League of Legends is Good

League of Legends is a game that is very popular these days. However, nearly every parent hates the idea of his/her children playing this game. Parent only heard the news that a Taiwanese died from playing League of Legends. Also, his/her parent don't want his/her child to get addicted by it. However, moms and dads will never know the pros of the game. I enjoy talking about it with my good friends. Nearly everyone in KISS Paying plays League of Legends, and it is one of the most popular games in the school right now.We even have a secret Faceable group called KISS 7th Grade League of Legends. We like to post mimes, our favorite game match we've had, and some news. If I have a victory, it is so fun to talk about it with my friends. Also, we always laugh if something funny happened in LOL. Because of this, there are usually good relationships between the kids who play LOL. I usually have pride in my achievements, form camaraderie's with other folks online, and gain appreciation of my growing skills. ! Different champions, skills, and champ combinations get me excited.In LOL, there are many champions that a player could use for battle. Currently, there are over 100 different champions, so the player can choose who he/she want to play (the player needs to buy the champion first). It is never boring, because he/she can buy new champions, decorations (a. K. A. Skins), and every champions have their own unique passives and active skills. These features let you fall deep into imagination, a place where you can relieve stress, if used enough. People are terribly mistaken if they think of LOL as a game that only kills other people.Surprisingly, LOL can improve one's cooperation and planning skills, as well as some other things, such as communication skills, vice versa. LOL requires 5 players on each team, who all have different roles. Because everyone has different roles, no one is less important than others. Also, cooperation and communication are the keys to victory. A player need to communicate with your team (in a way they can understand) if he/she want to coordinate a surprise attack. If the player cooperate, the team will sometimes compliment him/her, and form a friendship with the player.The player needs to plan ahead of what he/she are going to do. LOL is a strategy game. The team's victory doesn't happen only because one's skills are good. He/she need to work with his/her team to win. There are many pros for playing League of Legends. It is actually beneficial to people, if they can control their gaming time. It can help them make friends, improve their cooperation/planning/communication skills, and it can excite them, even though they are in a very bad mood. Parents are Just worrying about their children too much,

Pollution in China Essay

Introduction China, with its rapid industrialisation seems to have paid its price by witnessing steeply rising levels of pollution. With millions of largely unregulated industries, the vast rivers, streams and lakes have become easy avenues for chemical, textile and tanning industries to discharge their toxic contents at will. The paper discusses the pollution in China, its impact on the environment and how it has affected the lives of people.   An Overview of Pollution in China   A report by the World Bank (China 2007) has pointed out that China is facing increased levels of pollution that has kept pace with the rising industrialisation of rural China. The report points out that the use of energy in China has went up by 70 % between 2000 and 2005. The use of coal has also increased by 75% and this has created a corresponding increase in the air pollution. The report points out that China’s emissions of SO2 and soot were respectively 42 percent and 11 percent higher making it the largest polluter in the world. The report also points out that pollution of water, rivers, lakes has also increased to alarming levels. Water pollution is also a cause for serious concern and during 2001 and 2005, about 54 percent of the seven main rivers in China contained water deemed unsafe for human consumption. The report points out that the economic burden of premature mortality and morbidity due to air pollution was157.3 billion Yuan in 2003, or 1.16 percent of by WHO. The report suggests that pollution costs China more than 147 billion Yuan a year in the form of increased health related costs. A report from CBS news says â€Å"China’s air pollution seems like a problem just for that country, think again. The stuff spewing out in China has now been detected in the United States, and some suspect it’s beginning to affect the U.S. climate China’s far-reaching dust and soot cloud travelling to the West Coast hits Hawaii first, and that may be why temperatures in Hawaii are rising. A lot of early-computer modelling of Chinese pollution’s effects on the global climate is turning out to be just plain wrong. This is why a massive new study with ground and air monitoring across Asia starts next year† (Yinchaun, 31 March 2000). Following table shows the air quality in China Table 1. Trends in Air Quality in China’s Cities (%) (China, 2007) The following table shows the distribution of particulate matter in air Table 2. Distribution of PM10 and SO2 Levels in 341 Cities, 2003 and 2004 (China, 2007)   The list of pollutants that infect China re provided in the following table. Table 4. List of major pollutants and their categories (China, 2007)   Clare (Clare D’Souza, 2002) reports that â€Å"Energy consumption, especially coal consumption, is the main source of air pollutants such as particles, SO2, NOx, and CO in most cities of China. As the primary energy source, coal has accounted for about 65 to 70 percent (China Statistical Yearbook 2004) of total energy consumption in recent years, which has caused many environmental and human health problems. Crude oil consumption has been increasing because of the rapid expansion of the motor vehicle fleet in many cities. In recent years, epidemiological studies conducted around the world have demonstrated that there are close associations between air pollution and health outcomes. PM10 and SO2 are chosen in many studies as the indicative pollutants for evaluating the health effects of ambient air pollution. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, epidemiological evidence suggests that outdoor air pollution is a contributing cause of morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological studies have found consistent and coherent associations between air pollution and various outcomes, including respiratory symptoms, reduced lung function, chronic bronchitis, and mortality†. The author suggests that industry â€Å"size† is controversial with respect to environmental issues. In some studies large enterprises have been deemed to be more pollution intensive in comparison with small enterprises. The author reports that small enterprises as being more environmentally friendly due to their size and found small plants to be far more pollution intensive because they are difficult and costly to regulate. Empirical research has suggested that enterprise size is inversely correlated with emissions intensity in developing countries. World Bank and other institutions have found that small enterprises are pollution intensive (Mani, 1997).   Karshenas (1992 author has pointed that the Winter’s (model of business and the environment may be a more appropriate way of approaching the problem. According to the author, â€Å"enterprises may not have mastered perfection in terms of ecological sustainability but enterprises can make a systematic assessment of the areas where improvements can be introduced. Although Winter goes beyond traditional management theory, the model emphasizes ecologically sound processes and practices right throughout a firm, from company policy, employee relations, supply chain, public relations and marketing. A firm should consider prevention, reduction, recycling and disposal of wastes throughout its operations. They should use sustainable inputs in environmentally friendly manufacturing processes that result in greener outputs (i.e. maintaining environmentally friendly processes for a product from cradle to grave). This would prove to be profitable, provided that the end users, be they industry or consumers, are committed to using green products. Ideally, enterprises should take control of their own operational structure by viewing cleaner manufacturing as a competitive and strategic challenge, they should resort to manufacturing life-cycle analysis, environmental auditing and environmental reporting. The reality is that an enterprise cannot consider making a product ecologically sound without considering how its raw material acquisition, development, manufacturing, distribution, sales and disposal systems impact on the environment. The author suggests that has gone one step further by stating that managers in a green venture start from a different mindset. They recognise that becoming green is an opportunity to establish a unique position in a niche market or, by being able to produce a higher value product with fewer resources, to gain a competitive advantage. He proposed a trisect by which sustainable business is based on the concept of balancing ecological, economic and social factors†..   Action to fight pollution   The government of China has redoubled its efforts in fighting pollution and has organized task forces at the local levels. The structure is shown in the following figure. Figure 1. Main Government Partners in the Project   The report has identified a number of measures to fight pollution and these are displayed in the following table. Table 4. Sectors and Pollutants Included in the CECM (China, 2007) The team has implemented certain steps to fight the pollution and these are illustrated in the following figure.   Figure 2. Flow Chart for Estimating the Economic Cost of Pollution (China, 2007)   The following steps have been proposed: Step 1: Identify the pollution factors, polluted area, and related conditions. Step 2: Determine affected endpoints and establish dose-response relationships for pollution damage. Step 3: Estimate population (or other) exposures in polluted areas. Step 4: Estimate physical impacts from pollution using information from steps 2 and 3. Step 5: Convert pollution impacts in physical terms to pollution costs in monetary terms. Indiscreet reaction by the Chinese government Wang (Wang Xiangwei. 4 Jun 4, 2007) reports that the Chinese government is paranoid about maintaining a good image about China, for fears that it may hurt its business stakes. The author reports that the most convenient way for China to control pollution is by jailing activists who point out the problems of pollution. The author reports about the village of Wuxi and how it was affected by pollution. â€Å"For hundreds of years, Wuxi , on the edge of Tai Lake, was the envy of the nation. In the heart of the Yangtze River delta and known as â€Å"the land of fish and rice†, it was bestowed with fertile land and abundant waterways, and was also home to famous poets, painters and industrialists. Since recently however, the city has become a stinking hell for its five million residents as a blue-green algal bloom from the heavily polluted lake contaminated the city’s tap water, making it foul-smelling and undrinkable. After scrambling for six days with emergency measures, Wuxi officials said yesterday the tap water was drinkable. But the residents, who have relied on bottled water for drinking and cooking, have every reason to be suspicious. Xinhua has reported that after the usual cleaning aids such as activated carbon failed to remove the odour, the city adopted what Mayor Mao Xiaoping called â€Å"a bold move† by pouring huge amounts of potassium permanganate (Condy’s crystals) into water-intake points. This allowed the strong oxidising agent to remove foul-smelling matter from the pipes. But Xinhua failed to explain that potassium permanganate is hazardous and can be a health risk. As the Wuxi officials brazenly claimed credit for winning the battle against the water crisis, none of them yet had the decency to apologise to the suffering residents. All of them have blamed factors beyond their control – higher- than-normal temperatures that helped to foster the growth of the algae, a lack of rain and favourable wind conditions, and the lowest water level in the lake in five decades. In fact, the fundamental cause of the crisis is the lake’s heavy pollution – as several mainland environmentalists have repeatedly warned the authorities in the past decade. Wu Lihong, 39, is one of them. He has spent large sums of his own money over the past 16 years collecting evidence of pollution at Tai Lake, the mainland’s thirdlargest freshwater lake, and petitioning the local authorities to shut down the polluters. Now, with a water crisis on its hands, one would imagine any government that claims to â€Å"put the people first† would give Wu a medal of honour and make him a hero. Instead, Wu, known as the Tai Lake anti-pollution warrior in overseas media, is languishing in jail and awaiting trial on June 12 on trumped-up charges of blackmail. A farmer turned businessman who grew up in Zhoutie town in Yixing – a small, booming industrial city under the jurisdiction of Wuxi – Wu witnessed the lake turn into a cesspit. He then made it a personal crusade to petition authorities to shut down more than 2,000 chemical factories in Yixing that spewed toxic pollutants into the lake every day. By passing the local bureaucracy and filing reports to higher- level government officials has led to limited success he is welcomed, even liked by many central government officials and national media in Beijing. In 2005, he was chosen as one of mainland’s top 10 environmentalists and honoured at a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People. But he incurred the wrath of local officials and has been constantly harassed by local policemen, officials and thugs. He was arrested again in April on charges of blackmail after the local officials set a trap for him. They offered him 40,000 yuan for a mission to attract investment from other mainland cities, and then laid charges of blackmailing the authorities. His lawyer, Zhu Xiaoyan , said that Wu had told her that he was whipped while in custody, and she was not allowed to see him until more than six weeks after his arrest. Like Gao Yaojie , a retired Henan doctor who refused to keep quiet about Aids, Wu has refused to stand down despite the threat of jail. The mainland leadership should learn from the fiasco of trying to muzzle Ms Gao and release Wu immediately†.(Wang Xiangwei. 4 Jun 4, 2007).   Conclusion Pollution in China has assumed the proportion of an epidemic with wide ramifications on the health of the people, the environment, air and water. The paper has presented discussed various aspects of the problem and presented statistics to show the extent of pollution. Certain recommendations have also been made so that the pollution could be averted and reduced to some extent. References China, 2007. Cost of Pollution in China. Retrieved 18 January 2008 from www.worldbank.org/eapenvironment. Clare D’Souza, 2002. The nexus between industrialization and environment. Journal of Environmental Management and Health. Volume 13 Number 1 2002 pp. 80-97 Karshenas, M (1992), â€Å"Environment development and employment: some conceptual issues†, in Bhalla, A.S (Eds),Environment Development and Employment, WEP Study, ILO, Geneva, Mani, M, Pargal, S, Huq, M (1997), â€Å"Does environmental regulation determine the location of new manufacturing?†, World Bank, Washington, DC, Policy Research Working Paper Wang Xiangwei. 4 Jun 4, 2007. Release the man who first raised the alarm about Tai Lake’s pollution China Briefing. South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. P. 5 Xinhua, 26 December 2006. China’s Energy Conditions and Policies. Xinhua News Agency – CEIS. p: 1 Yinchaun. 31 March 2000. A Global Problem: China’s Pollution. Retrieved 18 January 2008 from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/03/31/archive/main178697.shtml

Guidance and Counselling Thesis

Comprehensive Guidance Programs That Work II Norman Gysbers and Patricia Henderson A Model Comprehensive Guidance Program Chapter 1 Norman C. Gysbers The Comprehensive Guidance Program Model described in this chapter had its genesis in the early 1970s. In 1972, the staff of a federally funded project at the University of Missouri-Columbia conducted a national conference on guidance and developed a manual to be used by state guidance leaders as a guide to developing their own manuals for state and local school district use. The manual was published in early 1974 and provided the original description of the Comprehensive Guidance Program Model. From the 1940s to the 1970s, the position orientation to guidance dominated professional training and practice in our schools. The focus was on a position (counselor) and a process (counseling), not on a program (guidance). Administratively, guidance, with its position orientation, was included in pupil personnel services along with other such services as attendance, social work, psychological, psychiatric, speech and hearing, nursing, and medical (Eckerson & Smith, 1966). The position orientation had its beginnings when guidance was first introduced in the schools as vocational guidance. As early as 1910, vocational counselors had been appointed in the elementary and secondary schools of Boston, and by 1915 a central office Department of Vocational Guidance had been established with a director, Susan J. Ginn. The vocational counselors in Boston were teachers who took on the work with no financial return and often no relief from other duties (Ginn, 1924). What were the duties of vocational counselors? The Duties of a Vocational Counselor: 1. To be the representative of the Department of Vocational Guidance in the district; 2. To attend all meetings of counselors called by the director of Vocational Guidance; 3. To be responsible for all material sent out to the school by the Vocational Guidance Department; 4. To gather and keep on file occupational information; 5. To arrange with the local branch librarians about shelves of books bearing upon educational and vocational guidance; 6. To arrange for some lessons in occupations in connection with classes in Oral English and Vocational Civics, or wherever principal and counselor deem it wise; 7. To recommend that teachers show the relationship of their work to occupational problems; 8. To interview pupils in grades 6 and above who are failing, attempt to find the reason, and suggest remedy. 9. To make use of the cumulative record card when advising children; 10. To consult records of intelligence tests when advising children; 11. To make a careful study with grade 7 and grade 8 of the bulletin â€Å"A Guide to the Choice of Secondary School†; 12. To urge children to remain in school; 13. To recommend conferences with parents of children who are failing or leaving school; 14. To interview and check cards of all children leaving school, making clear to them the requirements for obtaining working certificates; 15. To be responsible for the filling in of Blank 249 and communicate with recommendations to the Department of Vocational Guidance when children are in need of employment. (Ginn, 1924, pp. 5-7) As more and more positions titled vocational counselor were filled in schools across the country, concern was expressed about the lack of centralization, the lack of a unified program. In a review of the Boston system, Brewer (1922) stated that work was â€Å"commendable and promising† (p. 36). At the same time, however, he expressed concern about the lack of effective centralization: In most schools two or more teachers are allowed part-time for counseling individuals, but there seems to be no committee of cooperation between the several schools, and no attempt to supervise the work. It is well done or indifferently done, apparently according to the interest and enthusiasm of the individual principal or counselor. p. 35) Myers (1923) made the same point when he stated that â€Å"a centralized, unified program of vocational guidance for the entire school of a city is essential to the most effective work† (p. 139). The lack of a centralized and unified program of guidance in the schools to define and focus the work of vocational counselors presented a serious problem. If there was no agreed-upon, centralized structure to organize and direct the work of building-level vocational counselors, then â€Å"other duties as assigned† could become a problem. As early as 1923 this problem was recognized by Myers (1923). Another tendency dangerous to the cause of vocational guidance is the tendency to load the vocational counselor with so many duties foreign to the office that little real counseling can be done. The principal, and often the counselor himself, has a very indefinite idea of the proper duties of this new office. The counselor’s time is more free from definite assignments with groups or classes of pupils than is that of the ordinary teacher. If well chosen he has administrative ability. It is perfectly natural, therefore, for the principal to assign one administrative duty after another to the counselor until he becomes practically assistant principal, with little time for the real work of a counselor. (p. 141) During the 1920s and 1930s, as formal education was being shaped and reshaped as to its role in society, a broader mission for education emerged. Added to the educational mission was a vocational mission. How did education respond to these additional tasks and challenges? One response was to add pupil personnel work to the education system. What was pupil personnel work? According to Myers (1935), â€Å"pupil personnel work is a sort of handmaiden of organized education. It is concerned primarily with bringing the pupils of the community into the educational environment of the schools in such condition and under circumstances as will enable them to obtain the maximum of the desired development† (p. 804). In his article, Myers (1935) contrasted pupil personnel work and personnel work in industry. He then listed eight activities he would include in pupil personnel work and the personnel who would be involved, including attendance officers, visiting teachers, school nurses, school physicians, as well as vocational counselors. In his discussion of all the activities involved in pupil personnel work and the personnel involved, he stated that â€Å"Probably no activity in the entire list suffers so much from lack of a coordinated programs as does guidance, and especially the counseling part of it† (p. 807). In the late 1920s, in response to the lack of an organized approach to guidance, the services model of guidance was initiated to guide the work of individuals designated as counselors. Various services were identified as necessary to provide to students, including the individual inventory service, information service, counseling service, placement service, and follow-up service (Smith, 1951). By this time too, the traditional way of describing guidance as having three aspects – vocational, educational, and personal-social – was well established. Vocational guidance, instead of being guidance, had become only one part of guidance. By the 1940s and 1950s, guidance was firmly established as a part of pupil personnel services with its emphasis on the position of counselor. Beginning in the 1960s, but particularly in the 1970s, the concept of guidance for development emerged. During this period, the call came to re-orient guidance from what had become an ancillary set of services delivered by a person in a position (the counselor) to a comprehensive, developmental program. The call for reorientation came from diverse sources, including a renewed interest in vocational-career guidance (and its theoretical base, career development), a renewed interest in developmental guidance, concern about the efficacy of the prevailing approach to guidance in the school, and concern about accountability and evaluation. The work of putting comprehensive guidance programs into place in the schools continued in the 1980s. Increasingly, sophisticated models began to be translated into practical, workable programs to be implemented in the schools. As we near the close of the 1990s, comprehensive guidance programs are rapidly encompassing the position orientation to guidance. Comprehensive guidance programs are becoming the major way of organizing and managing guidance in the schools across the country. This chapter begins with a brief review of traditional organizational patterns for guidance. Next, the development of a Comprehensive Guidance Program Model that had its genesis in the early 1970s is presented. The content of the model is described, ollowed by a presentation of the structure of the program, the processes used in the program, and the time allocations of staff required to carry out the program. Finally, there is discussion of the program resources required for the model if it is to function effectively. Traditional Organizational Patterns By the 1960s, the evolution of guidance in the schools had reached a peak. The guidance provisions of the National Defense Education Act of 1958 (Public Law 85-864) caused the nu mber of secondary counselors in schools to increase substantially. Later, due to an expansion of the guidance provisions of the act, elementary guidance was supported and as a result, the number of elementary counselors in schools increased rapidly. Counselors put their expertise to work in schools where three traditional organizational patterns for guidance were prevalent, often under the administrative structure called pupil personnel services or student services; the services model, the process model, or the duties model. In many schools, combinations of these three approaches were used. Services The ervices model had its origins in the 1920s and consists of organizing the activities of counselors around major services including assessment, information, counseling, placement and follow-up. Although the activities that are usually listed under each of these services are important and useful, it is a limited model for three reasons. First, it is primarily oriented to secondary schools. Second, it does not lend itself easily to the identification of student outcomes. And third, it does not specify how the time of counselors should be allocated. Processes The process model had its origins in the 1940s. It emphasizes the clinical and therapeutic aspects of counseling, particularly the processes of counseling, consulting, and coordinating. This model is appealing because it is equally applicable to elementary and secondary counselors. However, the process model has some of the same limitations as the services model: It does not lend itself easily to the identification of student outcomes and it does not specify allocations of counselor time. Duties Often, instead of describing some organizational pattern such as the services model or the process model, counselor duties are simply listed (duties model). Sometimes these lists contain as many as 20-30 duties and the last duty is often â€Å"and perform other duties as assigned from time to time. † Although equally applicable to elementary school and secondary school counselors, student outcomes are difficult to identify and counselor time is almost impossible to allocate effectively. Position Oriented Rather Than Program Focused One result of these traditional organizational patterns has been to emphasize the position of the counselor, not the program of guidance. Over the years, as guidance evolved in the schools, it became position oriented rather than program focused. As a result, guidance was an ancillary support service in the eyes of many people. This pattern placed counselors mainly in a remedial-reactive role – a role that is not seen as mainstream in education. What was worse, this pattern reinforced the practice of counselors performing many administrative-clerical duties because these duties could be defended as being â€Å"of service to somebody. † Because of the lack of an adequate organization framework, guidance had become an undefined program. Guidance had become the add-on profession, while counselors were seen as the â€Å"you-might-as-well† group (â€Å"While you are oing this task, you might as well do this one too†). Because of the absence of a clear organizational framework for guidance, it was easy to assign counselors new duties. Counselors had flexible schedules. And, since time was not a consideration, why worry about removing current duties when new ones were added? Origin of the Comprehensive Gu idance Program Model In October of 1969, the University of Missouri-Columbia conducted a national conference on career guidance, counseling and placement that led to regional conferences held across the country during the spring of 1970. Then in 1971, the University of Missouri-Columbia was awarded a U. S. Office of Education grant under the direction of Norman C. Gysbers to assist each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in developing models or guides for implementing career guidance, counseling and placement programs in their local schools. Project staff in Missouri conducted a national conference in St. Louis in January of 1972 and developed a manual (Gysbers & Moore, 1974) to be used by the states as they developed their own guides. The manual that was published in February of 1974 provided the first description of an organizational framework for the Comprehensive Guidance Program Model that was to be refined in later work (Gysbers, 1978; Gysbers & Henderson, 1994; Gysbers & Moore, 1981; Hargens & Gysbers, 1984). The original organizational framework for the Comprehensive Guidance Program Model contained three interrelated categories of functions, and on-call functions. The curriculum-based category brought together those guidance activities which took place primarily in the context of regularly scheduled courses of study in an educational setting. These activities were a part of regular school subjects or were organized around special topics in the form of units, mini courses, or modules. They were based on need statements and translated into goals and objectives and activities necessary for the development of all students. Typical topics focused on self-understanding, interpersonal relationships, decision making, and information about the education, work, and leisure worlds. School counselors were involved directly with students through class instruction, group processes, or individual discussions. In other instances, school counselors worked directly and cooperatively with teachers, providing resources and consultation. Individual facilitation functions included those systematic activities of the comprehensive guidance program designed to assist students in monitoring and understanding their development in regard to their personal, educational, and occupational goals, values, abilities, aptitudes, and interests. School counselors served in the capacity of â€Å"advisers,† â€Å"learner managers,† or â€Å"development specialists. Personalized contact and involvement were stressed instead of superficial contact with each student once a year to fill out a schedule. The functions in this category provided for the accountability needed in an educational setting to ensure that students’ uniqueness remained intact and that educational resources were used to facilitate their life career development. On-call functions focused on direct, immediate responses to stu dents needs such as information seeking, crisis counseling, and teacher/parent/specialist consultation. In addition, on-call functions were supportive of the curriculum-based and individual facilitation functions. Adjunct guidance staff (peers, paraprofessionals, and volunteers/support staff) aided school counselors in carrying out on-call functions. Peers were involved in tutorial programs, orientation activities, ombudsman centers, and (with special training) cross-age counseling and leadership in informal dialogue centers. Paraprofessionals and volunteers provided meaningful services in placement and followup activities, community liaison, career information centers, and club leadership activities. The 1974 version of the model focused on the importance of counselor time usage by featuring â€Å"time distribution wheels† to show how counselors’ time could be distributed to carry out a developmental guidance program. A chart was provided to show how counselors’ time could be distributed across a typical school week using the three categories as organizers. REFINEMENTS TO THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE PROGRAM MODEL In 1978, Gysbers described refinements that had been made to the model since 1974. By 1978, the focus was on a total comprehensive, developmental guidance program. It included the following elements: definition, rationale, assumptions, content model, and process model. The content model described the knowledge and skills that students would acquire with the help of activities in the guidance program. The process model grouped the guidance activities and processes used in the program into four interrelated categories: curriculum-based processes, individual-development processes, on-call responsive processes, and systems support processes. It is interesting to note the changes that had been made between 1974 and 1978 in the model. The concepts of definition, rationale, and assumptions had been added. The model itself was now organized into two parts. The first part listed the content to be learned by students, while the second part organized into four categories the guidance activities and processes needed in a program. The category of individual facilitation was changed to individual development, the word responsive was added to on-call, and a new category – systems support – was added. Also in 1978, Gysbers described seven steps required to â€Å"remodel a guidance program while living in it†: 1. Decide you want to change. 2. Form work groups. . Assess current programs. 4. Select program model. 5. Compare current program with program model. 6. Establish transition timetable. 7. Evaluate. Between 1978 and 1981, further refinements were made in the model. These refinements appeared in Improving Guidance Programs by Gysbers and Moore (1981). By then, the basic structure of the model was est ablished. The terms â€Å"content model† and â€Å"process model† had been dropped. Also, the steps for remodeling a guidance program, first delineated in 1978, formed the basis for the organization the chapters in Improving Guidance Programs and were described in detail. Between 1981 and 1988, the model was being used by state departments of education and local school districts with increasing frequency. During these years, two school districts in particular became involved: St. Joseph School District, St. Joseph, Missouri and Northside Independent School District, San Antonio, Texas. Hargens and Gysbers (1984), writing in The School Counselor, presented a case study of how the model was implemented in the St. Joseph School District. The work in the Northside Independent School District became the basis for much of the most recent description of the model (Gysbers & Henderson, 1994). As the 1980s progressed, a number of states and a number of additional school districts across the country began to adapt the model to fit their needs. In 1988, the first edition of Gysbers and Henderson’s book Developing and Managing Your School Guidance Program was published by the American Association for Counseling and Development, AACD (now the American Counseling Association, ACA). Using the framework of the model presented in 1981, Gysbers and Henderson expanded and extended the model substantially. Building upon the experiences of a number of local school districts and states and with particular emphasis on the experiences of the Northside Independent School District, the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation phases of the model were elaborated upon in much more detail. Sample forms, procedures, and methods, particularly those from Northside, were used extensively to illustrate the model and its implementation. The second edition of the book Developing and Managing Your School Guidance Program by Gysbers and Henderson was published in 1994. DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE PROGRAM MODEL Conceptual Foundation The perspective of human development that serves as the foundation for the model and as a basis for identifying the guidance knowledge, skills, and attitudes (competencies) that students need to master is called life career development. Life career development is defined as self-development over a person’s life span through the integration of the roles, setting, and events in a person’s life. The word life in the definition indicates that the focus of this conception of human development is on the total person – the human career. The word career identifies and relates the many often varied roles that individuals assume (student, worker, consumer, citizen, parent); the settings in which individuals find themselves (home, school, community); and the events that occur over their lifetimes (entry job, marriage, divorce, retirement). The word development is used to indicate that individuals are always in the process of becoming. When used in sequence, the words life career development bring these separate meaning words together, but at the same time a greater meaning evolves. Life career development describes total individuals – unique individuals, with their own lifestyles (Gysbers & Moore, 1974, 1975, 1981). The meaning of the word career in the phrase life career development differs substantially from the usual definition of the term. Career focuses on all aspects of life as interrelated parts of the whole person. The term career, when viewed from this broad perspective, is not a synonym for occupation. People have careers; the marketplace has occupations. Unfortunately, too many people use the word career when they hould use the word occupation. All people have careers – their lives are their careers. Finally, the words, life career development do not delineate and describe only one part of human growth and development. Although it is useful to focus at times on different areas (e. g. , physical, emotional, and intellectual), it is also necessary to integrate these areas. Life career development is an organizing and integrating concept f or understanding and facilitating human development. Wolfe and Kolb (1980) summed up the life view of career development as follows: Career development involves one’s whole life, not just occupation. As such, it concerns the whole person, needs and wants, capacities and potentials, excitements and anxieties, insights and blind spots, warts and all. More than that, it concerns his/her life. The environment pressures and constraints, the bonds that tie him/her to significant others, responsibilities to children and aging parents, the total structure of one’s circumstances are also factors that must be understood and reckoned with, in these terms, career development and personal development converge. Self and circumstances – evolving, changing, unfolding in mutual interaction – constitute the focus and the drama of career development. (pp. 1-2) COMPREHENSIVE GUIDANCE PROGRAM MODEL ELEMENTS The model program (see Figure 1. 1) consists of three elements: content, organizational framework, and resources. CONTENT There are many examples today of content (student knowledge and skills) for guidance. The content is generally organized around areas or domains such as career, educational, and personal-social. Most often, the content is stated in a student competency format. For purposes of this chapter, the three domains of human development that are featured in the life career development concept are presented here: self-knowledge and interpersonal skills; life roles, setting and events; and life career planning (Gysbers & Henderson, 1994; Gysbers & Moore, 1974, 1981). Student competencies are generated from these domains to provide example program content for the model. Self-knowledge and Interpersonal Skills In the self-knowledge and interpersonal skills domain of life career development, the focus is on helping students understand themselves and others. The main concepts of this domain focus on students’ awareness and acceptance of themselves, their awareness and acceptance of others, and their development of interpersonal skills. Within this domain, students begin to develop an awareness of their interpersonal characteristics – interests, aspirations, and abilities. Students learn techniques for self-appraisal and the analysis of their personal characteristics in terms of a real-ideal self-continuum. They begin to formulate plans for self-improvement in such areas as physical and mental health. Individuals become knowledgeable about the interactive relationship of self and environment in such a way that they develop personal standards and a sense of purpose in life. Students learn how to create and maintain relationships and develop skills that allow for beneficial interaction within those relationships. They can use self-knowledge in life career planning. They have positive interpersonal relations and are self-directed in that they accept responsibility for their own behavior. See Figure 1. 1 Below The model program consists of three elements: content, organizational framework, and resources. Comprehensive Guidance Program Elements Content Organizational Framework, Activities, Time Resources COMPETENCIES †¢ †¢ †¢ Student Competencies Grouped by domains STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS †¢ Definition †¢ Assumptions †¢ Rational PROGRAM COMPONENTS SAMPLE PROCESSES Guidance Curriculum Structured Groups Classroom presentations Individual Planning Advisement Assessment Placement & Follow-up †¢ Responsive Services Individual counseling Small group counseling Consultation Referral System Support Management activities Consultation Community outreach Public relations †¢ †¢ RESOURCES †¢ Human †¢ Financial †¢ Political SUGGESTED DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL COUNSELOR TIME Elementary School 35-45% 5-10% 30-40% 10-15% Middle/Junior School 25-35% 15-25% 30-40% 10-15% High School 15-25% 25-35% 25-35% 15-20% Guidance Curriculum Individual Planning Responsive Services System Support Life Roles, Settings, and Events The emphasis in this domain of lif e career development is on the interrelatedness of various life roles (learner, citizen, consumer), settings (home, school, work, and community), and events (job entry, marriage, retirement) in which students participate over the life span. Emphasis is given to the knowledge and understanding of the sociological, psychological, and economic dimensions and structure of their worlds. As students explore the different aspects of their roles, they learn how stereotypes affect their own lives and others’ lives. The implications of futuristic concerns is examined and related to their current lives. Students learn the potential impact of change in modern society and the necessity of being able to project themselves into the future. In this way, they begin to predict the future, foresee alternatives they may choose, and plan to meet the requirements of the life career alternatives they may choose. As a result of learning about the multiple options and dimensions of their worlds, students understand the reciprocal influences of life roles, settings, and events, and they can consider various lifestyle patterns. Life Career Planning The life career planning domain in life career development is designed to help students understand that decision making and planning are important tasks in everyday life and to recognize the need for life career planning. Students learn about the many occupations and industries in the work world and of their groupings according to occupational requirements and characteristics, as well as learning about their own personal skills, interests, values, and aspirations. Emphasis is placed on students’ learning of various rights and responsibilities associated with their involvement in a life career. The central focus of this domain is on the mastery of decision-making skills as a part of life career planning. Students develop skills in this area by learning the elements of the decision-making process. They develop skills in gathering information from relevant sources, both external and internal, and learn to use the collected information in making informed and reasoned decisions. A major aspect of this process involves the appraisal of personal values as they may relate to prospective plans and decisions. Students engage in planning activities and begin to understand that they can influence their future by applying such skill. They accept responsibility for making their own choices, for managing their own resources, and for directing the future course of their own lives. ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK The model program (see Figure 1. 1) contains seven components organized around two major categories: structural components and program components (Gysbers & Henderson, 1994; Gysbers & Moore, 1981). The three structural components describe the student focus of the program and how the program connects to other educational programs (definition), offer reasons why the program is important and needed (rational), and provide the premises upon which the program rests (assumptions). The four program components delineate the major activities and the roles and responsibilities of personnel involved in carrying out the guidance program. These four program elements are as follows: guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support. Structural Components Definition The program definition includes the mission statement of the guidance program and its centrality within the school district’s total educational program. It delineates the competencies that individuals will possess as a result of their involvement in the program, summarizes the components, and identifies the program’s clientele. Rational The rationale discusses the importance of guidance as an equal partner in the educational system and provides reasons why students need to acquire the competencies that will accrue as a result of their involvement in a comprehensive guidance program. Included are conclusions drawn from student and community needs assessments and statements of the goals of the local school district. Assumptions Assumptions are the principles that shape and guide the program. They include statements regarding the contributions that school counselors and guidance programs make to students’ development, the premises that undergird the comprehensiveness and the balanced nature of the program, and the relationships between the guidance program and the other educational programs. Program Components An examination of the needs of students, the variety of guidance methods, techniques, and resources available, and the increases expectations of policy-makers and consumers indicates that a new structure for guidance programs in the schools is needed. The position orientation organized around the traditional services (information, assessment, counseling, placement, and follow-up) and three aspects (educational, personal-social, and vocational) of guidance is no longer adequate to carry the needed guidance activities in today’s schools. When cast as a position and organized around services, guidance is often seen as ancillary and only supportive to instruction, rather than equal and complementary. The â€Å"three aspects† view of guidance frequently has resulted in fragmented and eventoriented activities and, in some instances, the creation of separate kinds of counselors. For example, educational guidance is stressed by academic-college counselors, personalsocial guidance becomes the territory of mental health counselors, and vocational guidance is the focus of vocational counselors. If the traditional structures for guidance in the schools are no longer adequate, what structure is needed? One way to answer this question is to ask and answer the following questions: Are all students in need of specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are the instructional province of guidance programs? Do all students need assistance with their personal, educational, and occupational plans? Do some students require special assistance in dealing with developmental problems and immediate crises? Do educational programs in the school and the staff involved require support that can be best supplied by school counselors? An affirmative answer to these four questions implies a structure that is different from the traditional position model. A review of the variety of guidance methods, techniques, and resources available today and an understanding of the expectations of national and state policy-makers and consumers of guidance also suggests the needs for a different model. The structure suggested by an affirmative answer to the four questions and by a review of the literature is a program model of guidance techniques, methods, and resources organized around four interactive program components: guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support (Gysbers & Henderson, 1994; Gysbers & Moore, 1981). The curriculum component was chosen because a curriculum provides a vehicle to impart guidance content to all students in a systematic way. Individual planning was included as a part of the model because of the increasing need for all students to systematically plan, monitor, and manager their development and to consider and take action on their next steps personally, educationally, and occupationally. The responsive services component was included because of the need to respond to the direct, immediate concerns of students, whether these concerns involve crisis counseling, referral, or consultation with parents, teachers, or other specialists. Finally, the system support component was included because, if the other guidance processes are to be effective, a variety of support activities such as staff development, research, and curriculum development are required. Also, system support encompasses the need for the guidance program to provide appropriate support to other programs in including assuming â€Å"fair share† responsibilities in operating the school. These components, then, serve as organizers for the many guidance methods, techniques, and resources required in a comprehensive guidance program. In addition, they also serve as a check on the comprehensiveness of the program. A program is not comprehensive unless counselors are providing activities to students, parents, and staff in all four program components. Guidance Curriculum This model of guidance is based on the assumption that guidance programs include content that all students should learn in a systematic, sequential way. In order for this to happen, counselors must be involved in teaching, team teaching, or serving as a resource for those who teach a guidance curriculum. This is not a new idea; the notion of guidance curriculum has deep, historical roots. What is new however, is the array of guidance and counseling techniques, methods, and resources currently available that work best as part of a curriculum. Also new is the concept that a comprehensive guidance program has an organized and sequential curriculum. The guidance curriculum typically consists of student competencies (organized by domain) and structured activities presented systematically through such strategies as the following: †¢ Classroom Activities Counselors teach, team teach, or support the teaching of guidance curriculum learning activities or unites in classrooms. Teachers also may teach such units. The guidance curriculum is not limited to being part of only one or two subjects but should be included in as many subjects as possible throughout the total school curriculum. These activities may be conducted in the classroom, guidance center, or other school facilities. †¢ Group Activities Counselors organize large-group sessions such as career days and educational/college/vocational days. Other members of the guidance team, including teachers and administrators, may be involved in organizing and conducting such sessions. Although counselors’ responsibilities include organizing and implementing the guidance curriculum, the cooperation and support of the entire faculty are necessary for its successful implementation. Individual Planning Concern for individual student development in a complex society has been a cornerstone of the guidance movement since the days of Frank Parsons. In recent years the concern for individual student development has intensified as society has become more complex. This concern is manifested in many ways, but perhaps is expressed most succinctly in a frequently stated guidance goal: â€Å"Helping all students become the persons they are capable of becoming. † To accomplish the purposes of this component of the Model, activities and procedures are provided to assist students in understanding and periodically monitoring their development. Students come to terms with their goals, values, abilities, aptitudes, and interests (competencies) so they can continue to progress educationally and occupationally. Counselors become â€Å"person-development-and-placement specialists. † Individual planning consists of activities that help students to plan, monitor, and manage their own learning and their personal and career development. The focus is on assisting students, in close collaboration with parents, to develop, analyze, and evaluate their educational, occupational, and personal goals and plans. Individual planning is implemented through such strategies as: †¢ Individual Appraisal Counselors assist students to assess and interpret their abilities, interests, skills, and achievement. The use of test information and other data about students is an important part of helping them develop immediate and long-range goals and plans. †¢ Individual Advisement Counselors assist students to use self-appraisal information along with personal-social, educational, career, and labor market information to help them plan and realize their personal, educational, and occupational goals. †¢ Placement Counselors and other educational personnel assist students to make the transition from school to work or to additional education and training. Responsive Services Problems relating to academic learning, personal identity issues, drugs, and peer and family relationships are increasingly a part of the educational scene. Crisis counseling, diagnostic and remediation activities, and consultation and referral must continue to be included as an ongoing part of a comprehensive guidance program. In addition, a continuing need exists for the guidance program to respond to the immediate information-seeking needs of students, parents, and teachers. The responsive services component organizes guidance techniques and methods to respond to these concerns and needs as they occur; it is supportive of the guidance curriculum and individual planning components as well. Responsive services consist of activities to meet the immediate needs and concerns of students, teachers, and parents, whether these needs or concerns require counseling, consultation, referral, or information. Although counselors have special training and possess skills to respond to immediate needs and concerns, the cooperation and support of the entire faculty are necessary for this component’s successful implementation. Responsive services are implemented through such strategies as: †¢ Consultation Counselors consult with parents, teachers, other educators, and community agencies regarding strategies to help students deal with and resolve personal, educational, and career concerns. †¢ Personal Counseling Counseling is provided on a small-group and individual basis for students who have problems or difficulties dealing with relationships, personal concerns, or normal developmental tasks. The focus is on assisting students to identify problems and causes, alternatives, possible consequences, and to take action when appropriate. †¢ Crisis Counseling Counseling and support are provided to students or their families facing emergency situations. Such counseling is normally short term and temporary in nature. When necessary, appropriate referral sources are used. †¢ Referral Counselors use other professional resources of the school and community to refer students when appropriate. These referral sources may include: mental health agencies employment and training programs vocational rehabilitation juvenile services social services special school programs (special or compensatory education) The responsive services component also provides for small-group counseling. Small groups of students with similar concerns can be helped by intensive small-group counseling. All students may not need such assistance, but it is available in a comprehensive program. Adjunct guidance staff—peers, paraprofessionals, volunteers—can aid counselors in carrying out their responsive activities. Peers can be involved in tutorial programs, orientation activities, ombudsman functions and, with special training, cross-age counseling and leadership in informal dialog. Paraprofessionals and volunteers can provide assistance in such areas as placement, follow-up, and community-school-home liaison activities. System Support The administration and management of a comprehensive guidance program require an ongoing support system. That is why system support is a major program component. Unfortunately, it is often overlooked or only minimally appreciated. And yet, the system support component is as important as the other three components. Without continuing support, the other three components of the guidance program are ineffective. This component is implemented and carried out through such activities as the following: †¢ Research and Development Guidance program evaluation, follow-up studies, and the continued development and updating of guidance learning activities are some examples of the research and development work of counselors. †¢ Staff/Community Public Relations The orientation of staff and the community to the comprehensive guidance program through the use of newsletters, local media, and school and community presentations are examples of public relations work. †¢ Professional Development Counselors must regularly update their professional knowledge and skills. This may include participation in school inservice training, attendance at professional meetings, completion of postgraduate course work, and contributions to the professional literature. †¢ Committee/Advisory Boards Serving on departmental curriculum committees and community committees or advisory boards are examples of activities in this area. †¢ Community Outreach Included in this area are activities designed to help counselors become knowledgeable about community resources, employment opportunities, and the local labor market. This may involve counselors visiting local businesses and industries and social services agencies. Program Management and Operations This area includes the planning and management tasks needed to support the activities of a comprehensive guidance program. Also included in the system support component are activities that support programs other than guidance. These activities may include counselors being involved in helping interpret student test re sults to teachers, parents, and administrators, serving on departmental curriculum committees (helping interpret student needs data for curriculum revision), and working with school administrators (helping interpret student needs and behaviors). Care must be taken, however, to watch the time given to these duties because the primary focus for counselors is their work in the first three components of the comprehensive guidance program. It is important to realize that if the guidance program is well run, focusing heavily on the first three components, it will provide substantial support for other programs and personnel in the school and the community. Program Time Counselors’ professional time is a critical element in the Model. How should professional certified counselors spend their time? How should this time be spread across the total program? In this Model, the four program components provide the structure for making judgments about appropriate allocations of counselors’ time. One criterion to be used in making such judgments is the concept of program balance. The assumption is that counselor time should be spread across all program components, but particularly the first three. Another criterion is that different grade levels require different allocations of counselor time across the program components. For example, at the elementary level, more counselor time is spent working in the curriculum with less time spent in individual planning. In the high school, these time allocations are reversed. How counselors in a school district or school building plan and allocate their time depends on the needs of their students and their community. Once chosen, time allocations are not fixed forever. The purpose for making them is to provide direction to the program and to the administrators and counselors involved. Since the Model is a â€Å"100 percent program,† 100 % of counselors’ time must be spread across the four program components. Time allocations are changed as new needs arise, but nothing new can be added unless something else is removed. The assumption is that professional counselors spend 100 % of their time on task, implementing the guidance program. What are some suggested percentages? As an example, the state of Missouri (Starr & Gysbers, 1997) has adopted suggested percentages of counselor time to be spent on each program component. These suggested percentages were recommended by Missouri counselors and administrators who had participated in the field-testing of the Missouri adaptation of the Comprehensive Guidance Program Model: Percent ES M/JH HS Guidance Curriculum 35-45 25-35 15-25 Individual Planning 05-10 15-25 25-35 Responsive Services 30-40 30-40 25-35 System Support 10-15 10-15 15-20 Resources Human Human resources for the guidance program include such individuals as counselors, teachers, administrators, parents, students, community members, and business and labor personnel. All have roles to play in the guidance program. While counselors are the main providers of guidance and counseling services and coordinators of the program, the involvement, cooperation, and support of teachers and administrators is necessary for the program to be successful. The involvement, cooperation, and support of parents, community members, and business and labor personnel also is critical. A SchoolCommunity Advisory Committee is recommended to bring together the talent and energy of school and community personnel. The School-Community Advisory Committee acts as a liaison between the school and community and provides recommendations concerning the needs of students and the community. A primary duty of this committee is to advise those involved in the guidance program. The committee is not a policy- or decision-making body; rather, it is a source of advice, counsel, and support and is a communication link between those involved in the guidance program and the school and community. The committee is a permanent part of the guidance program. A community person should be the chairperson. The use and involvement of an advisory committee will vary according to the program and the community. It is important, however, that membership be more than in name only. Members will be particularly helpful in developing and implementing the public relations plan for the community. Financial The financial resources of a comprehensive guidance program are crucial to its success. Examples of financial resources include budget, material, equipment, and facilities. The Model highlights the need for these resources through its focus on the physical space and equipment required to conduct a comprehensive program in a school district. To make the guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support components function effectively, adequate guidance facilities are required. Traditionally, guidance facilities have consisted of an office or suite of offices designed primarily to provide one-to-one counseling or consultation assistance. Such arrangements have frequently included reception or waiting areas that serve as browsing rooms where students have access to displays or files of educational and occupational information. Also, this space has typically been placed in the administrative wing of the school so that the counseling staff can be near the records and the administration. The need for individual offices is obvious because of the continuing need to carry on individual counseling sessions. A need also exists, however, to open up guidance facilities and make them more accessible to all students, teachers, parents, and community members. One way to make guidance facilities more usable and accessible is to reorganize traditional space into a guidance center. A guidance center brings together available guidance information and resources and makes them easily accessible to students. The center is used for such activities as group sessions, student self-exploration, and personalized research and planning. At the high school level, students receive assistance in areas such as occupational planning, job entry and placement, financial aid information and postsecondary educational opportunities. At the elementary school level, students and their parents receive information about the school, the community, and parenting skills; they also read books about personal growth and development. An area for play therapy can be provided in the guidance center. Although the center is available for use to school staff and community members, it is student centered, and many of the center activities are student planned as well as student directed. At the same time, the center is a valuable resource for teachers in their program planning and implementation. Employers, too, will find the center useful when seeking part-time or full-time workers. Clearly, the impact of the center on school and community can be substantial. If community members and parents are involved in the planning and implementation of the center and its activities, their interest could provide an impetus for the involvement of other community members. When parents and community members become involved in programs housed in the center, they experience the guidance program firsthand. Through these experiences, new support for the program may develop. The guidance center is furnished as comfortably as possible for all users. Provision is made for group as well as individual activities. Coordinating the operation of the guidance center is the responsibility of the guidance staff, but all school staff can be involved. It is recommended that at least one paraprofessional be a part of the staff to ensure that clerical tasks are carried out in a consistent and ongoing manner. Political Education is not simply influenced by politics, it is politics. The mobilization of political resources is key to a successful guidance program. Full endorsement of the guidance program by the Board of Education as a â€Å"program of studies of the district† is one example of mobilizing political resources. Another example is a clear and concise school district policy statement that highlights the integral and central nature of the school district’s comprehensive guidance program to other programs in the school district. Putting It All Together What does the Program Model look like when all of the Model’s elements are brought together? Figure 1 (see page 12) presents the Model on one page so that the three program elements can be seen in relationship to each other. Notice that the three program elements (program content, program structure, processes, and time, and program resources) represent the â€Å"means† of the program. Without these means in place, it is impossible to achieve the full results of the program and to fully evaluate the impact of the program on the students, the school, and the community. Some Final Thoughts The Program Model, by definition, leads to guidance activities and structured group experiences for all students. It de-emphasizes administrative and clerical tasks, one-toone counseling only, and limited accountability. It is proactive rather than reactive. Counselors are busy and unavailable for unrelated administrative and clerical duties because they have a guidance program to implement. Counselors are expected to do personal and crisis counseling as well as provide structured activities to all students. To fully implement the Program Model it is important that the program be as follows: 1. Understood as student-development oriented, not school maintenance-administrativeoriented. 2. Operated as a 100 % program; the four program components constitute the total program; there are no add-ons. 3. Started the first day of school and ended on the last day of school; not started in the middle of October with an ending time in April so that administrative, nonguidance tasks can be completed. . Understood as program focused, not position focused. 5. Understood as education-based, not agency or clinic based. References Brewer, J. M. (1922). The vocational guidance movement: Its problems and possibilities. New York: The Macmillan Company. Eckerson, L. O. , & Smith, H. M. (1966). Scope of pupil personnel services. Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office. Ginn, S. J. (19 24). Vocational guidance in Boston Public Schools. The Vocational Guidance Magazine, 3, 3-7. Gysbers, N. C. (1978). Remodeling your guidance program while living in it. Texas Personnel and Guidance Association Journal, 6, 53-61. Gysbers, N. C. , & Henderson, P. (1994). Developing and managing your school guidance program (2nd ed. ). Alexandria, VA: American Association for Counseling and Development. Gysbers, N. C. , & Moore, E. J. (1974). Career guidance, counseling and placement: Elements of an illustrative program guide (A life career development perspective). Columbia, MO: University of Missouri, Columbia. Gysbers, N. C. , & Moore, E. J. (1975). Beyond career development—life career development. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 53, 647-652. Gysbers, N. C. , & Moore, E. J. (1981). Improving guidance programs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Hargens, M. , & Gysbers, N. C. (1984). How to remodel a guidance program while living in it: A case study. The School Counselor, 30, 119-125. Myers, G. E. (1923). Critical review of present developments in vocational guidance with special reference to future prospects. The Vocational Guidance Magazine, 2 (6), 139-142. Myers, G. E. (1935). Coordinated guidance: Some suggestions for a program of pupil personnel work. Occupations, 13 (9), 804-807. Smith G. E. (1951). Principles and practices of the guidance program. New York: The Macmillan Company. Starr, M. F. , & Gysbers, N. C. (1997). Missouri comprehensive guidance: A model for program development, implementation and evaluation (1997 Rev. ). Jefferson City: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Wolfe, D. M. , & Kolb, D. A. (1980). Career Development, personal growth, and experimental learning. In J. W. Springer (Ed. ), Issues in career and human resource development (pp. 1-56). Madison, WI: American Society for Training and Development.

Political socialization is a very important process that creates and Essay

Political socialization is a very important process that creates and conveys the political culture of a society. Examine one of - Essay Example The primary source of that information comes from the media. While the media in most western countries runs independently from government regulation within boundaries, it increasingly seems that they are not communicating all sides of any given story. When it comes to politics, the media becomes critical. Messages and information are disseminated through various media outlets including the television, Internet, and newspapers. Consumers, or private citizens, depend on this information since it allows them to formulate important decisions about who they feel should best govern the nation. As such, in recent years it appears that media has been more and more important to the political landscape of a country. They can shape policy and see to it that certain people are elected to office. It is indeed a big task, and media companies need to realize their responsibility to balanced and fair reporting of all of the facts, not just those that they feel will shape the course of the country in the direction they want to head. The media should provide reliable information, faithful reporting, and neutral guidance through the television, Internet, and newspapers because it is important that they convey positive information and do not misguide or leave out important information that the population needs to hear. The Influence of Television Since the days of black and white television, the media has had a profound impact on the political life in society. Television was the format where politicians were able to speak to the country. In fact, it was back in 1960 that America had its first Presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Millions of people tuned in to hear what each candidate had to say. The impact should be obvious. In countries as populated at the United States, or as spread out geographically as Canada, people running for political office depend on the television to get their message out to the masses quickly. In addition, political parties and action groups depend on television advertising to point out their particular policies and why they feel the public should support their agenda. Another way that television impacts the political socialization of a country is through the actual political news that they choose to report and the spin that they put on certain topics. All three of these aspects combine to dictate the shape of politics, to a large degree, throughout much of the world. Let us analyze that first presidential debate. Many considered Richard Nixon a near certainty to win the election, but Kennedy dominated the series of debates broadcast on television. In addition, his campaign instituted a series of catchy jingles that caught the nation’s attention from coast to coast. Television enabled the charisma that was Kennedy to be displayed to the entire nation, rather then simply being delegated to a series of political rallies in select locations. At the same time, Nixon could not do the same. Television di d not display him well, he underperformed in the debates, and his campaign never seemed to generate the same media attention that Kennedy’s did. In this manner, the media, in the form of television, almost single handedly delivered the election to Kennedy. He did not win a landslide victory, to be certain, but the amount of victory can largely be attributed to the influence of television (Mayer, 2007, p. 32). It is not only individual

Two Articles Review - Early Childhood Education Article

Two Articles Review - Early Childhood Education - Article Example Having the tests done also helps improve the learning of the child and give accountability by the various stakeholders. Critical analysis The article seeks to provide required information on how to determine school readiness in different children. It features various assessments tests and how they are conducted. Maxwell and Clifford state in the journal of young children on the web, children may or may not be ready for school. Maxwell and Clifford state that a child’s development skills are mostly influenced by families and interaction with other people in the environment (5). Additionally, the authors state that children’s skills can be enhanced once in school if the teacher is well prepared. The authors are also quick to note that despite the numerous advantages gained from conducting readiness assessments, few limitations also exist. Each assessment tool is usually designed for key purposes; hence it is difficult for it to be used for other purposes (Maxwell, and Cli fford 6). The themes outlined by the authors in this article are easily applicable in early childhood education. The information given can be used to determine whether a child requires special attention from an early stage. Application of the Key Theme a) Determines the skills required in teaching: The teacher should embark on lessons that are based on teaching numerical. He or she should have the numbers displayed on classroom walls throughout the week. Each child should be given the chance to learn how to write and read the number in the correct order. The teacher should use colorful blocks to display the numbers. At the end of the week each child can arrange the numbers using the blocks. The ability of children to do this correctly will determine the efficiency of using the method to teach them. b) Determines Motor development: The person conducting the test should select children of a specific age. In this test choose children who want to join elementary school. All children sho uld have the same level of motor development at a certain age. They should be provided with a piece of paper and crayons and should be told to make use of them. At this stage, children should be able to hold the crayon and make scribbles on the piece of paper. c) Promoting social and emotional development: The information in the article can be used to give specific attention to each child in the class. Teachers can have a friendly session with each child. They should explain why they think what they say about themselves. The response of each child should be gauged along the set standards. The teacher can observe the child’s behavior while in class. The teacher or parent can check if they obey what the teacher says and their eagerness to learn. These two tests will also tell a lot about the child’s social and emotional development. Article 2: Beyond Outcomes Summary The pressure on today’s early childhood programs to give positive results has increased. Today, te achers and parents are more aware of the advantages obtained when children attend such programs from an early stage, particularly if they need special care. In these programs, there are curriculums that are obligatory to follow. For the school program to work, teachers should be in a position to know what is in the curriculum and build a learning environment that is engaging for children (Dodge, Heroll1an, Charles, and Maiorca 20). The curriculum is there as a guide for promoting the programs. A

Tattoos & Body Piercing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Tattoos & Body Piercing - Research Paper Example It is also used to express loyalty to worldly or divine lords as in Mexican culture where they inscribed their gods and idols in the tattoos. In South America, tribes tattooed their warriors to reaffirm their success in wars. Albeit in Japan, tattoos were used as a punishment for the sinners and criminals. However, in everyday lives, tattooing and body piercing hold a different meaning for each individual who goes into the process of acquiring it. Some people might get a tattoo because the design holds significance in their lives or they want to remember an important phase or event in their lives through that tattoo. It might also be acquired to represent the rebellion against the status quo or those in authority for instance teenagers worldwide get tattoos and body piercings to express their disobedience to their parents who are rarely fond of these activities.   The modern-day tattooing is made a lot easier, thanks to scientific development and new laser technologies. One of the forms of body art, which has descended down from ancient times and successfully transited in the cultures of modern times, is henna art. Made of natural herbs, it is used to decorate hands and feet of women in eastern cultures on their weddings and other occasions marking rites of passage. However, most people, more significantly in the west, have proceeded to tattoo culture to show their rebellion to the status quo and express their opinions with more freedom and aggression (Sawyer, 97). However, as easy as it is recent times to get a piercing or tattoo, the hazards it causes to health cannot be overemphasized. First, it is a permanent body art, removing a tattoo may be difficult and very expensive since it involves the use of high-tech instruments. Second, the tattoos are highly prone to infections and skin allergies. The red dye used in tattoos usually causes rashes, sometimes years after getting a tattoo. The infections caused by tattoos are mainly bacterial and appear as sores and pus-like forms. Often, granulomas, a bump-like structure, from around the tattoo due to the ink dye used.  

Ethical Dilemmas in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Dilemmas in Education - Essay Example Ethics is an important facet when it comes to education. The dissemination of information to others requires a great deal of responsibility and accountability and it can often become a subject to ethical misconducts. This paper would focus on the ethical dilemmas that are present when it comes to education and how these challenges can be dealt with and overcome. Discussion As the world progresses education is becoming increasingly important and crucial. Education is the basis for every developed society and is the key to bring economic and social transformation. Education is a factor that leads to the growth of economies and flourishes the state of the nations. This recognition of education has made it even more important and it is now considered indispensable to invest in education. Teachers are the mediators that are responsible for the dispersion of education in societies. Hence, in order to improve the efficiency and quality of education it is fundamental to improve the quality o f teachers not only in terms of qualifications and knowledge but more importantly towards their ethical behavior which has a wider insinuation towards the efficiency and quality of education. ... Education serves the purpose of producing good citizens that are respectful towards the laws, human rights and fairness. The ethical commitments of the teachers and staff are included in the transparent system of disseminating information and knowledge and it is very crucial in order to deliver quality education. (Fenner, 1999) As the world is progressing and the expanding into the advent of globalization, so is education. Education is not only a factor of production of future cognitive capital for societies but it is also an important tool to instigate and maintain cultural and social values within individuals. Due to the interaction of different parts of the world into what we know as a global village, there is more awareness and an increasing need for multi-cultural education. As most parts of the world are becoming multi-cultural, the concept of mono-acculturation has come into being. It is important to teach people about the sex/gender system and the ethnic stereotypes. It is es sential to teach from the prospects of women also and from a postcolonial viewpoint since women around the world are becoming more and more aware of their rights for equality and self-actualization. It is vital to provide correct and unbiased information about other cultures and traditions. This may be aided with the presence of bicultural people who could be involved in discussions about cultures and hence provide the students with education of different cultures and breaks mono-culturalism. (Sunnari & Rasanen, 2000) There are a number of generalized codes of ethics that need to be followed by the educators that are often neglected and leads to the violation of ethics and proves to be challenging. The

Research paper on OSTEOPETROSIS Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

On OSTEOPETROSIS - Research Paper Example Mortality associated with infantile osteopetrosis is high. Those with adult osteopetrosis have longterm survival chances. In this research essay, the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, investigations, treatment and prevention will be discussed. Purpose The main purpose of the paper is to present an overview of osteopetrosis. Pathophysiology The main defect in osteopetrosis is in osteoclast which belongs to monocyte-macrophage lineage and genetic defects leads to abnormal osteoclasts (Tolar et al, 2004). Osteoclasts are very important in the modelling and remodeling of the tissue of the bone and defective osteoclasts fail to model and remodel the bone appropriately, resulting in abnormal encroachment and deposition of bone tissue (Teitelbaum, 2000). The abnormal bone tissue is susceptible to fractures and can encroach into the bone marrow leading to bone marrow failure. it can also encroach around the nerves causing nerve entrapment syndrome. When blood vessels are affected, isch emia, especially of the bones like mandible can occur. Eventually, the patient develops multiple fractures, anemia, bleeding disorders and sepsis (Bhargava, and Griffing, 2009). Clinical presentation The clinical presentation depends on the type of osteopetrosis.

Major League Baseball PR Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Major League Baseball PR Campaign - Essay Example The experience of the ballpark is where memories are made for millions of Americans. It is from those fond recollections of youth that traditions are born. Baseball must once again tap into the reasons a father is compelled to take his son to the ball game. Owners are already aware of this reasoning. â€Å"Cap Day† type promotions are an offering of goodwill as much as a recognition of the strong bonds created when father and son go to the game. The implementation of this plan would not only be more cost effective than these types of programs, it would cost less than most other typical promotional events. The high salaries of ball players are high on the list of recent public criticism of baseball. Encouraging the players to become more fan-friendly melts away the millionaire pampered player image in addition to making memories that last a lifetime. Not only does this feed directly into the reasons families attend games together, it further cements the long-standing traditions that have kept Americans in the ballparks throughout the dubious recent events. Finally, the cost to the organizations and players is only time. Situation Analysis: America's pastime still hasn't recovered from the strike 10 years ago. In the nine years before the strike, the World Series averaged a strong 22.3 rating. The league was turning a profit during that entire time as well, with roughly $22 million in 1992 and $36 million in 1993. Following the strike, the numbers show a drastic decline in both ratings and revenue.

Dance used in marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dance used in marketing - Essay Example Another reason for selecting dance for evaluation as a trend is because it has seemingly better reach to the audiences because it just not allows audiences to get entertained but also get awareness of the product. Some of the elements which have been specifically considered certain to this opinion paper are the constituents of this type of advertising. In other words, the musical interference of this advertising tool with the consciousness of the audiences has been marked as an informative aspect of the subject. The explanation of these elements and specific areas of the advertising tool have been done on the basis of its interference through TV commercials. There are other elements which have been notified throughout the opinion paper but the most important element which has been considered central to the evaluation of the advertising and marketing tool is sound element of dance as an advertising tool. In addition to the different elements which were chosen to breakdown the analysis of the trends of advertising, I used a number of books, artifacts and advertisements. These stimulus materials are easily accessible in the online databases. Some of the advertisements have also been attached below which gives a clear insight of how the dance is employed in advertising as a means to revive brand image in the mind of audiences. Special consideration was give to the ad entitled T-Mobile dance ad camping (see link below). These ads provide clear understanding of the ways dance is being used as the most effective way to built brand awareness which stays in the consciousness of audiences for longer period of time. In order to provide an illustrative yet interesting opinion on the subject of matter, I have employed careful skimming of ads which have employed dance as a tool for marketing. During the research for the ads which have employed dance technique to reach to the audience for the purpose of sharing awareness of the brands, there were a great a great deal of diffe rence in the presentation of the ads. Also, I had to skim down the ads using mechanism of categorization. There were marketing campaigns which employed dance as a competition for winning the hampers by the sponsored brand while on the other hand there was storyboard of the ads which were based upon expression through dance. By categorizing the ads, it became relatively easier for me to reflect on the dance tool of advertising. Furthermore, the expository reflection of the mechanism is evident in the book by Huntington (2011) which I have used in order to generate my opinions regarding the trends in advertising. Opinion Section: Marketing and advertisement are two exceptional and different forms of art that persuade people. Marketing and dancing forms are closely related in a sense that both are considered as vital expression of societal activities and these have a deep impact on societal members who intend to promote these art forms. Dance and techniques of marketing both are cognit ive in nature as they have great influence on psychological development of the people. In other words, it can be stated that advertising and dance are considered as the means of communication that divert attention of mass audience and create uniform passive thoughts in them. Use of dance in the advertisement is one of the most interesting and common approaches that contribute to grab an audience’s attention and interest in a more efficient manner today. Advertisement

Answer questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Answer questions - Assignment Example secured loans such as account receivables, freezing accounts of the business, placing a lien on property owned, in addition to filing a legal suit may well be recommended avenues to collect such loans. The law often prohibits creditors from taking/seizing certain types of properties. Such include collective family equity, furniture, and clothes. As such, first right to property with many interest involved fgalls to the collective owners other than the lender to a specific individual borower. A spouse and/or child cut out of a will can contest the will in a court of law. Such cases can be successful if the established laws or rules in a given state regarding family property are on their side. A prenuptial agreement only affect a will to the extent that its conflict with the terms of the will. One can donate part of her/his property through a written devise -- a gift of property made in a will. A lien is but a legal claim against the assets of a noncompliant taxpayer. If one receives an insurance policy with property tax lien, I file a "withdrawal" notice, notifying the public that I am not competing with other creditors for my property. Application for the Lien Withdrawal is also applicable for income tax lien. Easement is usually part of the deal and does need to be mentioned. For a mortgage and a mechanic lien, virtually impossible for you to sell a property with them, a law suit against such will be quite in order. Property lines are determined through a number of ways such as thorough checking of deed, visiting local assessors’ office for maps on the same or simply visiting the assessors’ official website for the same. One can also hire a surveyor to do the same work. Should problems be found, an agreement with the neighbors can as well resolve any issues arising from the

Ethical and Socially Responsive Business Essay Example for Free

Ethical and Socially Responsive Business Essay Chipotle Restaurant first opened its door in 1993 (www.chipotle.com) in Denver Colorado by Steve Ells. There are currently 1600 franchised restaurants in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom specializing in burritos and tacos. Careers range from accounting and management, information technology, cashiers and cooks. The success of any business, particularly the restaurant industry relies heavily on its code of ethics. Chipotle has an â€Å"open door† policy of which any of its employees who feel that any of its code of conducts is being violated are free to partake in. As the CEO of Chipotle, there are several key areas in Chipotle’s code of conduct significant to its success. Chipotle will do its best to protect the privacy of its employees who decide to partake in its open door policy. Some of those key areas relating to Chipotle’s code of conduct include: 1. Anti-Discrimination Policy- Chipotle believes that all of its employees should be treated with respect regardless to race, religion, national origin, disability, origin, gender, marital status or sexual orientation (ir.chipotle.com). The also applies to its hiring practices, as well as pay, performance reviews, training advancements and the ability to advance. 2. Sexual Harassment Policy- Chipotle strictly prohibits such behaviors posed upon any of its employees, male or female. Sexual harassment encourages intimidation and could lead to abuse of power. Chipotle defines sexual harassment as unwelcomed sexual advantages, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and nonverbal conducts sexual in nature. Examples of this type of behavior include verbal comments regarding physical body parts and jokes that are verbally offensive. 3. Discrimination Policy- Chipotle stands firm  this policy and includes discrimination of race, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, and any other discrimination practice and like the anti-discrimination, applies to its hiring practice, pay, performance reviews, training and the ability to advance (ir.chipotle.com). It is every employeeâ⠂¬â„¢s responsibility at Chipotles to ensure that each code of ethics is being carried out and any such violation must be reported. Every employee is expected to use good judgment and act reasonable and responsible and avoid potential conflicts that may interfere with the day to business of Chipotle. However, it is the responsibility of those in management to enforce the rules. As soon as management sees for them self or receives confidential information regarding any ethical violation, management should immediately respond to that violation by informing their immediate supervisor/ director. Behaviors such as sexual harassment and discrimination may be grounds for immediate dismissal. Chipotle will also take actions against management that fail to recognize any ethical violation upon its employees. There are several ways Chipotle can engage in socially responsible behavior within the communities they operate. This can be achieved by donating a portion of their profits to the communities they operate out of. An example would be Chipotle pledging to donate a percentage of all orders for carne burritos to the local community center. Chipotle can also help the communities they operate out of by offering each employee paid time off for agreeing to volunteer for specific tasks performed throughout the community. An example of employee volunteerism is offering all employees two hours paid time off per quarter for volunteering to assist with the grounds maintenance at the local elementary schools. Lastly, but not least is through the offer of employee incentives. Employees can receive bonuses for meetings the company’s goal for reducing energy costs for the quarter. References: http://ir.chipotle.com/phoenix.zhtml www.chipotle.com/en-us/company/about_us.aspx

The importance of childrens play and talk

The importance of childrens play and talk The first example is of Js first experience of mark making with felt tip pens and on speaking to the parents this was his first experience of using any drawing implements. This activity came about from Js own initiation his interest was gained when he saw his sister with the pens she was sat beside him drawing a picture of what she described as a rabbit, J watched for a while then grabbed at the pen his sister asked ‘Do you want to draw a picture ‘, J made a sound his sister gave him a blank piece of paper and a felt tip pen. J made marks on the paper looking up at his sister every so often who would say ‘wow J thats fantastic, good boy J would smile then continue to make more marks, Js sister gave him more colours J tried to pick all the pens up at once but dropped them all, he picked one up made a mark then tried another he continued this action for the duration of the activity. The activity was initiated and endedby J which lasted around 30 minuets. The second example is again by J and his first mark making and exploration with paint. This activity was adult initiated, the adult introduced a large rectangular blank canvas and different coloured paints with different size paint brushes. J was unsure at first and kept his distance, however moved closer and closer firstly poked the canvas with his finger, he picked up a brush exploring it with his mouth and then fingers, he put the brush on the table then put his finger in a paint pot he looked at his finger touching it with his thumb he put his hand on the table when he lifted his hand off he looked at the mark the paint had made poking his finger in the mark moving it around this made the mark bigger, J put his finger on the canvas the adult said ‘ what that ‘look its Js finger, J put his finger back in the paint moving it around the canvas. The adult picked the large brush up handing it to J ‘do you want to try the brush J took the brush he explored it with is mouth screwing his face up as the brush touched his tongue, ‘ewwwww said the adul t pulling his face ‘put it in there pointing to the pot of paint. J looked at the pot he dipped the edge of the large brush in the paint then dragged the brush across the canvas he continued this action a few times the picked the smaller brush putting it into different colours using a dabbing motion he made more masks on the canvas , he held the brush in one hand then placed the other onto the canvas lifted it up looking at his hand which was covered in different coloured paint he moved it closer to his face dropped the brush poked his painted hand moving his finger around the paint , J looked at his finger then put both hands together pulling them apart them put one on the canvas looking at the adult smiling ‘wow J thats Js hand J squealed then poked at the canvas with his painted finger. J put his hand on his face the adult laughed J then put both hands on his face laughing the adult said ‘come on J we better get you cleaned up . Because of the age of J the activity was more about exploration and investigation and the introduction to new experiences. Clay 1979; Goodman 1973; Smith 1971 cited in Barrat-Pugh 2000 challenged the developmentalist view of literacy drawing upon the 1970 research into how children learn to read and write their suggestions were that reading and writing are not isolated skills that can be taught but however the child is an active participant and the process is ongoing from birth. Arguing that reading, writing and oral language developments are interrelated, emerging over time through participation in literacy events. The childs family and community are central to this process as they provide experiences that facilitate emergent literacy. The importance of childrens play and talk is recognised in the Governments literacy and numeracy strategies where a commitment is stated to using these for reception children in their first year of school (Wood, E. 2004). The Association for Early Childhood Education recommends that practitioners make allowances for the fact that children learn at different levels and so activities need to be well planned and organised, thus providing opportunities for different children to shine in different contexts. The Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage in England also recommends a play-based curriculum. The practioner needs to be able to plan and resource challenging learning environments and to support childrens learning through planned play activity. The practitioner also needs to be able to extend and support the spontaneous play of children and help develop their language and communication skills through play. The practitioner also needs to ensure the childs continuity and progress ion (Wood, E. 2004:20). Moyles et al (2001) have argued that a learning environment that is dependent on play leads onto more mature forms of knowledge, skills and understanding. There is evidence to suggest that through play children develop high levels of verbal skill and creative problem solving capabilities. Practitioners need to be resourceful and have a tightly organised environment if they are to integrate play into the curriculum and the child becomes a powerful player in constructing their own learning (Malaguzzi, 1993). In order that the process is meaningful the teacher needs to understand how and what the child thinks and knows, and to be able to engage with this (Wood, 2004). Vygotsky (1933) argued that what children learn and how they learn it is driven by the social experiences and social interactions that they encounter and the development of their thinking occurs as a result of the interaction between themselves, their environment, and more experienced others. Thus, learning is a collaborative process, practitioners need to be aware however of the power relationships that exist in educational settings. Children have no control over the world they enter, of the pre-existing cultural practices or of the power of the expectations of others, particularly their parents and teache rs (MacNaughton, 2004). Training for those who intend to work in the early years sector should not neglect the issue of power or the contexts in which it operates. In English preschool classrooms, learning by being active and interactive, by exploring the environment, has gained universal status (Curtis, 1998). Dewey advocated that children learn best by exploring and manipulating their environment. Isaacs (1933) also emphasized the importance of learning by doing. She wrote that play is not the only means by which children come to discover the world; the whole of their spontaneous activity creates their psychic equilibrium in the early years. Communication, Language and Literacy includes the child to read a variety of different books, being able to communicate in different ways, such as facial expressions and eye contact used in non verbal communication. Children should be able to communicate in order for them to participate in their society. Children should also receive simple reading tasks and texts and writing for different purposes. Drake, (2001) A study carried out by Halls (1987) in a literate home corner, showed that where paper, pencils, newspapers, planners, telephone directories, cookery books and catalogues were added as part of the environment. During the four hour days of this study, children were engaged in 290 literacy events. For example it was found that the frequency, duration and complexity of childrens play with print increased and that the objective encouraged self-generated literacy activity. A particularly interesting finding was that children in the intervention group often transformed the literacy objects into something else. Another example was the cookery books became magic genie books, and newspapers became magazines. Language is a powerful source of signs, and empowers the child to restructure his or her environment, (Taylor and Woods 1998). There are many ways that children make connections with writing and reading, and many pathways into literacy. Writing and reading can enter young childrens lives in a variety of ways. Early experiences with literacy may be initiated by the child or by other people, they may be playful or work-like, and may take place at home, in the neighbourhood or in community settings. The range and diversity of early literacy experiences suggests that there are many ways that children make connections with writing and reading, and many pathways to literacy. Literacy development often starts in young childrens early symbol using activities: in talking, in play and fantasy, in scribbling and drawing, in pretend reading and writing. Between the ages of 1-5 children learn to use symbols they invent for themselves and those donated by the culture (Gardner Wolf, 1979, p.vii). The use of symbols—which may include words, gestures, marks on paper, objects modelled in clay, and so forth—makes it possible to represent experience, feelings and ideas. Symbols also allow children to go beyond the immediate here and now and to create imaginary worlds Play consumes much of young childrens time and energy, and for many children, play is where writing and reading begin. Play is the arena in which young children make connections between their immediate personal world and activities that are important in the larger social world of family and community, and play is the context in which many children find ways to make culturally valued activities part of their own personal experience. When children play with writing and reading, they are actively trying to use—and to understand and make sense of—reading and writing long before they can actually read and write. When books, paper, and writing material are among the objects children play with, important literacy learning can occur. As they experiment with written language, often in playful ways, children begin to learn what writing and reading are, and what they can do with them. At the same time, children can acquire a range of information and skills related to writing and r eading, as well as feelings and expectations about themselves as potential readers and writers. This multifaceted body of knowledge and attitudes constitutes early or emergent literacy (Holdaway, 1979; Teale Sulzby, 1986). Play appears to have at least two potential links to the development of literacy: First, as a symbolic activity, pretend play allows children to develop and refine their capacities to use symbols, to represent experience, and to construct imaginary worlds, capacities they will draw on when they begin to write and read. Second, as an orientation or approach to experience, play can make the various roles and activities of people who read and write more meaningful and hence more accessible to young children. In play the focus is on exploring rather than on accomplishing predetermined ends or goals, so there are few pressures to produce correct answers or final products. Plays non literal, not-for-real, not-for-profit orientation allows players the freedom to manipulate materials, experiences, roles and ideas in new, creative, experimental, as if ways (Bruner, 1977, p.v; Garvey, 1974). Play thus creates a risk-free context in which children do not have to worry about getting it right or about messing up. This freedom may lead children to discover or invent possibilities—new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking about ideas—which may, in turn, lead them to new questions, problems, and solutions. Approaching writing and reading with such an experimental, as if attitude may help children realize that written language is something they can manipulate in a variety of ways and for a variety of purposes. Playing at writing and reading—by scribbling, drawing, pretend ing to write, or pretending to read—may serve to open up the activities of writing and reading for childrens consideration and exploration (Bruner, 1976; Sutton-Smith, 1979). While activities like talking, playing, and drawing are closely linked to writing and reading, and while their use often intertwine and overlap, there are no direct or inevitable transitions between earlier—and later—developed symbol systems. Whether and how children make connections between talking, playing, drawing, and writing and reading depends on the childrens interests and personalities, on what is available and valued in their particular culture, on how the people around them use writing and reading in their own lives, and how these people initiate and respond to childrens writing and reading activities. In other words, early literacy development does not simply happen; rather, it is part of a social process, embedded in childrens relationships with parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, caretakers, and teachers. Early writing activities tend to be more visible than early reading activities because they involve making something. If given crayons or pencils, children usually begin to scribble around the age of 18 months; they find scribbling interesting because it leaves a visible trace—they have made something that didnt exist before. When children encounter print in their environment, they use this visual information in their scribbling and pretend writing. Marie Clay (1975) has shown that as scribbling develops, it begins to incorporate various features of conventional written language, such as linearity, horizontally, and repetition. As children learn that marks and letters represent or stand for something, they are developing an understanding of what Clay calls the sign concept—which is of central importance in learning to write and read. Robert Gundlach (1982) has argued that beginning writers need to master the functions, uses and purposes of writing; the forms and features of written language; and the processes of writing. Children must learn what writing can do, and, in particular, what they can do with writing. Early literacy development is closely tied to the specifics of young childrens relationships and activities. To these relationships and activities, children bring their curiosity, their interest in communicating and interacting with others, and their inclination to be a part of family and community life. They also bring their desire to use and control materials and tools that they perceive as important to the people around them—their urge to do it myself. And they bring their willingness to seek help from more proficient writers and readers. When they interact with more competent writers and readers, children serve as spontaneous apprentices (in George Millers phrase), learning about written language and how to use and control it for a range of purposes. What is the relationship between early experiences with literacy and later, long-term literacy development? There are as yet no definitive answers to this question, but as in other aspects of psychological development, we assume that there is a relationship between early literacy experience and later mature literacy. How this relationship unfolds for a particular child will depend on several factors which interact with one another in complex ways. These include the childs interests, temperament and personality, opportunities at home and in the neighbourhood for writing and reading, as well as the nature and quality of the instruction the child encounters in school. Even children who do not narrate their play are enacting a narrative with their gestures. It has been shown that children engage in this kind of symbolic play more and in richer ways when they do it with a facilitating adult, usually a parent or caregiver. A typical interaction consists of a young child moving a toy around, guiding the toy or toys through a sequence of actions. Often it is the adult who provides the language that highlights the narrative form embedded within the childs play gestures The Emergence of Story Telling During the First Three YearsBy Susan Engel Bennington College,Bennington, VermontZero to Three Journal, December 1996/January 1997. http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_language_storytellingAddInterest=1145