Wikiash Essays - Northwest Coast Art, Native American Religion

Wikiash Native American literature is, in general, not to my liking. I find that it is very often too far-fetched for even my imagination. Most Native American pieces are more like childrens fairy tales, than serious accounts of Indian history. The tale of the first totem pole was no exception to this generalization. I found the piece very slow and quite far-fetched. However, I enjoyed the piece from a fictional literature standpoint. Wakiash and the First Totem Pole is a story about a man named Wikiash, who has no dance in his tribe and so, decides to go find one. He is taken to a house where he sees animals (who have taken off their animal skin to reveal human bodies underneath) dancing around the place. Wikiash befriends a small mouse and gets her to help him sneak up on the animals in the house, so that he can learn a dance. Eventually, he bursts into the house in the middle of a dance. The animals are so ashamed that he has seen them without their animal skins that they will give him whatever he wants. He chooses to make them teach him some dances. However, he also asks for the house, a totem pole that is out front, and a mask. It was unclear to me why he asked for the latter 3 items, but ultimately he got them and was happy about it. This story shows all the aspects of Native American religious and social beliefs. Firstly, the aspect of the circle of life, which is probably the most important part of Native American religion, is not directly mentioned in the story. I have come to the conclusion, after much reflection to symbolism in the that the animals with their skin off that look like humans, are probably dead people who were reincarnated as animals, or were somehow spiritually connected to each other through the earth and the environment. Other than that, the Circle of Life is not an important part of Wikiash and the First Totem Pole. The story shows the importance of dance in Native American culture. Wikiash was practically an outcast until he learned the dances from the animals, then he was loved by all. It is the Kwakiutl way of life to dance, and its an important part of all their ceremonies, if I understand the symbolism in the story correctly. Overall, the story of Wikiash was an enjoyable story, but, I would not like to read stories like that all the time. The story, on a good note, was lighter on the symbolism and complexly of ideas than other Native American literature that I have read. Despite relatively little symbolism in this story, the ideas and beliefs that the story was trying to portray about dance being important in Kwajiutl daily life was conveyed clearly and well. This story gives the impression of a childrens fairy-tale, rather than a serious representation of Native American mythology and the first totem pole. English Essays

The Children We See, But Dont See In the Foster Care System Professor Ramos Blog

The Children We See, But Dont See In the Foster Care System Gwenyth Witkowski Engl-101-04 The Children We See, But Don’t See In the Foster Care System The foster care system as it exists today, is inadequate for meeting the needs of the children it is intending to serve. In theory, foster care sounds like the next best option if parents are incapable of taking care of their children, whether it be due to mental illness, drug abuse, physical abuse, or even poverty. This, however, is unfortunately not always the case. More often than not, children who are removed from their homes are placed in foster care, or group homes. Both can be equally as damaging when the appropriate assistance is not received. The incredible importance of understanding the problems associated with the foster care system cannot be underestimated.   As a society, we must find solutions to these problems so that children who have already been through some awful experiences can be cared for appropriately, and not be further harmed by the very system that is supposed to help them. This is important not only for the children, but it is a reflection of the kind of society we have created. Do we value all of our members, or just the ones who can vote or pay money? Research indicates that children who have spent time in the foster care system have higher levels of problems such as low educational attainment, physical abuse, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, involvement in the juvenile justice system, running away, and homelessness. While these are social problems that affect other people who have not been in the foster care system, the rates for foster children are higher. Is there something about the system itself that is creating these problems, or does it have to do with early childhood trauma from abusive or neglecting parents, or is it from the trauma of being separated from parents that they love? The youth who are placed in foster care are significantly more vulnerable than those placed in group homes due to the fact that their foster parents are not supervised on a daily basis by others. And in almost every case involving the maltreatment of children in the foster care system, the foster parents were at fault (Morton, 207). While maltreatment is not always going to be at the hands of non-relative foster parents, it is more likely. When a foster youth is abused by their caregiver, typically one of the biggest signs to their case worker that there’s a problem, is their grades. This, however isn’t always enough to warrant a different placement. In another small study, 11 participants discussed their abuse while in the foster care system, and how difficult it was for them to receive help. You may ask â€Å"why don’t they just call the police? How about taking photos of any injuries or contacting their social worker?† These apparently obvious solutions do not always work, because all of them were in fact attempted by a few children in this study, yet they were sent back to their abusive placement. In this study, a girl named Tanya was being sexually abused in her placement. Yet despite being abused, she did her best to maintain her grades, giving her social worker no reason to question the safety of her environment. After being placed in multiple homes, enduring abuse in all of them, Tanya was severely traumatized. She was abused to the point where she didn’t begin speaking until she was six, developing her own form of sign language, enabling her to communicate with her sister and foster parents (Morton, 217).   Another girl named Emily, who was actually being physically abused by a family member, wasn’t removed for a year and a half, even after documenting her abuse with photos, as well as attempting to call law enforcement. It wasn’t until she walked around with a fractured cheekbone that she was taken aw ay (Morton, 218). Roberto, Dianna, Jennifer, Emily, Tanya, Byron: these were just some of the participants in the study who shared their abuse. Not only are these children affected physically, but they typically won’t perform well in class, and they become angry, as well as distrusting and more likely to run away. While it seems understandable that a child who is being abused will leave their placement, why leave and be on their own? And what happens when they leave? There is a multitude of reasons that lead to foster youth leaving their placement. Among those are abuse, neglect, abandonment, involvement in the juvenile justice system, and painful family conflict (Crossland, Dunlap, 1699). It was found in a study that collected data from 14,282 youth, that age and gender were in fact key risk factors that were associated with running (Crossland, Dunlap, 1699). The youth aged from 15-17 were more likely to run away than those under 15, but of those who ran away, 90% ran from home for the first time when they were at least 12. Girls were far more likely than boys to run away. It was also discovered that the probability of youth running away was the highest in the first few months of placement in the foster care system. When the youth do run away, the ramifications are severe. They will more than likely miss school time, if they haven’t dropped out, and they are at risk of becoming victims of sexual assault, abusing drugs, and taking part in criminal activity. They also fail to gain an employment history which damages their chances of finding a suitable place to live. This will in fact lead to homelessness (Crossland, Dunlap, 1699). Low educational attainment is a problem for many youths in the United States, but this is especially the case for foster children. A study was done (Hunter, 2014) involving 1,266 foster care youths in order to predict their academic attainment. This study found that those placed with a certified relative did better academically than those placed with non-relatives, benefiting from many opportunities because of their connections with their family. These youths not only performed better academically, but their self-esteem and confidence were significantly higher than those who were placed with non-relatives, making it easier for them to build trusting relationships with peers and teachers. The children placed with non-relatives were less likely to succeed. With some it was due to physical, sexual or mental abuse, which creates psychological problems that impair social functioning. For others, the lack of success was more than likely due to the fact that many of the foster parents, yout hs, and even social workers were not as knowledgeable of all of the resources that they have at their disposal. Said resources often go underutilized because not very many people know about the programs offered in their area (Hunter, 23). In addition to low educational attainment, youth in the foster care system are more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system than others. â€Å"Consequently, nearly half of all youths who age-out are arrested after they transition from foster care at age 21† (Osei, et. al, p. 34). Taking all the different types of foster care into consideration, of the three main types (traditional foster care, therapeutic foster care, and group care), therapeutic foster care seemed to prevent the largest number of crimes due to the increased counseling. Therapeutic foster care settings are typically smaller, with more staff on site to help the foster youths manage any problems they’re having. It is indeed important to find the most appropriate placement for at-risk youth to help them avoid entering the criminal justice system (Osei, et. al, pp. 43-44). As if the prior problems aren’t enough, teen pregnancy among the youth in the foster care system has proved to be an obstacle that prevents these young people from achieving their educational and employment goals. â€Å"†¦teen girls in foster care are two and a half times more likely than those not in the system to experience a pregnancy by age 19† (Bilchik, Wilson-Simmons, p. 16). It’s acknowledged that being removed from their homes and not forming any important connections with others to â€Å"anchor† themselves, can in fact result in early pregnancies due to a lack of guidance. These early pregnancies can result in the youth born to these young mothers being put into the foster care system themselves. Without the help and support that they need, young females in the foster care system will continue to suffer from this very difficult problem, along with the repercussions due to their already disadvantaged state (Bilchik, Wilson-Simmons, p. 17). This report has covered five major problems within the foster care system: abuse, running away, low educational attainment, involvement in the juvenile justice or criminal justice system, and teen pregnancy. Much research is being conducted on these and other problems, and some of the researchers have pointed to potential solutions not discussed in this paper with social scientific evidence that could support the development of evidence-based programs for foster youth to help solve these problems. It would seem that all we have to do is implement these solutions. However, foster care is notoriously underfunded, and local, state, and federal government agencies lack the resources to try these effective solutions. What is called for at this time is the political will among our elected officials to prioritize the needs of our most vulnerable population: children without parental care. Bilchik, Shay and Wilson-Simmons, Renà ©. Preventing Teen Pregnancy among Youth in Foster Care. Policy Practice (19426828), vol. 68, no. 2, Apr. 2010, p. 16. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=f5hAN=49179396site=ehost-live Bilchik and Wilson-Simmons discuss one of the biggest problems that female youth in the foster care system face, presenting us with opportunities and preventative measures to take in order to avoid early pregnancies in the future. They discuss further what can lead to teen pregnancies among the youth in the foster care system. I will include this in my research report to illustrate yet another problem troubling the foster care system. Crossland, K. Dunlap, G. J. â€Å"Running Away from Foster Care: What Do We Know and What Do We Do?† Journal of Child and Family Studies, Springer Science+Business Media New York. Vol. 24, no. 6, June 2015, pp. 1697-1706. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=102426799site=ehost-live This article provides the audience with a detailed explanation as to what motivates the youth in the foster care system to run away from their current placement(s), how running is defined within the foster care system, as well as the ramifications of doing so. It will also touch on potential strategies to decrease how often the children run. I am going to use this in my report in order to help my audience as well as myself better understand why the youth placed in the foster care system feel the need to leave their place of residence at all. I am confident in the reliability of my source due to the fact that it is published by a company that is known for peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities and technical and medical publishing. Hunter, Dana R., et al. Understanding Correlates of Higher Educational Attainment among Foster Care Youths. Child Welfare, vol. 93, no. 5, Sept. 2014, p. 9. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=f5hAN=122411384site=ehost-live The article by Dana Hunter (and others) is a study done on a little over 1,200 youths in the foster care system, involving the academic success rates of children placed in the care of family members versus those who were not. This study was done in the context of social capitol theory, demonstrating that social capitol plays a role in educational attainment. This will be used in my article in order to draw attention to the importance of the caregiver in charge of the youth within the foster care system. This article is reliable because it is a child welfare journal. Morton, Brenda. Seeking Safety, Finding Abuse: Stories from Foster Youth on Maltrestment and Its Impact on Academic Achievement.† Child Youth Services, vol. 36, no. 3, Jul-Sep2015, pp. 205-225. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=110072124site=ehost-live This article by Brenda Morton focuses on the maltreatment of youth in the foster care system, and the effect that it has on their academic careers. She also goes over the rate at which the youth within the foster care system drop out of school, and the emotional and behavioral challenges that come with the trauma and abuse that they’ve endured. This will help in my research report, as it goes hand in hand with why the children who are being mistreated are less likely to remain at their out-of-home care placements. This article is reliable in the way that it was published by a global publishing company, which publishes academic books, journals about the humanities and social sciences. Osei, Gershon, et al. Delinquency and Crime Prevention: Overview of Research Comparing Treatment Foster Care and Group Care. Child Youth Care Forum, vol. 45, no. 1, Feb. 2016, pp. 33-46. EBSCOhost, http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=112260689site=ehost-live The article by Gershon Osei (and others) discusses a small study that was done involving youth in the foster care system from ages 10-18. It explores the potential solutions to higher delinquency rates in the youth. I will use this article in my report to provide the audience with an understanding of what could potentially help youth in the system, should we put in the time and man power needed to avoid any children being overlooked or neglected in any way. This article is reliable because this is the same company that publishes peer-reviewed journals in science, humanities, and technical and medical studies. https://unsplash.com/search/photos/children

Definition and Evaluation of Holistic Grading

Definition and Evaluation of Holistic Grading Holistic grading is a method of evaluating a composition based on its overall quality. Also known as  global grading, single-impression scoring, and impressionistic grading. Developed by the Educational Testing Service, holistic grading is often used in large-scale assessments, such as college placement tests. Graders are expected to make judgments based on criteria that have been agreed upon before the start of an evaluation session. Contrast with analytic grading. Holistic grading is useful as a time-saving approach, but it does not provide students with detailed feedback. Observations Teachers who practice holistic grading refuse to break down a students essay into separate problems like punctuation and paragraphing, but base their grade on their immediate sense of the whole derived from a deliberately nonanalytical reading.(Peggy Rosenthal, Words and Values: Some Leading Words and Where They Lead Us. Oxford University Press, 1984)Holistic Grading and Peer ReviewIf the speed of grading is more important than detailed feedback, then  holistic grading is  more appropriate; it just means less feedback for the writer. Pairs or small groups can also evaluate one anothers work using this rubric. Called peer review, it gives them practice in evaluation, helps them internalize the criteria, and relieves you of the burden of grading.(Nancy Burkhalter,  Critical Thinking Now: Practical Teaching Methods for Classrooms Around the World.  Rowman Littlefield,  2016)Inductive Holistic Grading[Holistic grading] is relatively quick, efficient, reliable, and fair when ba cked by instructor experience, practice, and familiarity with the student performance range at the institution. In addition, it easily accommodates essays and assignments that demand higher-order thinking and have multiple respectable responses.With inductive holistic grading, which is suitable for small classes, you read quickly through all the responses or papers, rank each above or below the ones you have already read, from best to worst, and then group them for assigning grades. Finally, you write up descriptions of the quality of each group and then give them to students when you return their work. To personalize the feedback, you can add comments to each students sheet or highlight the most applicable parts of the appropriate description.(Linda B. Nilson, Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors, 3rd ed. Jossey-Bass, 2010) Advantages and Disadvantages of Holistic Grading- An advantage to holistic grading is that graders can evaluate many papers in a short span of time because they do not comment on or correct the students work. Advocates of this method also propose that it makes grading more objective, since students names do not appear on the papers and since the rater may not have had the student in a class . . ..Critics of the method have questioned its validity and reliability, arguing that holistic ratings are swayed by superficial factors such as length and appearance of an essay, that holistic ratings cannot be generalized beyond the group that designed the criteria for judgment, and that the agreed-upon criteria can limit the readers views on the merits of the writing they are evaluating . . ..(Edith Babin and Kimberly Harrison, Contemporary Composition Studies: A Guide to Theorists and Terms. Greenwood Press, 1999)- [H]olistic grading is  probably not the best tactic, even if it seems the ea siest and quickest. Assigning a single score, grade, or judgment leaves the student unsure about both quality and content. One simple approach is to give a composition one grade for content coverage and a separate grade for writing quality.(Robert C. Calfee and Roxanne Greitz Miller, Best Practices in Writing Assessment for Instruction.  Best Practices in Writing Instruction, 2nd ed., edited by  Steve Graham et al. Guilford Press, 2013) Holistic RubricsHolistic rubrics are the quickest way to score papers in any content area, requiring a teacher to read a paper only once. Teachers can develop rubrics by basing them on the content theyve taught and practiced; assess papers based on established criteria agreed upon by students and teachers; and give a single holistic score that indicates the quality level of the writing, ranging from deficient to competent to outstanding.(Vicki Urquhart and Monette McIver, Teaching Writing in the Content Areas. ASCD, 2005)

Dallas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dallas - Essay Example The city was under both the Spanish and French colonial governments before boundaries placed it under Spain. This adds to its great historical background and makes it unique and a tourist favorite. The planning of the city is done extremely well, with the buildings well arranged and the roads and streets offer easy navigation through the city. Although it lacks a navigable link to the sea, the scenery in Dallascity is just irresistible; the Trinity River winds itself through the city and serves as an ideal position to view the sunset either on the ferry or on the shores before it disappears into Houston (Hanson 68). Dubbed the romantic spot, couples always gather on the shores of this river and just sink into each other’s eyes while enjoying the beautiful environment around them. White Rock Lake is another beautiful area to visit in Dallas. It is a water reservoir where families go to spend their weekends and free time. Activities such as boating, rowing, jogging, and biking all serve as a means of entertainment to the people. There is also an Arboretum and Botanical garden located to the east shore of the lake that provide good relaxing places and serve as a tourist at traction sites (Hanson 21). Dallas has a humid subtropical climate, which favors most of the best outdoor activities. For instance, during the summer, the city records very high temperatures that range between 38 and 42 degree Celsius, which are favorable for swimming, and other water activities (Hanson 22). Winters in Dallas are mild warm with lots of snow rising up to 1.5 inches off the ground. Spring and autumn bring the most pleasant weather with the showing of wild flower that beautifully colors the environment (Hanson 22). A staple in Dallas is the Chilean Sea Bass on Lobster Risotto. This dish has gained recognition around the world due to its effect on the taste buds, and you simply cannot visit Dallas without paying a visit to one of the steakhouses

Cloning and Expression of the Peanut Allergen, Ara h2.02 in E.coli Thesis

Cloning and Expression of the Peanut Allergen, Ara h2.02 in E.coli - Thesis Example allergic reaction is influenced by some factors such as genetic predisposition (atopy), age, type of food allergen, nature of any food processing, environmental, and physiological conditions (Taylor and Hefle 2001). Sampson (2005) claims that exercise, medications, alcohol consumption, and asthma may increase the severity of an allergic reaction. The majority of severe and fatal allergic reactions to foods have appeared in adolescents and teens that were highly atopic and had a history of asthma (Sampson 2003b; Pumphrey 2004). In general, it is assumed that the history of severe allergic reaction indicates an increased danger of imminent severe reactions. However, a history of mild responses does not prevent the risk of a future severe reaction. Sicherer et al. (1998) note that mild reactions to peanut during childhood can be more severe during adulthood and later childhood. This may be caused by tendency of the children to develop asthma later in life (Sampson 2005). Pumphrey (2004) shows in his review article on anaphylactic fatalities in United Kingdom that 85 percent of fatal food reactions on the patient did not experience a severe reaction. The author also states that the severity of past responses is not a possibility for having a fatal reaction in nut allergic patients. Studies also implied that an individual that has a clinical history of IgE-specific food allergy may be inclined to anaphylaxis or severe reaction. Estimate shows that 35 percent of the children are affected by allergy III and IV and the most common signs of allergy in children are: (1) food allergy, (2) atopic dermatitis, (3) asthma, and (4) allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis. Allergic diseases are carried on in families. If the parents have allergies, the child has a 40 to 60 percent chance of developing allergies. Also, if only one of the parents has an allergy the risk is about 20 to 40 percent. However, if both parents do not have allergies, there still exists a risk for the child to

Interoffice Memo Essay Example for Free

Interoffice Memo Essay Yesterday, July 1, 1976, the ruling in the case of Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California was decided. The Supreme Court of California imposed a legal duty to psychotherapists, enforceable by a civil suit, to warn a person who may become a victim of a violent act by a patient or if the patient threatens to harm themselves. As professionals in the Human Service field it is necessary that we adhere to this when a client may threaten to hurt themselves or another person. With this ruling, and before any action is taken, we are reminded of our code of ethics. Human Service Professionals have guidelines in their responsibility to the client. The ruling of this case has affected our ethical decision making, in that, we also acknowledge that we need to not only assist our client but also, if threat is made, to assist and protect a potential victim. Once this threat is made, ethically, we have no option but to report it and to not do so, we break our code of ethics and the law. This case has made us aware of the fact that threats can and possibly will be carried out, therefore, threats should not and will not be taken lightly. Our Code of Ethics has changed slightly since this ruling was imposed and while we still protect our client’s confidentiality and privacy, there is now an exception. â€Å"If it is suspected that danger or harm may occur to the  client or to others as a result of a client’s behavior, the human service professional acts in an appropriate and professional manner to protect the safety of those individuals. This may involve seeking consultation, supervision, and/or breaking the confidentiality of the relationship.† (Woodside and McClam, 2011) References: Woodside, M., McClam, T. (2011). An introduction to human services (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.

Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath vs. Sinclair’s The Jungle Essay

Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath vs. Sinclair’s The Jungle The global appeal of the so-called American dream of happiness and success has drawn many people to the â€Å"promised land† for hundreds of years. Although the American government preached equality for all on paper, it was driven primarily by money. Both Upton Sinclair and John Steinbeck recognized this and used literature to convey the flaws of capitalism. Sinclair’s The Jungle satirized America’s wage slavery at the turn of the century and forty years later, Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath criticized the commercialism of American farming. These two books, often viewed as propagandistic, employ similar persuasive strategies: strong imagery, heavy symbolism, biting irony, and a proposal to correct the situation. Despite these parallels, however, the authentic diction and syntax of Steinbeck’s writing deviates from the inconsistent style of Sinclair. After considering how each author manipulates various stylistic elements, The Grapes of Wrath proves to be a more cogent tract. The most obvious rhetorical device in The Jungle is its powerful imagery. Sinclair offers repulsive anecdotes of work in the packinghouses. His description of the killing beds in winter vividly lingers in the mind of the reader. During winter, Sinclair says, the vicious cold of the beds caused the men to â€Å"tie up their feet in newspapers and old sacks.† By the end of the day, the frozen blood of slaughtered cattle soaked through their improvised boots so that â€Å"a man would be walking on great lumps the size of the feet of an elephant.† Sinclair also claims that when workers fell into the open vats on the floor in â€Å"tank rooms full of steam,† their absence passed unnoticed, often â€Å"over... ...beck describes them. Because the family concentrated on farming instead of schooling, their country phrases are fitting. Steinbeck’s convincing portrayal of Dust Bowl migrants grabs the reader’s emotions, producing a compelling argument. Overall, The Grapes of Wrath proves to be a more effective novel that The Jungle. Although The Jungle shares some of the same rhetorical devices, its unrealistic dialogue and long-winded sentences detract from its potency. Steinbeck and Sinclair both successfully use imagery, symbolism, and irony to persuade their audience. In both books, various symbols emphasize the deceptive nature of the American dream, and irony mercilessly illuminates the unjust aspects of capitalism. Ultimately, however, because The Grapes of Wrath is so genuine, Steinbeck proposes a solution for crooked capitalism more successfully than Sinclair.