Conflict Resolution between Teacher and Parents

Conflict Resolution between Teacher and Parents Introduction From time to time, all teachers will be faced by a difficult and demanding parent. From challenging academic results to accusations of bullying, some parents can be very intimidating or even aggressive. Until relatively recent times, the school was viewed as the realm of the professional, the educator, the teacher. As Carol Vincent states: ‘No parents beyond this point such signs could have been seen in schools around the country, symbolizing the clear division between home and school. She goes on to describe schools as: ‘[I]slands of professional expertise, of calm, order and learning. How we all miss the good old days in the midst of a hectic, stressful Parents Consultation Meeting, when we see the approach of Mr and Mrs Smith, looking as happy as we might have predicted with Johns latest report! Conservative government educational policy, from 1979, was underpinned by the notion of parents as the â€Å"consumers† of an education system, who would be empowered with considerable influence over the way in which the â€Å"producers† the teachers operated, not least by the use of â€Å"parental choice† as a factor in determining which schools would thrive and which close. More recent educational policy, during the Labour Partys terms of office, has stressed the importance of the home/school partnership in promoting the learning of young people. Carol Vincent, quoting a 1986 study by Cowburn, summarises this shift in perception as follows: â€Å"Parents were once kept out of schools so as to allow the professionals uninterrupted control: parents are now being encouraged to get involved, to come into school so that they can understand why the professional exercises control in the manner he/she does†. Communicating clearly, therefore, what we do, what we have done, being prepared to justify our actions by reference to school policy, to educational theory and practice, to the statutory demands of the National Curriculum, for example, needs to be at the forefront of the teachers agenda in any meetings with parents, whether arranged or a surprise encounter. We are no longer autonomous rulers in our own little world, but need, as professionals and experts, to be prepared to explain, or justify, our actions and decisions in language that is accessible to the parent. Situation H or S Heated? In the table above, jot down in the first column possible situations which might generate an ‘interview with parents. For example: report sent home detention issued o praise postcard sent home * In the second column, indicate whether the ‘invitation to meet is most likely to come from Home (H) or School (S) * In the third column, rate the likelihood of the meeting becoming heated on a scale of 1-5, 1 being highly unlikely, and 5 highly likely. Getting the basics right conflict avoidance The importance of the dialogue between school and home cannot be underestimated, and those schools which have taken steps to ensure that their relationship with their parents is a good one, based on mutual respect and concern for the young people whose care they share for at least five days each week will have fewer flashpoints on the level of personal interaction between parent and teacher. Everyone has an experience of school life, so, in that respect, all our parents feel that they are experts! For many, their own experiences of school and of teachers are not particularly good ones: some find entering school premises a daunting prospect, and this unease can quickly escalate into difficult or aggressive behaviour. Many associate their visits to school with negative emotions: they have responded to so many summons because of a childs poor behaviour, attitude or progress that any chance to â€Å"get ones own back† by criticising the school is pursued with relish. Make a note below of skills which you use in the classroom:  · to defuse tension  · to manage behaviour  · to foster co-operation  · to ensure compliance  · to foster a good working relationship A couple of examples are included to get you off to a good start! Skills I use daily:  · Friendly greeting as pupils arrive.  · My ‘no nonsense face.  · Standing up full height to look imposing Which of the above are also useful in dealing with parents? Many difficult encounters can be avoided if the school:  · Has clear policies on a variety of relevant topics e.g. uniform, behaviour, information that is shared with parents on a regular basis. As a teacher, ensure that, in your dealings with pupils, you apply such policies with fairness, consistency and equity.  · Takes steps to involve parents in the life of the school whenever possible the good old school play, or talent show, provides opportunities for parents to cross the school threshold in a non-confrontational context. As an individual, seek out opportunities to establish a dialogue with parents, even if it is only a nod of acknowledgment, if you meet them outside school in a supermarket or in the queue for a plane at the airport! Look for, and utilise, any opportunities to share an interest in something other than the child who is the focus of your relationship.  · Has clear and well established practices for communicating with parents e.g. on behaviour, attendance, progress. Such communication should be timely and prompt, not restricted to key points in the school year e.g. end of year report, and should also inform parents of a childs positive contributions to the life of the school, for example via â€Å"praise postcards†. As a teacher, try to ensure, wherever it is reasonable, that particular parents do not always associate your name with bad news.  · Provides a welcoming environment for parents a cheerful reception area; a cheery greeting from reception staff; a light, warm room in which meetings can take place In many ways, the parents who arrive at the school fired up in defence of their child, or who demand to see a teacher to find out why progress is not being maintained, is less of a threat to the life of the school than those parents who refuse all attempts to initiate a dialogue, to the point that their child is excluded. Parents who are moved to anger by something they believe has happened, normally because their child says so, can potentially become the teachers greatest ally, once a more appropriate relationship has been established. Communicating with parents  · In the table below, in the first column, list the means of communication which your school uses with its parents. There are 3 examples to get you started.  · In the second column, rate the effectiveness of each, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being of little use and 5 being highly effective. Communication Rating Annual written report Grade card termly Consultation evening How could any of the above be adapted to improve effectiveness? What makes a person angry? Anger is a natural part of the human condition, but it isnt always easy to handle. Some people mask their anger. Others explode with rage. Good parents invest a great deal of emotional energy in their offspring: which of us, as a parent, has not been moved to strong emotion by something that our child tells us, or something that they have done, or not done? We also acknowledge the importance of social and emotional intelligence for our young people in school, and many schools are delivering extensive programmes to support this aspect of their pupils development. Since youngsters learn more from models than from lectures, it is reasonable to assume that many of those pupils who have difficulty expressing emotion, or controlling an outburst of anger, are not seeing positive role models at home in this respect. It may be, therefore, that a parent does not intend to show anger or aggression, but has never learned to express concern in a more appropriate way. There are a number of courses which schools can access and provide for their parents, to support them in developing their own emotional literacy, which will not only be of benefit in your encounters, but will also help them to reinforce, and model, the behaviours and responses that you are hoping to develop in the children. The Millennium Cohort Study by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education, University of London, published in October 2008, shows that what parents are most concerned about in choosing a school in the first place is not only the schools performance, but other characteristics that, taken together, parents rate even more highly the â€Å"good impression† created by the school, a strong anti-bullying policy, its ability to accommodate an ethnic mix, and its facilities amongst others. It therefore follows that these are the sorts of issues that parents are most likely to seek to approach the school with if they feel that it is â€Å"all going wrong† for their child. Psychologists recognize that anger arises for different reasons in different types of people, which may need to be handled in different ways by the sensitive teacher. You may recognize parents that you have had, on occasion, to deal with in the profiles detailed below, although it is highly unlikely that any parent has ever reached the point of hatred towards their childs teacher it just feels like it sometimes! Understanding what may be the underlying cause of parents anger, over and above the particular incident that has provoked this meeting, may help you not to respond too quickly, with mounting irritation, to what appears to be an unreasonable display from across the desk. Types of Anger Disguised Anger These individuals may not, at first, let others know how angry they are. Sometimes, they dont even know how angry they are. But the anger will come out! They look hurt and innocent. They gain a sense of control over their lives by frustrating others. The teacher needs to become practiced in interpreting body language, which may indicate anger bubbling below the surface, just waiting to explode when a trigger point in the conversation is reached. Paranoid Anger This type of anger occurs when someone feels irrationally threatened by others. They seek aggression. They believe people are against them, dont understand their viewpoint or their concerns. They expect others to attack, verbally at least. Because of this, they jealously guard and defend what they think is theirs these parents are often those who say things like: â€Å"My son wouldnt do that† â€Å"My daughter says she has done the work and you lost it and I believe her†. People with paranoid anger give it away it is self evident from their body language, both their verbal and non-verbal communication, that they are very, VERY annoyed. Such parents may often feel insecure, especially in the school environment, and unwilling to trust the school, or you as its representative. Sudden Anger People with sudden anger are like thunderstorms on a summer day. They zoom in from nowhere, blast everything in sight, and then vanish. Sometimes its only lightning and thunder, a big show that soon blows away, but can cause damage, occasionally physical, but certainly in terms of the relationship between the teacher and the home, and to the home-school partnership, that will take a long time to repair. Sudden Anger people gain a surge of power. They release all their feelings, so they feel good or relieved: you, on the receiving end, feel battered and emotionally exhausted. These are the people in danger of losing control: they may get physically violent and, at the least, will say and do things they may later regret. Sometimes, all you can do is simply let the anger blow up, and blow over do not attempt to interrupt or respond until the storm has passed, but keep calm, keep still and make it clear that you are listening. It may even be that the best solution is to simply let this parent have his, or her, say, then suggest a return appointment, in the hope that regret has tempered their anger, and allowed reason to surface. Shame-Based Anger People who need a lot of attention or are very sensitive to criticism often develop this style of anger. The slightest criticism sets off their own shame and since they share such close emotional links with their children, any criticism of the child is felt to reflect badly on them. They feel worthless, not good enough and, like any living creature, when they feel backed against a wall, they will come out fighting! When they feel the teacher is ignoring them, like not giving in to their demands to move their child to a different teaching set, they take it as proof that the other person dislikes them as much as they dislike themselves. That makes them really angry, so they lash out; You made me feel awful, so Im going to hurt you back. They get rid of their shame by blaming, criticizing, and ridiculing others. Their anger helps them get revenge against anybody they think shamed them. Such parents need reassurance; they are good people; they are doing their best for their child; thei r child has huge potential that is not yet being realised because of the issue at hand. Deliberate Anger This anger is planned. People who use this anger usually know what they are doing. They arent really overtly emotional, at least not at first. They like controlling others, and the best way theyve discovered to do that is with anger and, sometimes, violence. Power and control are what people gain from deliberate anger. Their goal is to get what they want by threatening or overpowering others. Firmness and fairness are the best responses to this: such individuals have to learn that he who shouts loudest does not always get what he wants, that you as an individual, and the school as an organisation, does not respond to threats and bullying, but decides what is best in the interest of the pupils. Addictive Anger Some people want, or even need, the strong feelings that come with anger. They like the intensity, even if they dont like the trouble their anger causes them. Their anger is much more than a bad habit it provides emotional excitement. It isnt fun, but its powerful. These people look forward to the anger rush, and the emotional high. Anger addicts gain a sense of intensity and emotional power when they explode. They feel alive and full of energy. You, as an individual, are not going to break this addiction alone but nor should you have to tolerate it repeatedly. If every encounter is the same, this problem needs dealing with at a higher level. It may even be that, in the interests of the health and safety of staff, it may not be possible to continue to accommodate such interviews. Moral Anger Some people think they have a right to be angry when others have broken a rule. They view the offenders as bad, evil, wicked, sinful. They have to be scolded, maybe punished. People with this anger style feel outraged about what bad people are doing. They say they have a right to defend their beliefs. They claim moral superiority. They justify their anger as being for the best, in a good cause. They dont feel guilty when they get angry because of this. They often feel superior to others, even in their anger. These people suffer from black-and-white thinking, which means they see the world too simply. They fail to understand people who are different from themselves. They often have rigid ways of thinking and doing things. Another problem with this anger style is crusading attacking every problem or difference of opinion with moral anger when compromise or understanding might be better. For these people, you need to â€Å"prove† that you are operating â€Å"within the rulesâ⠂¬ : it is not your decision, but one dictated by a policy which you have to enforce. They may not like the rule, but should appreciate the evidence that you are applying it consistently! Hate Hate is a hardened anger. It is a nasty anger style that happens when someone decides that at least one other person is totally evil or bad. Forgiving the other person seems impossible. Instead, the hater vows to despise the offender. Hate starts as anger that doesnt get resolved. Then it becomes resentment, and then a true hatred that can go on indefinitely. Haters often think about the ways they can punish the offender and they sometimes act on those ideas. These people feel they are innocent victims. They create a world of enemies to fight, and they attack them with great vigour and enthusiasm. However, this hatred causes serious damage over time. Haters cant let go or get on with life. They become bitter and frustrated and their lives become mean, small and narrow. Golden Rule NEVER trade anger with anger! You do not extinguish a fire by throwing more fuel on it. Whatever anger type you recognise yourself to be, in the context of a meeting with parents; you are the professional cool and collected. Breathe deeply, switch off your more sensitive self, dont take the insults personally and dont respond in kind, trading hurt for hurt, insult for insult. Learning to read the signs à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â€š ¬ a guide to non-verbal communication! As teachers, we are generally adept at recognising the subtle signs that all is not well with the pupils in our care; we need to adapt and enhance these, often subconscious, abilities when assessing the degree of anger, or annoyance, or high emotion, in the parents before us. When people are tense or nervous, there are clear visual signals, long before the volume, or pitch, of their voice increases! Their fists may be clenched, or their hands or feet tapping. Their hands may be interlocked, as if praying, and the apparent pressure between the hands gives an indication of just how tense they may be. Their arms are crossed, but they are gripping their biceps. Look at the parents mouth: upward turns in the corner of the mouth are often positive signs, and downward turns, or flat lines, demonstrate negative behaviour. Are lips pressed together or relaxed and comfortable? When the parent speaks, emotion is betrayed by a high pitch, fast pace or stuttering, long before the voice becomes over-loud, or the language abusive. Parents may repeatedly clear their throats. Their eyes evade you. Be aware of these signs of unease, and respond sympathetically; you may avoid the situation escalating into anger. Be welcoming and placatory: listen attentively to their concerns; nod in acknowledgment of what they are saying; feed back your understanding of what they are saying. Offer a comfortable environment and perhaps a drink and a biscuit. Do not approach over-assertively; if you put such parents on the defensive, they will move quickly from unease to anger. One of the most valuable ways of discovering whether someone is being open and honest is to look for palm displays. When someone begins to open up or be truthful, he will expose all, or part, of his palms to another person. Like most body language, this is a completely unconscious gesture, one that gives you a hunch that the other person is telling the truth. When a child is lying or concealing something, his palms are hidden in his pockets or he adopts an â€Å"arms folded† position, for example, when he tries to explain where he was. One of the tricky things about body language is that we are often unaware of how we are reacting to it. We may, for example, form a negative judgment about someone because she slouches, wont look us in the eye or talks with her hands. Because we are unaware of why we made the judgment, we are unable to filter out our biases about what body language means and what it tells us about an individual. Be aware, also, of what you are communicating through your own body language. Be open, physically. Do not cross your arms across the chest or hold obstructive objects (such as your marks register) protectively between the two of you. Approach parents with a hand outstretched in greeting, make eye contact and smile as if pleased to see them even, or perhaps especially, if you are not! Aggressive body language will only alienate, and probably exacerbate what may already be a tense or confrontational meeting. You need to appear relaxed, with an upright posture, and maintain direct eye contact. Rounded shoulders tend to imply that you are afraid or subservient, although a rigidly upright posture can, by contrast, convey inflexibility think of the regimental sergeant major! Drooping, hunched shoulders have the connotation of carrying a heavy burden, and will not create the impression of someone who is confident in the decisions they have made. Beware of using arms and legs unconsciously as a protective barrier. Be aware of overall position: put simply, we lean towards people we like and lean away from people we dont. Avoid gazing at the floor, one of the cardinal sins of body language: if you avoid looking at people, you avoid connecting with them. It will make the parent feel youre not interested in them or anything theyre saying if you cant even be bothered raising your eyes to fake interest, what hope have they got? or perhaps that you are arrogant its rude not to look at someone who is talking to you or nervous and slightly dodgy avoid looking someone in the eye and they automatically assume youre hiding something. Try not to resort to habitual actions which convey nervousness, such as fiddling with your collar or scratching your neck. You might as well have a neon sign hanging round it that reads My names John/Jane and youre making me feel horribly insecure and/or as nervous as hell. Both gestures are signs of doubt and uncertainty. People pull their clothes away from their necks when theyre in a hot spot, literal or otherwise; this may be how you are feeling, but do you really want to convey the fact so openly? And finally, propping up your face with your hand putting your hand on the side of your face and leaning on it could be sending a clear message, either â€Å"Im so bored and tired, I can hardly hold my head up† or â€Å"Im feeling faintly superior and quite possibly judging you while Im at it.† We simply would not sit like that in front of a boss or someone we respected. Your facial expression needs to be responsive to what the parent is saying. Keep your hands relaxed and your voice confident, measured in volume and pitch. Bear in mind that, when holding a conversation, people use certain head movements to indicate that they have come to the end of a sentence and are waiting for the other persons answer. Lowering of the head may indicate the end of a statement or raising the head the end of a question, and a demand for your response. Look for signs of growing â€Å"congruence†: when we are starting to see another persons point of view, we tend to imitate their body language. When a group is in congruence, the positions of their bodies mimic each other, in some cases like a mirror image: when one member of a congruent group changes his position, everyone does so with him. Congruence within a group usually indicates that all the members are in agreement. If the group has two points of view, the defenders of each opinion will adopt different positions; each subgroup will be congruent within itself, but not congruent with the other subgroup. When interviewing two parents, looking for congruent movements may help you to establish who is the dominant partner, and it may not necessarily be the one who first begins to speak: they may be holding the â€Å"big guns† in reserve, to catch out the unwary teacher, who is beginning to think that he, or she, is winning the argument. Manage the situation by trying to bring the â€Å"silent partner† into the discussion at a point that suits you â€Å"What do you feel has happened, Mr Smith?† When those on the â€Å"other side† of the discussion begin to mirror your movements, you know that they are getting on side, and listening to what you have to say. To try to break the tension at the beginning of the interview, to increase a persons comfort when they are closed-off, utilize mirroring; observe the parents behaviour and then, in a subtle way, act the same way they are acting. If their arms are crossed over, sit back, relax a little, and then begin to cro ss your arms. The Managed Meeting The majority of times we have an interview with parents, we are well aware that the meeting will take place. There is, of course, the annual Parents Consultation Evening, or you may have sent a letter home about a disciplinary related incident, for example, that you can confidently predict will elicit a response from home and even, perhaps, that it is likely to be an emotional, or even heated, exchange. There are also social events, a â€Å"Celebration Assembly† perhaps to which parents have been invited, which might also prompt some to request a few words with you in private regarding a long running issue. And, sometimes, the meeting has been suggested by you, effectively a summons to the parents to attend a meeting of crucial importance to the youngster, for example, if there has been cause for a temporary exclusion or a permanent exclusion is on the horizon. Whenever you have the opportunity to â€Å"manage† such meetings, make the most of the opportunity to ensure a good outcome for all parties, and the minimum of stress for yourself. It is, perhaps, worth emphasising that most encounters with parents are perfectly amicable, or may be emotional for them, although not in any way expressed in angry exchanges. It would be a mistake to always assume the worst; your own tension will be conveyed to parents and might be the â€Å"last straw† that tips them over the edge! a) Fixing a Date When a parent requests a meeting in advance, or if you are issuing the summons, think carefully about the timing. Allow enough time to prepare effectively a few days at least. When confirming the time and date, if you are not really sure why the meeting is being requested, politely enquire as to the general topic. Pick a time which you can â€Å"manage† i.e. that will have a definite start time and a definite finish: meetings during the school day are often better from this point of view, since parents will anticipate that you will have classes to teach at some point! However, it is also often the time least favoured by parents, who may work during the day or have other commitments, for example younger children to make arrangements for. If the meeting must be at the end of the school day, make sure that you have established with the parents how long the meeting will last, and inform a reliable colleague, whose job it will be to bring the meeting to an end by â€Å"interrupting†: this could be a teaching colleague, a member of non-teaching staff, even a cleaner or caretaker, reminding you that the room needs to be cleared. Emotionally charged meetings have a tendency to become circular, the tension rising and falling, and can, if you dont manage them, carry on for disproportionately long times, and they are no more effective than a short, sharp, focussed meeting in bringing about a satisfactory outcome. When you have fixed the date and time, make sure that it has been entered into the school calendar. Book a suitable room, if available. Inform the appropriate line manager which parents you are meeting and why curriculum leader, pastoral team leader, senior management. Informing the SEN coordinator would also be appropriate for certain pupils. Make sure that the reception staff know, and will be ready to greet the parents warmly. Make it clear to all how long you are scheduling the meeting for, and make sure that there will be some support for you, should matters become heated or should the meeting drag on interminably and have an â€Å"exit plan† agreed to address these possible scenarios. Use the interim time wisely to gather as much information as you can. Check school records for any information from previous meetings, perhaps with other members of staff: ask colleagues for any tips or pieces of information, about family circumstances perhaps, that you might not previously have been privy to. Do not forget support staff and those in reception, for example, who may have had cause to speak to these parents before. Use â€Å"local knowledge†: many support staff live locally and may know these parents in an entirely different social setting, as neighbours perhaps, and may also have useful information to add. Dont forget the child who is the stimulus for the discussion but beware of appearing to pump for information! Always remember that the child has his, or her, own agenda, and you never know what the little dear has been saying at home that may potentially have already inflamed an otherwise perfectly amicable meeting. Gather together the â€Å"evidence† you may have relating to the meeting examples of class work, attendance records, records of missed homeworks and some comparative information (no names of course) with other class members, photocopies of graffiti, photographs of damage whatever supports the issues you need to put across. Have copies available of relevant policy documents, or previous written correspondence, and a clear note of when, and how, such communications have been conveyed. Make sure that you have carefully read records of any previous correspondence, whether on the matter in question or another: incidents which may appear to you to be unrelated, to parents desperate for a reason to excuse their childs behaviour may seem to provide evidence of a â€Å"conspiracy† at least if they bring something up, you will know roughly what they are referring to! The watchword for your preparation should be â€Å"Forewarned is forearmed!† b) Managing the Environment How we guard our personal space boundaries, and how we enter into the others personal space, is integrally connected with the way we relate with other people. It is important for people to have their ‘own space, and how you manage the space in the meeting room will establish the relationship between you and the parent, and possibly the emotional tone that the meeting will take. Make sure that you have established a â€Å"space† for yourself that you are comfortable with, in terms of the distance between you and the parents, and your relative positions. If the meeting is taking place in your â€Å"teaching space†, this is, in one sense, a kind of temporary home territory for you, perhaps marked by personal belongings, and one in which you may feel comfortable. Conversely, you may see this as a potential battleground, or a territory you want to protect, and feel happier in a more formal meeting room. Each school will, in addition, have its own established practices which may dictate the venue. Arrange the chairs in the interview room before the parents arrive, giving thought to the atmosphere you want to establish, as well as more practical issues. A desk between you and them may feel â€Å"safe† and protective, but also conveys that you feel in need of protection, and creates a barrier between you, enforcing an â€Å"us and them† mentality. The room layout should reflect the home school partnership in action. If you want to have the comfort of a desk, or simply need one on which to gather your evidence, consider having the parents sitting at right angles to you, rather than directly across the desk. Think about the position of chairs, and who will sit where, relative to the doorway in the worst possible scenario, you want to be sure that YOU are the one closest to the door and can leave before they do! This may be to seek help or support from elsewhere, to remove yourself from a highly charged atmosphere and allow â€Å"calm down† time, or to bring a meeting to an end when it has gone way beyond sensible limits, despite your best efforts. In these circumstances, always make sure that you h

Overview and Analysis of the PAPA Model

Overview and Analysis of the PAPA Model PAPA Model: Today, the massive use of computer science information technology in the business world and other intuitions has brought many ethical issues and concern. Mason introduced four most crucial ethical issues of the information era on 1986: which are Privacy, accuracy, property and accessibility abbreviated to PAPA. Mason’s PAPA model focused on the individual impairment which could arise from the unethical or misuse of information and information technology. Based on the Framework developed by Mason we can analyse and reach the conclusion on ethical issues emerged by the unethical use of information technology. PAPA model enlightens depth knowledge on what the Privacy, accuracy, property and accuracy means, how they are interrelated, what are their differences and how they help us to reach the conclusion on ethical issues. Privacy: In general understanding, privacy means the right to be free from secret scrutiny and to determine whether, when, how and to whom, one’s personal or organisational information is to be revealed. The privacy Act 1988 regulates how personal information is handled. The Privacy Act defines personal information as †¦information or an opinion, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an identified individual, or an individual who us reasonably identifiable. There are two main factors which threaten our privacy today, firstly growth of information technology with its capacity of scrutiny, communication, computing, retrieval and storage, and secondly the increased value of information in decision making. Accuracy: It is the condition or quality of being true, correct or exact; free from error or defect. Inaccuracy may cause detracting situation on person’s life, organisations and business values. Here arises some question: who should be responsible for accuracy and authenticity of collected information? How can one believe that the data will be correctly inputted, processed properly and presented to users? On what basis should we believe bugs in database or system and processing are not done with intention and occurred accidently. Who takes the responsibility for glitch in information and how the victim will be reimbursed. Property: Property issues are concentrated on ownership and value of information. It also seeks the answer of few questions like, who is the owner of the information. What is the value of the exchange, and in which way the access to information or the recourses should be allocated? Here property means the intellectual property and its right. Once the intellectual property is provided somewhere or transmitted, it is complicated to keep the person as it becomes communicable and more difficult to be reimbursed. Accessibility: its issues are concerned on who has the permission to access the information, who holds the rights or keys to access it, what data an individual or organisations are privileged to acquire with which safeguards and under what terms and conditions? After going through the scenario provided and from my own research I consider, all four areas have given rise to ethical issues for Joseph where some have higher level of the issue whereas other has a low level effect. Most importantly it gives rise to privacy issues followed by others. Privacy issues: Joseph’s personal or we can say the very confidential information was compromised which could lead to very disastrous consequences, identity theft makes life miserable. If Joseph had given attention on lecture’s warning to them to be careful and vigilant while providing personal information to companies over the internet, he might be on safe side but rather he thought him old-fashioned and never thought some issues may arise while providing information to a company like Sony. How can one decide on whom to trust? How much information can one give to others? Accuracy Issues: Being the customer of Sony Joseph had right to get accurate and timely information, to whom he had provided his personal information to credit card details with trust. Accurate information of personal information and credit card details being hacked was provided only after a whole week of the incident following by other misleading and fake information. Though, the hackers couldn’t do any misuse of data they might have destroyed everything in a week time customers could take precaution to Property Issues: When Joseph could not restore the backup file it gives rise to property issues. He bought games from Sony he collected trophies but did he really own that? Did Sony own the data that customers provided? Sony’s data breach is one of the biggest data breach to date which has given rise to various concerns in the Sony’s privacy policy and security measures. Though, other issues also marked a question to Sony’s management especially it has fueled to Privacy concern. When an organisation gathers personal information of its customers, employees and other stakeholders they must assure the safety and security of those. Breach of personal information can be proved very dangerous and it has been proved in many cases, for example, Jessica’s Story of the mail scam. The main issue and the question arise to Sony is where they really serious on Privacy issues, had they meet all the privacy measures and followed the protocol. If they had done so how someone could hack and enter into their system. Breach of over 77million accounts including all the personal details and credit card of the customer was not a small issue. This issue gave a big question mark to Sony. The mana gement took a whole week to inform its customer of the actual reason for shutdown of its network, which is questionable. If a breach does occur, effective handling of the response is a key. This means planning and preparing for such an event in advance. A policy should be drawn up, under which it is suggested that prompt notification is made to both the customers and the regulators. All staff should have data protection training appropriate to their role, and appropriate compensation, support and remedial plans should be prepared. Though it was Sony violated the privacy of its customer Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data. I find some statements made by Privacy commissioner Timothy Pilgrim questionable. He stated that Sony did have a case to answer as they did not intentionally disclose any confidential information is not surprising, simply put Australia has no real commercial Privacy or security legislation for Sony to breach. The fact that Sony did not show a duty of care and/or displayed a complete lack regard for the personal information entrusted to them by their clients is completely ignored by the commissioner. Sonys duty of care is to maintain appropriate IT security systems, policies and procedures to maintain client data confidential, private and available whether at rest, in transit or in a process. It is obvious that they did not take these duties of care obligations seriously until that proverbial substance hit the fan. Statement by Pilgrim â€Å"Sony has now extra security measures to strengthen protection around the network platforms† highlights its historical disregard for client confidentiality in their corporate culture and I do not think that any Australian Government officials should comment and try to forgive such obvious laissez-faire behaviour. Can he answer us, what reasonable steps Sony took to protect individual’s credentials? Now, they actually created a CSO role. They didnt have this before? What fines were handed down for this breach? How can he show that legislation protects individual’s information to overseas organisations? I opened this investigation because I was concerned that Australians personal information may have been compromised, Pilgrim said. However, his concerns were unfounded, with Pilgrim finding that the company hadnt breached the Act. Seriously, just why does Sony Corporation require our full date of birth? Year only should be adequate to verify a customer is over 18 probe further only if the year reveals someone turning 18 that year. As such, Sony should be 100% liable for any loss plus damages for emotional distress to any customer, their spouse and immediate family, in respect of any customer who has their identity was stolen and fraud committed. And also it has to be made clear that whether it identified a culprit in the intrusion. Guilty must be punished.

Peanut :: essays research papers

This article is about peanut, the plant. There is a separate article about Peanuts, the comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. Peanut Peanut leaves and freshly dug pods Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Subfamily: Faboideae Tribe: Aeschynomeneae Genus: Arachis Species: A. hypogaea Binomial name Arachis hypogaea L. The Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the pea family Fabaceae native to South America. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing to 30-50 cm tall. The leaves are alternate, pinnate with four leaflets (two opposite pairs; no terminal leaflet), each leaflet 1-7 cm long and 1-3 cm broad. The flowers are a typical peaflower in shape, 2-4 cm across, yellow with reddish veining. After pollination, the fruit develops into a legume 3-7 cm long containing 2-3 (rarely 1 or 4) seeds, which forces its way underground to mature. Although a nut in the culinary sense, in the botanical sense the fruit of the peanut is a woody, indehiscent legume or pod. Peanuts are also known as Groundnuts (because they grow underground), Earthnuts, Goobers, Goober peas, Pindas, Pinders, Manila nuts and Monkey nuts (the last of these is often used to mean the entire pod, not just the seeds). Contents [showhide] 1 Origins 2 Cultivation 3 Cultivars of Peanuts 3.1 Spanish Group 3.2 Runner Group 3.3 Virginia Group 3.4 Valencia Group 3.5 Tennessee Red and Tennessee White Groups 4 Uses 5 Allergies 6 U.S. Department of Agriculture Program for Peanuts 7 Trade 8 See also 9 External links [edit] Origins Archaeological evidence demonstrates that the peanut was domesticated in prehistoric times in South America, where wild ancestors are still found. The plant was later spread worldwide by European traders. Cultivation in North America was popularized by African American, who brought the Kikongo word goober. [edit] Cultivation Peanuts, showing legumes, one split open revealing two seeds with their brown seed coatsThe flower of the Arachis hypogaea is borne above ground and after it withers, the stalk elongates, bends down, and forces the ovary underground. When the seed is mature, the inner lining of the pods (called the seed coat) changes color from white to a reddish brown. The entire plant, including most of the roots, is removed from the soil during harvesting. The pods begin in the orange veined, yellow petaled, pealike flowers, which are borne in axillary clusters above ground. Following self-pollination (peanuts are complete inbreeders), the flowers fade. The stalks at the bases of the ovaries, called pegs, elongate rapidly, and turn downward to bury the fruits several inches in the ground to complete their development.

Child Victimization Essay -- Social Issues, Child Abuse

According to Finkelhor et al (2005), the increasing rates of child victimization over the last few decades have created a global attention on child abuse. With these increasing rates, most countries all over the world have begun to address this situation. Most countries have enacted laws that classify child victimization cases as criminal offenses punishable according to the provisions of the law (Finkelhor et al, 2005). As noted by Giardino (2010), the increasing prevalence and consequences of child abuse calls for detailed researches and investigations across the world. This research paper explores the controversial topic on child victims. The paper describes the major types of child abuse, the extent of the problem, intergenerational transmission of violence, theories regarding child abuse, and the special types of child abuse. Types of Child Abuse Child abuse as described by Giardino (2010) refers to the aspect of causing or allowing the causation of any offensive contact that can be termed as harmful to the body of a child. Further, Giardino (2010) defines it as the use of offensive communication that may harm the child, shame him, or offend him. In a psychological perspective, child abuse can be termed as an act that omits several procedures in the development of the child (Giardino, 2010). The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act that has been enacted in the U.S. describes child abuse as, â€Å"at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm† (Giardino, 2010). Physical Child Abuse Physical child abuse is the most com... ...vent every case of child abuse, but we can be alert and informed about child abuse and learn the signs of it. As a society, people need to be aware that child abuse occurs across all economical borders. Children as we know are very active injure themselves while playing. These injures are explainable verses injuries that cannot be explained by the parent. The main goal is that teachers, doctors, ect. should be able to distinguish between normal injury and non-accidental injury. Identifying early signs of child abuse can save the child’s life. Each cases of child abuse should be investigated thoroughly by a professional who can determine if they child is being abused or not. Child abuse is a traumatic experience for the child and can have lasting effects. That’s why it is very important that the child has immediate access to counseling and other forms of therapy.

Biblical Foundations Essay

Curriculum development is establishing a plan of what a school is going to teach during a school year. The time frame of the curriculum can vary from a quarter to a semester to even being taught the entire school year. Wayne (2010) suggests that each individual’s personal biblical worldview impacts each person in their beliefs and opinions about curriculum development differently. The stance taken by this individual is that of trying to see things in the manner that God would want. God is all knowing and being all knowing, He knows what is best in all things at all times. The Bible says: â€Å"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together† (Colossians 1:16-17). Developing a curriculum is not to be taken lightly. Prayer, studying the word of God, and meditation must all be a part of the development. The role of teachers is to not only teach our students the curriculum that is set before them but to be a leader and a role model. Being a role model is a scary concept. Scary because it means that one is to not just use the words that they speak but they are to show it by the way they act and live their life. Christian teachers have a tremendous job to accomplish. They influence not only the other teachers around them but also the students that they are around every day. The curriculum that is being taught is of the utmost importance but the Christian witness that is being shown is of even more importance. The public school system does not make this easy for those who are Christians. Speaking the word of God is prohibited within this setting. Knowing this, as Christian teachers, being a deliberate Christian role model is of the utmost importance. Many might say that this is impossible but that is far from the truth. The Bible says: â€Å"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible† (Matthew 19:26). The Bible also says: â€Å"†¦Everything is possible for him who believes† (Mark 9:23). Teachers are some of the most innovative and creative people. Christian teachers are to use this to their benefit. The God we serve is the one and only living God and through him, all things are possible. This makes the possibilities of being a good Christian role model limitless. The role of the learner today should be one of wanting to learn. Teachers can encourage this by using student-centered learning according to Blumberg (2008). This can be a very powerful way of getting the learner to want to learn. Student-centered learning does not have to be the entire focus of the class. The focus here could be put into place after the teacher has instructed the students. In a ninety minute class, the teacher is more than able to instruct the students, and then put them in student-centered learning. This helps the learner to focus on what they have learned and not on what the teacher is teaching according to Blumberg (2008). The approach here helps the learner to focus on what they need to be doing and less time on what is going on around them. In our society today, the biblical worldview is quickly being taken away while the modern worldview is silently creeping in to the minds of everyone. Scripture tells us: â€Å"†¦Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light† (2 Corinthians 11:14). We, as Christians, are becoming so conditioned to being politically correct that we are forgetting what is biblically correct. We sit back and think that if we just ignore what is going on, then it will just go away. Instead of that, things have gotten worse and even our young children and adults are beginning to believe that what is taking place is alright. No prayer in school, it is the holiday break not Christmas break, it is spring break not Easter. A worldview is what we develop because of what is going on around us. Many do not even realize that their worldview is being formed or altered. When asked what their worldview is, many cannot even explain it, let alone tell you where their view came from. Today’s Christian society needs to step up and take a stance on what needs to be taught within our public schools. Many in our Christian society have pulled their children out of the public school system to either put them into private Christian schools or to homeschool them. Although this is not wrong, it is not accurate either. The government of today has been shaped and is being shaped by the beliefs of many different religions. â€Å"The U. S. was the first western nation to be founded predominately by Protestants — not Roman Catholics. That fact alone expresses America’s willingness to experiment with the novel and a defiance of tradition. Its history includes the emergence of utopian experiments, religious fanaticism, and opening the door to such exotic religions as Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Taoism. Such has been the winding road of religious evolution in America† (History of Religion in America). In trying to make the United States a place of religious freedom, our government has instead made the life of a Christian more difficult. The government’s role in our society should be that of making sure that our children are educated to the standard possible. Although religious viewpoints should be left up to the families of the children, the government still needs to maintain that our freedom is not taken away within the schools. There does need to be guidelines that need to be established but without the persecution of believers of Christ. The church needs to be very careful when getting involved with curriculum development outside of Christian schools. There are so many beliefs that are out there that if the church were to get too involved, the government could and has stepped in to tell us that all has to be taught or expressed. This is where the parents need to step up to the plate. Parents can become and should become a part of the school. Becoming a part of the Parent Teacher Organization is a good start. Getting to know the teachers and expressing to them the needs that should be better met for the students should be of the utmost important. Parents have the right to have a say in the development of the school curriculum. Done in the proper manner, parents can even have a powerful impact on the curriculum their children are taught. Being a part of the process instead of being a part of the problem is the best plan any parent should be a part of for their child. Teachers, learners, society, government, church and family all have an important role in developing curriculum. Each on has a specific role that affects each and every one of us. Teachers and learners work together every day. They get to know each other on a level that can and should encourage trust with one another. Society and government go hand in hand in expressing what the people of that particular area want. Church and families hold the values we want our children to have as well as the standards of life we want. The development of curriculum is to be held to a high standard. Each group that is listed above help to provide the high standard that our children deserve in the educational field.

Civic Duties of Teenagers

Quinn Bailey 3/4/2013 Civic Duties of Teenagers Introduction Civic duty is the obligation to each of us to leave our community in a better condition than we found it. Every person in our country has rights, and with those rights come responsibilities. That is what civic duty is, your rights and responsibilities that help contribute to society. Every single day we perform these tasks to help better our country as a whole. Teenagers have a huge role in this circle, whether they believe it or not. The civic duties that teenagers perform are a crucial part of our society, because they are the ones who grow up to be the next generation.Rights of a Teenager As a teenager, you are entitled to your rights. It’s easy to think that teens have no power over anything, even their own lives. However, teenagers have more rights than you might think. Many of a teenager's rights stem from having the ability to make a wise decision without parental consent. Every single day, teenagers everywher e are blindly fulfilling their civic duties. When a teenager goes to school, they pledge allegiance to the flag. They are basically making a pledge to the United States of America stating that they will fulfill their civic duties.I like to think of this as ‘signing a contract’, and most of them do it without even knowing it. Some of a teen’s rights are lawful rights, meaning they are permitted by law. One lawful right is going to school. Children have the right to a free public education beginning at age six. Teens sixteen and older have the right to decide if they want to attend school or not. In most states, a parent is required to sign agreeing with this decision. Another lawful right teenagers have is being able to have a job. Some states allow you to begin working as early as age fourteen.Another lawful right that teenagers have is the right to feel safe. A teen has the right to feel safe from all emotional and physical harm. If a teenager does not feel safe , they have the legal right to be taken out of the situation and placed in a safer one. Teenagers also have unwritten rights, or norms. These rights aren’t lawful, meaning they are a choice. One unwritten right is the right to drive. In most states, when you turn fourteen you can obtain an instructional permit if you pass a written test. With this permit, you learn to drive with a licensed adult in the car.Then, when you turn sixteen you can get a drivers license if you pass a driving test. Responsibilities of a Teenager From the point of view of a teenager, â€Å"Every generation has a role they need to play in society, and whether they think so or not, teens have one too† (Simpson, Nealle). Eventually, the teenagers are going to turn into adults. As you progress through your teen years, you gain more rights. This teaches you to make good decisions, many times without parental consent. â€Å"I don’t think teenagers should be expected to do more things,† said Nealle. They already have enough on their plates. † In America, teenagers are very well off. In many other parts of the world, teenagers have few rights compared to Americans. â€Å"In some countries, girls get married as early as fourteen†¦ †she stated. â€Å"And the worst part is that they don’t even get to choose who they marry! † From the point of view of a middle aged person, â€Å"Teenagers should share their burden of society duties† (Simpson, Jud). Every teenger should contribute so that a successful society can exist. â€Å"When you’re a teenager you kinda just shuffle your way through life,† said Jud. It’s a great time to make mistakes, but it’s also essential to learn from those mistakes. † Jud says that when he was a kid, rules were much more strict, and they were disciplined harder and more often. â€Å"Teens aren’t taught to be as respectful now a days,† he said. From the point of view of a senior, â€Å"Teenagers serve as better role models to other teenagers than adults† (Bailey). â€Å"If kids see another kid doing it, they think it’s cool, so they try it. Rarely do teens listen to adults about what’s in and what isn’t,† explains Bailey. In America, a decent percent of teenagers often volunteer in their community, but Bailey has a different pinion. â€Å"I think teenagers should volunteer more often,† he said. The definition of civic duty is literally ‘the activities that one does to serve their community. ’ â€Å"Teens don’t often think about how big their role is in society†¦ † said Bailey. â€Å"When I was younger, I was in all sorts community projects. † Bailey would like to see more teens signing up to volunteer, but he is very strong about his opinion that it should be a choice. He thinks adults should steer teenagers in the right direction, and then let them make the decisions.Being a teenager is a good time to learn how to make responsible decisions. â€Å"It should be voluntary,† says Bailey. â€Å"You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. † My Civic Duties I find myself very lucky to live in the United States of America. Sadly, in many other countries teenagers like me are much less fortunate and have fewer rights. What is even more sad to me is that many teenagers take for granted the rights they inherit as U. S. citizens. One example is that some teens actually take up the opportunity to drop out of high school whenever they get the chance.It upsets me that they don’t continue with their education and become a better educated citizen, especially considering it is free. As an American, I share the right of free speech with all other citizens. I also reserve the right to drive. As of age fourteen, I am legally able to drive after going through proper instruction. I also have the right to own an imals. I am very lucky to be able to say that I have the right to an education. In some other countries, like Mexico, they do not have free public education. I think this is partly what makes America so successful.In Alaska, when I turn fourteen I have the right to employment. I believe that this is a nice aspect of our society in America, because it teaches teenagers like me to learn how to work with others and manage expenses. In turn, they can grow up to be responsible with money. They will also grow up to be cooperative when working with a group of people. As a citizen, I also have the right to travel abroad with a U. S. Passport. Another right I have is the right to exercise my religion. I am able to live freely and express my religion without consequence.Where there are rights, there are responsibilities. I feel like many teenagers my age think that they get all of these rights without having any responsibilities. One example is cleaning up after themselves. Many teens expect things to be clean for them, yet they never clean up after themselves. I often see teenagers littering, whether it be leaving plastic bottles on the side of the road, or simply just leaving wads of gum under the table. One of my responsibilities is to attend school. Not only must I attend school, I must also complete all of my work in order to learn and be a successful student.I have the responsibility to stay informed about things like current events and politics on local, state, national and worldwide levels. Being successful with my education will lead to my becoming a literate and productive citizen. I have the responsibility to learn how to drive, and how to drive responsibly. The government promises me protection, and in turn I must abide by the laws and be a good citizen no matter where I am. When traveling abroad, I have the responsibility to be a good ambassador for the United States. Even though I have the right to exercise my religion, that does not mean I can disrespect other people’s religions.I have the responsibility to respect all other religions, and in turn other people should also respect my religious views. Conclusion In conclusion, I believe that teenagers have a consequential role in our society. It is of utmost importance for us as teenagers, the next generation, to recognize that although we are given a host of very enjoyable and enticing rights, we must uphold the responsibilities that couple these rights. If we fail to meet our responsibilities, the results could be disastrous, and we will create an undesirable, unsafe, unstable and unhealthy society for us and future generations to live in.

Analysis of Emma Lazarus’ The New Colossus

Analysis of Emma Lazarus' Statue of Liberty Poem X Maxwell Wallace Maxwell Wallace has been a professional freelance copywriter since 1999. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications. An avid surfer, Wallace enjoys writing about travel and outdoor activities throughout the world. He holds a Bachelor of Science in communication and journalism from Suffolk University, Boston. â€Å"The New Colossus† is a sonnet by the late American poet, Emma Lazarus (1849-1887). . Significance * In 1903, â€Å"The New Colossus† achieved exceptional notoriety and perdurable fame when the last four lines of the piece were engraved on a large bronze plaque underneath the Statue of Liberty, located on Ellis Island in New York, New York. About the Author * Considered by her contemporaries as a dignitary of American letters, Emma Lazarus was one of the first successful Jewish-American authors in history. The New Colossus† exemplifies many common themes found in her c atalog of work, most notably sympathy for emigrants seeking exile from harsh regimes and those who enduring prejudice — both of which were commonplace during her lifetime. History * Construction on the Statue of Liberty was completed in 1886, however the pedestal of the statue remained unfinished for some time. Lazarus wrote the piece in conjunction with a movement by a group of New York artists and writers who were trying to raise money for the pedestal's completion. Considerations * The poem describes the millions of immigrants who had already passed through Ellis Island, as well as lauding those who had yet to make the journey. Significance * The images of freedom and redemption in â€Å"The New Colossus† only further solidified the feelings of hope and rebirth experienced by immigrants who passed through Ellis Island