that sentence that implies a Southern accent, but it’s enough. Jim says, â€Å"I sho enough did.† Huck says, â€Å"You liar, Jim. You never seen no king.† Jim says, â€Å"I seen foh kings in a deck of cards.† Huck’s bad grammar and Jim’s sho and foh are the only hints of their dialects. Contrived phonetic spelling would slow the reading, but look what Twain accomplished with simple choices. The Cardinal Sin of Dialogue The last thing you want is to produce on-the-nose dialogue. Apply to your own work those principles and the tools I’ve outlined here, and I believe you’ll immediately see a huge difference. So will your reader. In the Comments, ask me any questions regarding how to write dialogue. Need help writing your novel?  Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide.

Operation management project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Operation management project - Essay Example Corporate objectives of the company are to improve and deliver superior customer service, reduce expenditure and at the same time increase revenues, develop best in the region utility infrastructure, etc. The target customers of AADC includes the entire population of the Al Ain region which the city of Al Ain and the rural areas surrounding the city. The population of the region is close to half a million. The business activity of AADC involves the following main processes: Customer Services – Electricity, Customer Services – Water, Urgent Services – Electricity, Urgent Services – Water, Management of Financial Activities, Update and Archive Customer Information, Planning and Performance Evaluation, Internal Audit, Other Services and Contact Center Services. All the above mentioned processes involve various other sub-processes which can not be involved in this report hence the report will only concentrate on the Load Demand Notification sub-process under the main process of Customer Services – Electricity. The customer is required to submit a request for electricity services along with various other required documents for the approval from AADC. The customer is required to submit the request for electricity load requirements prior to the commencement of a project. The customer can submit the request either through the counter or the website. A surveyor/technician then visits the site to inspect if LV power feed can be provided. If LV power feed can not be provided to the site, then the request is transferred to the Asset management department. Also the form is sent to the client through the web if the request was placed through the website. If LV feed can be fed to the site, then the capacity on the LV network is checked by an engineer. If the LV network is not available the case is then transferred to the Asset management division. If the LV network is available the electricity room is located by an engineer to determine the source

The Impact of using New Technology in Art Exhibitions Essay

The Impact of using New Technology in Art Exhibitions - Essay Example This is followed by a thorough analysis of the various expert viewpoints regarding several issues, such as whether online exhibition seems likely to replace traditional exhibition completely. These viewpoints are extracted from different literatures. For the artistic viewpoint, the research has used ‘Ways of Seeing’ and ‘Management and the Arts’, whereas, management books help elaborate the business viewpoint. 1. Traditional Exhibition: Scientific and technological advancement has dynamically altered the traditional exhibition industry, bringing in innovative technology into performance art, as is present in the London Design Museum. This has enhanced the ability of artistic techniques to express and generate emotion, and has also made the use of network form more efficient. Experts also write about how technological changes have affected the viewership and appreciation of the relevant art forms and their exhibitions. Technology has enabled a whole new segme nt of visitors to visit these art exhibitions and museums to appreciate the work. These audiences are those present worldwide, who can now appreciate the art by visiting online galleries of these museums (Camp, MacFadden and Mercer, 2000). Thus, the visitors are no longer limited to physical visits to the institutions. Their visits are no longer contingent on their geographical location, but simply on their passion and interest in art. Furthermore, technology has made it possible to sort out and cater to each of these virtual visitors individually, based on their educational backgrounds, ages and interests. This helps museums further achieve their goals of educating the public with the various lessons that art has to offer, and expanding their minds to further enable them to understand the depths of each piece of art. Thus, with this technological aide, museums are able to enrich the experience they provide to their visitors (Perlin 1998). Another relevant insight that the available literatures had to offer was about the â€Å"Contaminated Cultural Materials in Museum Collections† workshop that the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona in Tuscon held. The planning and implementation was sponsored by a NAPGRA grant, and the event took place from March 16th to 18th in 2000 (Odegaard & Sadongei, 2005). The workshop was held for representatives of the twenty one American Indian tribes in Arizona, aiming to discuss the features and quantity of chemical contamination present on tribal cultural material that the museum possesses. Following this, it aimed to explain the need for using such poisons on the materials. This was accompanied by a brief overview of the health risks, which are potentially attached with preserving and restoring a functional object in order to display to a community. Finally, the workshop aimed to circulate the clearinghouse information pertaining to medical referrals as well as toxicologists, chemical hygienists and other su ch health experts (Odegaard and Sadongei, p xi, 2005). Conclusion The workshop highlighted some important facts that need attention when museums and tribes plan to collaborate in the restoration of objects before sending them back to their place of origin. It shed light on the importance of communication in this ordeal. It is the museums responsibility to actively communicate all issue during consultations, and to keep the tribes informed during the whole process. The chances of uncovering a serious health issue of

Essay on the book Christianity in the first three centuries by Adolf

On the book Christianity in the first three centuries by Adolf Harnack - Essay Example Thus, the religion of Christianity has â€Å"become a power† (Harnack 312). Initially, Christianity has been known as a part of Judaism; subsequently, it has become one of the most dominant religions in the world. In its evaluation as a popular religion, it has attained a powerful grip on humanity. Harnack, by analyzing both historical developments of dogma and of the relation of the church to the state, along with missionary movement of Christians, investigates the expansion of this religion. Christianity has received a strong foundation to grow and the time too has been perfect in a certain sense, despite the stiff oppositions, constant attacks, enemies, unfavorable rulers and authorities. Harnack’s work is divided into three sections. The first section deals with the humble but dynamic beginning, with the background of Judaism, and the emergence of Jewish religion. Then it goes on to the mission, consequently segregating from the mainstream. The second section concer ns with the contents of the message that influenced the Christians with such a powerful force. The third section dwells on different methods employed, and hostility suffered in the voyage of the mission until it attained the recognition of the masses. This paper offers a critical analysis of Harnack’s work in relation to the mission and the expansion of Christianity. Review: Right at the beginning, in Book 1, Harnack brings to the attention of his audience Christianity’s germination on the fertile land of Jews and examines how it has fared then on. The context has remained favorable for Christianity’s growth. Jewish foothold has been very firm and their propaganda profound. Judaism gradually kept transforming in a philosophical context. However, afterwards, the religion has â€Å"presented itself in the eyes of the law and the authorities as a religion distinct from that of Judaism, its character as a religio illicita was assured† (Harnack 302). Simultane ously, the religion has blended itself into the lives and other aspects of the society in the east. This was syncretism, which looked like a unity from distance but is heterogenous in reality. When â€Å"Christianity came to formulate ideas of God, Jesus, sin, redemption, and life, it drew upon the materials acquired in the general process of religious evolution standing against polytheism.† Harnack showed that Jesus’ preaching and works are the base for further mission work and the impulse given by His genuineness worked as its spirit. The earliest followers, especially Paul, got this profound consciousness of being an apostle to the world. He was driven till the western ends of Roman Empire. The transition from Jewish mission to gentile mission is clearly shown by Harnack. In between, he argues against the Jews’ evilness and unworthiness of God’s grace. He takes it to extremes. In the gospels, first of all, one can find the obligation to go to the Jews and then the Gentiles. Jesus, however, did not give an explicit command for this, which remained further a field to think upon. However, His message was for the whole humanity. Harnack depicted Christianity as a syncretistic religion. But it is not clear to what extent this syncretism or the acceptance of ideas from others, and employing them for own understanding, was present in the words of Jesus and the

The Contemporary Issue Of Bullying Education Essay

The Contemporary Issue Of Bullying Education Essay The contemporary issue I have focused upon in this assignment is Bullying. This is a prevalent issue in todays society. I feel this is of great importance especially with the concerns arising from recent research into the effects of bullying. This research indicates that bullying can have social, physical and psychological effects on students as well as on their academic success. What is bullying Bullying is a social phenomenon that is not easy to define. It is a behaviour that can be either be physical/verbal or direct/indirect. A bully is defined in the dictionary as a person, who hurts, intimidates or persecutes someone who is perceived to be different or weaker. The Government defines bullying as Behaviour by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally. Dan Olweus a leading expert in this field has a similar definition to the governments and he asserts that A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative action on the part of one or more other student (Olweus, 1993 p.9) The most widely used definition however is one that is developed by Olweus ( 993) and extended by Whitney and Smith (1993, p.7):We say a child or young person is being bullied, or picked on when another child or young person, or a group of children or young people, say nasty and unpleasant things to him or her. It is also bullying when a child or a young person is hit, kicked, threatened, locked inside a room, sent nasty notes, when no- one ever talks to them and things like that. These things can happen frequently and it is difficult for the child or the young person being bullied to defend himself or herself. It is also bullying when a child or young person is teased repeatedly in a nasty way. But it is not bullying when two children or young people of about the same strength have the odd fight or quarrel. Different type of bullying The word bullying is used to describe many diffident types of violent or intimidating behaviour. Bullying is certainly not easy to classify but here are the main types that have been identified. The first is verbal bullying which is the most common bullying according to research. Childline reported that 56 percent of children that rang about bullying called about verbal bullying. This type of bullying includes name calling and gossiping. Name calling is the most prevalent form of bullying according to most studies. One child in the Childline research for 2007/08 stated I am being bullied at school and feel no one likes me. I am always running to hide or cry on my own because Im called names and am pulled at. I feel suicidal but I wont do it. The second is physical bullying which involves the use of physical force such as hitting and pushing. This type of bullying is considered to be direct because it is intentionally focussed at the victim. In 2007/08 Childline reported that 53 percent of children and young people that called about bullying reported physical bullying. It can be identified through physical signs such as bodily harm although physical bullying does not always mean injury. Physical bullying can be a way of trying to humiliate the victim and show power over them. The third is indirect verbal bullying and this kind of bullying involves hurtful and untruthful comments behind the victims back. It can include spreading of rumours, letters or notes or even graffiti. The last is Cyber-bullying which is the newest form of bullying identified and has become a concern in recent years. This is a technology-enabled bullying and involves bullying by means of chat rooms, instant messing, mobile phones or even emails. Research initiated as a part of the DCSF cyber-bullying campaign highlighted that thirty four percent of 12-15 year olds reported being subject to cyber-bullying. Similarly research carried out by Goldsmiths College for the Anti-bullying Alliance found that twenty two percent of 11-16 year olds had fallen victims to cyber-bullying. Prevalence Various studies have been undertaken on this subject but because of the subjects sensitive nature it is hard to determine solid, valid and reliable statistics. The research being completed however does highlight the true extent of the bullying problem in the classroom setting. Bullying is a contemporary issue with the first national survey on this subject being conducted relatively recently. Kidscapes conducted the national survey between the years of 1984 and 1986 using a sample of 4000 children ages 5 to 12. The survey revealed the extent of the problem. The survey showed that 68% of the children had been bullied at least once, 39 percent had been bullied at least twice and 0.5% of those children felt it had affected their lives that substantially that they tried to commit suicide. Recent research also suggests that the problem is still prominent in the school setting. According to one recent study, one-fifth of primary school pupils and a quarter of pupils in Year 8 perceived bull ying as a big problem in their school. A later report by ChildLine showed that 15 per cent of primary school children and 12 per cent of secondary school children said they had bullied in the last year (ChildLine2004). In another study, 50 per cent of severely bullied boys said that they bully others, as did 33 per cent of severely bullied girls. Childline the national helpline for children received between the months of April 2000 to march 2001 almost 20,300 calls from children and young people concerned about bullying. Kidscape another helpline believes it receives more that 16,000 calls from parents each year concerned about their children getting bullied. Research has also suggested that Cyber-bullying which is the newest identified form of bullying is becoming a major problem. The number of Cyber-bullying cases is on the rise (Noret and Rivers, 2006). A study by National Centre for Social Research released to coincide with November 2009 Anti-bullying week revealed that Cyber-bullying is now one of the commonest forms of bullying in school. The Longitudinal study tracked 15,000 pupils who had their 14th birthday in 2004. The research also pointed out that 47% of 14-year-olds, 41% of 15-year-olds and 29% of 16-year-olds reported being bullied. Disabled children and children with special educational needs were also found to be more likely targets. This coincides with other such research that shows SEN children or children with disabilities are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied (Smith, 2007) The Longitudinal study also showed that children who reported being bullied went on to achieve on average 2 GCSE grades lower then children who were not bullied and were more likely to drop out of education at 16. This research is worrying and provides evidence of the detrimental effects bullying can have. Effects of Bullying Bullying can have all sorts of effects on children so it is important that bullying is tackled head on. The DfEE states that The emotional distress caused by bullying in whatever form be it racial, or as a result of a childs appearance, behaviour or special educational needs, or related to sexual orientation, can prejudice school achievement, lead to lateness or truancy, and in extreme cases, end with suicide.'(DfEE, 1999: 24-25). Vernon Coaker the schools minister also asserted at the event for Anti-Bullying Week that Bullying, in any form, should not be tolerated. It can destroy lives and have a lasting impact on young peoples confidence, self-esteem and emotional development. Research has indicated that bullying can not only effect academic achievement, it has also been linked with low self-esteem, anxiety, impaired concentration, truancy, depression and suicidal thoughts. Kidscape performed the first ever survey of adults with the aim of finding out if bullying had any lasting effects. The survey which was funded by the national lottery and proved that being badly bullied as a child had knock on affects. 46% nearly half of the survey population contemplated suicide compared with 7% of those who were not bullied. Most of the adults surveyed had little or no help at the time of the incidents. Tackling school bullying The Government in recent years has emphasised that tackling the problem of bullying is a main priority of theirs. The Government in 1999 said it was a legal obligation for all schools to have an anti bullying policy in place. Legislation places a duty on the head teacher to enforce an anti bullying policy and states that schools must encourage respect for others and prevent all forms of bullying among pupils.  Government guidance additionally states that the policy should be reviewed annually and that every member of the school community (including children, young people, carers and parents) should be involved in this review. Each school is in charge of designing their own policy with the help from Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The DCSF help schools to design strategies and effective anti -bullying policy to tackle bullying head on. They do this by providing very comprehensive guidance documents and have regional advisers on hand who have expertise in this area to help implement their guidance. Schools have a legal obligation to ensure measures are in place to address bullying: Head teachers must enforce a policy as a preventative measure against bullying in accordance with the Human Rights Act 1998. The Standards Frameworks Acts (1998) states that all schools are required by law to have an anti-bullying policy. Schools have statutory liability regarding behaviour of pupils under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 : the head teacher shall determine measures to be taken with a view to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ be encouraging good behaviour and respect for others on the part of pupils and, in particular, preventing all forms of bullying among pupils. Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that bullying policy should be in place in each school and every child should know what to do if they find them self in the situation where they are being bullied. Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 states what is required of the governing bodies in relation to the wellbeing of the pupils in their school: The governing body of a maintained school shall make arrangements for ensuring that their functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school. The Education Act 2002 lays down out two aims for the national curriculum, whereby schools must make sure that it provides opportunities for all pupils to learn and achieve and promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society, and prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. The DfES circular, Social Inclusion: Pupil Support Circular outlines government expectations and the legal duty of head teachers with regard to bullying The National Health School Guidance asserts that it is necessary that schools have a policy and code of practice for tackling bullying, which is owned, understood and implemented by all members of the school community and includes contact with external support agencies. Under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 schools are required to promote race equality. Childrens Act (2004) sets out five outcomes that professionals should work towards. These are to; Be Healthy; Stay Safe; Enjoy and achieve; Make a positive contribution and Achieve economic well-being. Safe to Learn: embedding anti-bullying work in schools is the new overarching anti-bullying guidance for schools which was introduced in September 2007. The safe to learn guidance includes advice on bullying. In addition to this Ofsteds framework for inspecting schools states that inspectors must assess and give an account on the magnitude and degree of bullying, racism and other forms of harassment. They must also report on the schools successfulness at dealing with bullying incidents and look at the schools relations with parents. Schools are not immediately responsible for bullying that takes place outside of the educational setting but their anti-bullying policy should make it known that steps are in effect to respond to such incidents. The Government publicised two anti-bullying guidance documents on 15 April 2009. These documents gave advice on how to tackle bullying outside of the classroom setting. Versions of the guidance documents were also for local authorities, youth workers, college staff, play workers, transport providers and childrens homes. Despite all of this there is no law which states that Scottish schools must have a specific anti-bullying policy. However there have been documents such as Action Against Bullying distributed to Scottish schools in 1992 that recommend that they should implement a policy. Scottish local authorities have approved of this recommendation but it isnt really enough. Other available help As well as the legislation and guidance documents there are other avenues of support and guidance. Schools for one can pledge their allegiance to tackling bullying by signing up to the Anti-bullying charter whereby there can self-assess their bullying policy. An anti-bullying week is also held every year by the Anti-bullying Alliance The anti bullying Alliance was established in July 2002 by NSPCC and NCB, it has combined 68 organisations into one association. Their aim is to reduce bullying and create a safe environment for which children can study. Anti bullying weeks aim is to raise awareness of bullying and the issues that surround it. This years Anti-Bullying Week was focused on tackling cyber-bullying. Sue Steel, National Manager of the Anti-Bullying Alliance , said on the 2009 anti-bullying week that: It is very encouraging that the Government is doing so much to make Anti-Bullying Week a real success. We all need to work in partnership to ensure children, young people and their parents are aware of the risks of cyber bullying and know how to prevent it There are also various websites to help both parents and adults such as the DirectGov  website which has plenty of advice for young people concerned about bullying. Parentline Plus has a helpline for parents, provides support through the Be Someone to Tell webpage and a website for parental advice on dealing with bullying of their child. A comprehensive list of organisations that provide both help and support concerning bullying is available in Annex  I of the overarching Safe to learn guidance. Developing a whole-school approach The whole school approach is recommended by the DfES and works by engaging involving the whole school community from pupils and teachers to staff, carers and parents. This approach works by involving everyone and creating a framework that endorses shared beliefs and values that help to counteract and reduce bullying effectively. The framework sets out steps to advise and manage incidents of bullying. The DfES recommends launching this whole-school policy in four phases: awareness and consultation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The policy should aim to: Ensure that the whole school community understands bullying and what is meant by bullying. Make it understandable that bullying will not be accepted inside or outside of the school setting. Create an effective system to deal with bullying incidents that enables children to easily report bullying occurrences. Ensure that all incidents reported are investigated seriously and the measures in place are acted upon in response. That clearly defined procedures are in place. Provide a systematic method of recording incidents that take place this in turn can help in evaluating and reviewing policy. Have a peer support programme in place. Continually review procedures and policy and keep the whole school community informed of any changes or revamps. Anti-bullying Policy Case Study In my small case study I looked at 3 anti-bullying policys for schools in the Surrey area. I would first like to note that out of the 5 websites I viewed, two did not have any anti-bullying policy online. Anti- bullying policy should be readily available for the school community and should be online for easy access for the whole school community. I will address the schools as A, B and C. School A had a very comprehensive Anti-bullying strategy in place using the whole school approach. It clearly defined anti-bullying procedure in place for children staff and parents using headings such as guidance for children. The Policy included an effectives system clearly stating each stage of procedure and using the no blame approach. School A also asserted that all incidents would be recorded and used in further cases if needed. The use of a peer support strategy was also in place which seems to add to the policies effectiveness as these systems have been found to be effective in reducing the negative effects of bullying for victims. This policy was said to have been reviewed in 2009 and was to be reviewed on a regular basis which again seemed excellent practice. School As policy was seemed precise and effective using the whole school community and in doing so promoting a shared set of values and beliefs. The fact it is reviewed on a regular basis makes sure the policy is fresh and effective. This school also had regular newsletters with any new updates on anti-bullying strategies or changes in policy these were in turn clearly published online. School Bs policy had a clear precise definition of bullying but however it was not as comprehensive as School A. The policy did show the procedure in place and stated the support in place for children; it however was aimed at staff and parents only and did not involve the whole school community. The policy had clearly not been reviewed in some time as it was dated May 2005 which is nearly 5 years ago and seemed outdated and forgotten. School Cs policy was just appalling; it consisted of a paragraph about the definition of bullying and a list of behaviour codes. It did promote a shared value on the expected codes of behaviour but no set clear process in place for dealing of bullying for staff, children or parents. Is the governments strategy working? There is not much in the way of research into this field and whether anti- bullying policy is effective or not. Bullying has decreased slightly since the previous year which could be a reflection of the change in government policy and promotion of peer support but really it is not a decrease in incidents. I conducted a small scale survey of 8 teaching assistants and teachers in schools around the UK to find out whether they felt the government were doing enough in relation to bullying. U.K  government is doing enough for schools in  relation to bullying  How do you feel about this statement?   Strongly Agree     0     0%     Agree     1     8%     Neutral     2   17%     Disagree     5   42%     Strongly Disagree     0     0%   The results show that 42% disagreed with the statement that the government was doing enough in relation to bullying, 17% were neutral and 8% agreed. This survey just indicates that people within the school context feel more can be done to stop bullying. One participant even stated There are anti bullying programs in place at schools but the children often do not come forward. The Government could work with the schools to make it easier for children to come forward. Bullying UKS CEO, John Carnell was reported saying These figures are disgraceful and show that the government and schools are just not getting to grips with this problem. Bullying UK was founded 10 years ago and the problems we are seeing now are the same ones we saw 10 years ago. Day in, day out, year in, year out, we are receiving exactly the same complaints from desperate parents and children and its a scandal that there is no government funding for the vital work we do which we know saves suicidal childrens lives. In the Childline case notes one counsellor asserts I dont think things have changed, and when you ask the children whether there are anti-bullying policies the children say yes, but it still makes you powerless. The frustrating thing is that we still receive so many calls about bullying What can schools do to tackle bullying? Research has proven that the whole school approach is the most effective strategy and recommended by the DfES. The whole school community should be involved in devising and implementing an anti-bullying policy. It requires everyone to maintain and advocate the standards in the policy and act promptly when incidents occur. This approach promotes shared values and beliefs and enables a clear understanding of the acceptable standards of behaviour. In Wales, Lambert, Scourfield, Smalley and Jones (in press) found a significant association between lower levels of bullying, and pupils reporting that the school had clear rules on bullying. The law does state that behaviour policy should be publicised to the school community once a year although really it should be communicated a lot more then this to refresh minds. Research has indicated that just having an anti-bullying policy alone is not enough. In order for a policy to be effective it needs to be efficiently implemented, reviewed and evaluated constantly. As for instance one study found that school-wide policies decline in effectiveness over a 2-3 year period, after which time bullying increases (Sharp et al, 2002). Smith states Bullying is an ongoing problem, so a one-off effort over a term or a year without continuation will have little or no lasting impact (Smith, 2004, p101). Bullying policy should be reviewed regularly and the whole school community should be involved in and notified of changes. Children should have a say in the policy as suggested by the DCSF. There are guidance documents such as the Anti-Bullying Alliance resource Are you talking to me?: Young Peoples Participation in Anti-Bullying. It is important to engage children and incorporate their ideas in the anti-bullying policy allowing them to be an active part of school life. There are a range of suggested classroom activities to encourage pupils to discuss anti-bullying policy. The Government has recently made PSHE lessons compulsory and these are a perfect platform for discussing bullying and anti-bullying policy. The need is to have a comprehensive anti-bullying policy and strategies in place. Not every school has a policy that is comprehensive and covers the extensive bullying types. For example, Adams, Cox Dunstan (2004) reported that out of 19 schools surveyed in the UK none of them specifically mentioned sexual orientation in the anti-bullying policies. What can the government do to tackle bullying? There are a range of things the government can still do to tackle bullying. A statuary duty should be made on schools and education authorities in Scotland to have anti-bullying policy in place. Scottish Schools are not legally obliged to have any policy or strategy in place to counteract bullying. Wales should also have regional advisors like England to advise schools about the effective strategies against bullying including best practice and how to create all an effective anti-bullying policy. The government should also find a way of assessing anti-bullying policy in each school as having this policy in place does not mean it is being implemented properly or carried out in the School context. Finally awareness should be raised on the newest forms of bullying such as cyber-bullying this should also be reflected in relevant policy. PSHE lessons can help raise this awareness and I feel bullying should become a compulsory topic allowing the school to discuss not only bullying in general but their own anti-bullying policy and practice. Conclusion After examining the research, articles, statistics and other information it does become apparent bullying has ever so slightly demised in the last few years but not really enough. This tells me that the government initiatives and policies have had a small effect in reducing bullying. The big problem with the anti-bullying policy is that each school has to devise the policy and implement it, which means the policys effectiveness can range dramatically between each school. If the government is to succeed at cracking down on bullying significantly I feel it is necessary to do the research and implement the same effective policy in each school. It may be useful for the Government to examine leading countries in the fight against bullying. The government also needs to listen to the people that this problem effects and find out their views on the policy that stands.

Is it right for celebrities to make a lot of money? Essay -- essays re

Over-Paid, Yet Under Rated   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing up in America, many people are unaware of what is really occurring around them. People are so into their televisions, and their jobs that they fail to recognize the amount of work that is put into making this country as wonderful as it is. However, many people complain about the wages they receive hourly at work, or the salary they earn every month. Some complain that it is too low, and others complain about the taxes that are deducted, and how they do not have money to spend for occasions like Christmas, or even vacations. Then those same people sit at home, watch television, whether it is a basketball game, a game show, or even a soap opera, and complain about why those actors, athletes, and entertainers earn so much money, when they do not do as much as doctors, and teachers do. They complain about soccer players that are paid more monthly than doctors do yearly. They complain about singers that are paid for lip singing on stage, fooling many people. Ev en with their complaints, they sit down and watch the football game, watch the concert, and support actors, entertainers, and athletes. Why should those actors, entertainers, and athletes be paid that much money when they do not shape our future like teachers do, or save lives like doctors do? Unfortunately, for those people who complain, it is because of people like that, which cause people like Britney Spears, and Shaquille O’Neal to have more money than some people can count. It certainly is not fair that famous people such as Shaquille O’Neal, and Britney Spears earn so much money, but people cannot complain about it not being fair because unfortunately America is a very entertainment filled country, and almost everyone in the country has a favorite singer, band, athlete, team, or sport that they support, by either purchasing clothing, albums, tickets to the games or concerts, which makes the famous person earn that high amount of money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The music industry is a very large industry in America, and it seems to be growing larger and larger year by year. A person may not have to go through four years of college to be able to sing a song, but either way they must work to earn what they do. An example of that would be the famous rapper Eminem. While growing up, Eminem had to work to support his mother because his f... ... so the people who complain will stop complaining about how those famous people get money, but will then begin to complain about why there are no good shows, or sports, or movies to watch on television any longer. There will always be complaints, but those who complain should be aware that they are the ones that cause those actors, actress, athletes, and entertainers to have the amount of money that they do. Works Cited Lawson, Terry. â€Å"’8 Mile’ Strikes Gold at Opening.† Detroit Free Press 11 Nov. 2002. 24 Nov. 2003. . Reinhold, Eric J. â€Å"A Game Plan for Working with Professional Athletes.† Journal of Financial Planning. Jun. 2000. 26 Nov. 2003. . Rovell, Darren. Official: Beckham Not Nearing Lifetime Adidas Deal. 11 Aug. 2003. 25 Nov. 2003. . Salary Cap for 2003-04 Season set at $43.84 Million. 15 Jul. 2003. 24 Nov. 2003. . Salomon, Yves Erwin. â€Å"Eminem, Mariah Carey & Jay-Z Make Top 10 of ‘Rocks 50 Richest 2003’ List.† Launch Music on Yahoo. 18 Mar. 2003. 25 Nov. 2003. . Specialists, not Generalists, Taking Home More Pay. American College of Physicians. 25 Nov. 2003. . Wilson, Bernie. â€Å"Bryant: ‘Terrified’ for case’s effect on family.† USA Today. 4 Oct. 2003. 25 Nov. 2003. . Is it right for celebrities to make a lot of money? Essay -- essays re Over-Paid, Yet Under Rated   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing up in America, many people are unaware of what is really occurring around them. People are so into their televisions, and their jobs that they fail to recognize the amount of work that is put into making this country as wonderful as it is. However, many people complain about the wages they receive hourly at work, or the salary they earn every month. Some complain that it is too low, and others complain about the taxes that are deducted, and how they do not have money to spend for occasions like Christmas, or even vacations. Then those same people sit at home, watch television, whether it is a basketball game, a game show, or even a soap opera, and complain about why those actors, athletes, and entertainers earn so much money, when they do not do as much as doctors, and teachers do. They complain about soccer players that are paid more monthly than doctors do yearly. They complain about singers that are paid for lip singing on stage, fooling many people. Ev en with their complaints, they sit down and watch the football game, watch the concert, and support actors, entertainers, and athletes. Why should those actors, entertainers, and athletes be paid that much money when they do not shape our future like teachers do, or save lives like doctors do? Unfortunately, for those people who complain, it is because of people like that, which cause people like Britney Spears, and Shaquille O’Neal to have more money than some people can count. It certainly is not fair that famous people such as Shaquille O’Neal, and Britney Spears earn so much money, but people cannot complain about it not being fair because unfortunately America is a very entertainment filled country, and almost everyone in the country has a favorite singer, band, athlete, team, or sport that they support, by either purchasing clothing, albums, tickets to the games or concerts, which makes the famous person earn that high amount of money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The music industry is a very large industry in America, and it seems to be growing larger and larger year by year. A person may not have to go through four years of college to be able to sing a song, but either way they must work to earn what they do. An example of that would be the famous rapper Eminem. While growing up, Eminem had to work to support his mother because his f... ... so the people who complain will stop complaining about how those famous people get money, but will then begin to complain about why there are no good shows, or sports, or movies to watch on television any longer. There will always be complaints, but those who complain should be aware that they are the ones that cause those actors, actress, athletes, and entertainers to have the amount of money that they do. Works Cited Lawson, Terry. â€Å"’8 Mile’ Strikes Gold at Opening.† Detroit Free Press 11 Nov. 2002. 24 Nov. 2003. . Reinhold, Eric J. â€Å"A Game Plan for Working with Professional Athletes.† Journal of Financial Planning. Jun. 2000. 26 Nov. 2003. . Rovell, Darren. Official: Beckham Not Nearing Lifetime Adidas Deal. 11 Aug. 2003. 25 Nov. 2003. . Salary Cap for 2003-04 Season set at $43.84 Million. 15 Jul. 2003. 24 Nov. 2003. . Salomon, Yves Erwin. â€Å"Eminem, Mariah Carey & Jay-Z Make Top 10 of ‘Rocks 50 Richest 2003’ List.† Launch Music on Yahoo. 18 Mar. 2003. 25 Nov. 2003. . Specialists, not Generalists, Taking Home More Pay. American College of Physicians. 25 Nov. 2003. . Wilson, Bernie. â€Å"Bryant: ‘Terrified’ for case’s effect on family.† USA Today. 4 Oct. 2003. 25 Nov. 2003. .