paulsociologyessay Essays - Articles, Academic Disciplines

In today's world, it is easy to spot people who blame themselves for the problems in which they are facing. For example, a single parent may blame him or herself for being able to be in the position to support the child due to a number of different circumstances. Another example can be couples who have just married already having daily arguments which leads to an early divorce, or women who may be facing difficulty adjusting to being a stay at home mom and losing her identity. These issues may seem personal, but these are problems are all related to society. This is known as sociological imagination. Sociological imaginations is the idea that people will look at their own personal troubles and relate them to the problems of a society. They try to connect their own problems to the problems in society. Their personal problems are closley related to the problems of society and with the understanding of sociological imagination I begant to draw parallets between my own problems and the p roblems of our society. I saw how the daily choices I made, the classes I decided to attend or not attend, the way my parents raised me, the group of people I hang around with, the things I like to talk about all are affected by the public issues and what society tends to make us believe is right or wrong. There are many areas of my life that I feel are greatly affected by various sociological theories such as sexuality, family and culture, ethnicity and race, and social class.Even though America is the "boiling pot" country, there are still problems with race and culture. I grew up in an African-American household, but there are traces of Caucasion and Native American in my family tree. My family helped shapw my views and behaviors culturally. My grandfather was born in the south and he would tell me stories about discrimination when he was growing up. While he angrily expressed his opinions about Caucasian people, since he was someone I viewed as a hero, I slowly started to believ e that those people were the exact same in today's world. I believe that I was experiencing anticipatory socialization, I was expressing and taking on the norms and ideals and behaviors of a role in which one aspires but does not yet occupy. I viewed my acitoons as that of rejecting self-socializaton and making my family an aspect of primary socialization. Due to what my grandfather shared with me, I tried to avoid Caucasisian people. I started to believe that their culture was limiting the amount of opportunities and options that I had. Because of my familiar experiences, I started to believe that I had no control over my own beliefs on culture and society. Due to the anticipatory socilaiztion with my grandfather, I still have problems developing my own beliefs, but as I have gotten older, I am starting to shake away from that. Society will still always play a important role in the choices I make. Social influences can and will be uncontrollable. Sometimes people even use social in fluences to form their own beliefs. This experience helped me torealize that even though people do not think it does, society plays an important role in developing culture and family views and values (Tony). My racial identity became clear as I was considered a part of the minority in my class full of Caucasian people. I was used to being surrounded by black people, so I was surprised at the enormous variety of races that existed. Even though I was one of the only black people in the school, I realized that it was more to the world than a person's own race. At first I felt out of place in the predominately all while classes, but I learned to adapt. I did encounted people of my own race and I felt some comfort in talking with them. Soon, I started to feel that I was part of a distinct ethnic group and I would feel more accepted when I was with people of other ehtnic groups. Accoridng to Brym and Lie, ethnic groups is composed of people who perceived cultureal markers are deemed

Essay Topics on Identity

Essay Topics on IdentitySome essay topics on identity are pretty much expected. A lot of people would expect you to talk about the process by which an individual identifies himself or herself, how it is so incredibly complex, and how difficult it is to accept someone as your own. These essay topics will be relatively straight forward, but they are definitely not the only ones.Some of these essays actually have a much more personal interest in them than others. If you find yourself interested in identity issues, then you might want to think about how you relate to others, how you deal with your personal experience with the concept of identity and how those feelings impact your day to day living. Then, you can address how your experiences and observations have led you to the conclusion that identity is very important. By being aware of how much you like the topic, you will be able to compose a very interesting essay topic on identity.Identity also needs to be considered in relation to other concepts. How do we understand the human brain? What role does identity play in the process of defining who we are? As an example, let's say that your friend was just diagnosed with cancer. After your friend's death, you realize that her death was caused by 'repetitive cancer.'Identity has to be examined in the light of all other concepts. This may seem like a fairly simple concept, but many people often shy away from this kind of exercise because it seems to involve giving up something. On the other hand, if you can examine all the various ways that your identity can cause trauma to you, then you may be able to stop feeling bad for yourself when someone makes a statement about it, but still not be able to remove it entirely.Your essay topic on identity may also include examining how all the pieces of your identity fit together. For example, do you feel as though you have a special connection to things that are cute and unusual? Do you find that your thoughts about identity ca rry over into your love life, and even your beliefs about religion?An example of this sort of essay would be one in which you examine how your personality and identity are related to the parts of your body. Perhaps you can examine the relationship between being able to laugh easily and actually being able to do so. Perhaps there is something you've neglected to consider about being able to laugh at a joke about love.Identity is an extremely complicated concept. Not only is it difficult to clearly define, but it is also incredibly deep-seated. You really need to be able to identify precisely how you relate to the concept of identity. Doing so will certainly benefit you in the future, as it can help you become a more self-aware person.

Expansion of Trade in the 15th Century essays

Expansion of Trade in the 15th Century essays ?Throughout history, many different civilizations have branched out into the world looking for new trade routes, land, and desirable goods that could not be found in their home land. In the mid-15th century China had massive fleets of ships that were several times larger than the average seagoing craft of the day. Chinese admiral Zheng He led these fleets as far as Africa, where he brought back new and fascinating things that the Chinese had never seen before. In 1492, the discovery of the new world by Christopher Columbus caused Spanish conquistadors to leave Spain in search of gold and wealth. The discovery of the new world sparked a global trading system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas that would last for centuries to come. I can only imagine what it would have been like to see the massive Chinese treasure fleets floating on the horizon as they approach the shore. It must have been a truly impressive sight to see, and must have been intimidating at first, but upon seeing that these new faces were friendly and wished to trade, I certainly would have been happy to see them. "All the ships of Columbus and da Gama combined, according to a recent account, could have been stored on a single deck of a vessel in the fleet that set sail under Zheng He." (Strayer, p. 575). They would have very little effect on my life aside from increased trading and more wealth that they would provide for my country. Overall I would feel happy about their presence, and the wealth and trade they would bring with them. At the same time, I don't know how I would react to the looming presence that the fleet would have over me. The story is a little bit different when it comes to being an Aztec witnessing the events that followed arrival of the Spanish fleets. For an Aztec native to see the towering ships on the horizon it must have been a mixture of emotions. Fear, awe, curiosity, excitement, and confusion would have been my feelings toward thei...

How School Leaders Can Improve Teacher Quality

How School Leaders Can Improve Teacher Quality School leaders want all of their teachers to be great teachers. Great teachers make a school leader’s job easier. Realistically, not every teacher is a great teacher. Greatness takes time to develop. A major component of a school leader’s job is to improve teacher quality. An effective school leader  has the ability to help any teacher take it to the next level. A good school leader will help a bad teacher become effective, an effective teacher become good, and a good teacher become great. They understand that this is a process that takes time, patience, and a lot of work. By improving teacher quality, they will naturally improve student learning outcomes. Improved input equals improved output. This is an essential component of school success. Continuous growth and improvement are necessary. There are many ways that a school leader can improve teacher quality within their building. Here, we examine seven ways that a school leader can help individual teachers grow and improve. Conduct Meaningful Evaluations It takes a lot of time to conduct a thorough teacher evaluation. School leaders are oftentimes overwhelmed with all their duties and evaluations are commonly placed on the backburner. However, evaluations are the single most crucial aspect when improving teacher quality. A school leader should routinely observe and evaluate a teacher’s classroom to identify areas of need and weakness and to create an individual plan for that teacher to improve in those areas. An evaluation should be thorough, especially for those teachers who have been identified as needing significant improvement. They should be created after a substantial number of observations that allow a school leader to see the entire picture of what a teacher is doing in their classroom. These evaluations should drive a school leader’s plan of the resources, suggestions, and professional development that is required to improve individual teacher quality. Offer Constructive Feedback/Suggestions A school leader must offer a list that includes any weaknesses which they find during the evaluation. A school leader should also give detailed suggestions to guide teacher improvement. If the list is exceedingly comprehensive, then pick a few of the things that you believe is the most important. Once those have improved to an area deemed effective, then you can move on to something else. This can be done both formally and informally and is not limited to what is in the evaluation. A school leader may see something that could improve the teacher on a quick visit to the classroom. The school leader may offer constructive feedback intended to address this smaller issue. Provide Meaningful Professional Development Engaging in professional development can improve teacher quality. It is necessary to note that there are a lot of terrible professional development opportunities. A school leader needs to look thoroughly at the professional development they are scheduling and determine if it will produce the intended results. Engaging professional development can foster dynamic changes for a teacher. It can motivate, provide innovative ideas and gives a fresh perspective from an outside source. There are professional development opportunities that cover just about any weakness a teacher has. Continuous growth and improvement is essential for all teachers and even more valuable for those who have gaps that need to be closed. Provide Adequate Resources All teachers need the appropriate tools to do their job effectively. School leaders must be able to give their teachers the resources they need. This can be challenging as we currently live in an era where educational funding is a significant issue. However, in the age of the Internet, there are more tools available to teachers than ever before. Teachers must be taught to use the Internet and other technologies as an educational resource in their classroom. Great teachers will find a way to cope without having all the resources they would like to have. However, school leaders should do everything they can to provide their teachers with the best resources or provide professional development to use the resources they do have effectively. Provide a Mentor Great veteran teachers can provide tremendous insight and encouragement to an inexperienced or struggling teacher. A school leader must develop veteran teachers who want to share best practices with other teachers. They must also build a trusting, encouraging atmosphere in which their entire faculty communicates, collaborates, and shares with each other. School leaders must make mentor connections in which both sides have similar personalities, or the connection may be counterproductive. A solid mentor connection can be a positive, learning venture for both the mentor and the mentee. These interactions are most effective when they are daily and ongoing. Establish Ongoing, Open Communication All school leaders should have an open door policy. They should encourage their teachers to discuss concerns or to seek advice at any time. They should engage their teachers in ongoing, dynamic dialogue. This dialogue should be continuous especially for those teachers who need improvement. School leaders should want to build engaging, trusting relationships with their teachers. This is essential for improving teacher quality. School leaders who do not have this sort of relationship with their teachers will not see improvement and growth. School leaders must be active listeners who offer encouragement, constructive criticism, and suggestions when appropriate. Encourage Journaling and Reflecting School leaders should encourage inexperienced or struggling teachers to journal. Journaling can be a powerful tool. It can help a teacher grow and improve through reflection. It can help them better recognize their individual strengths and weaknesses. It is also valuable as a reminder of things that worked and things that did not work so well in their classroom. Journaling can spark insight and understanding. It can be a dynamic game-changer for teachers who genuinely want to improve.

Concept Analysis on Pain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Concept Analysis on Pain - Research Paper Example Pain is the most recurrent diagnosis used in nursing as well as the most common problem through which patients seek help in a clinical setting. Unrelieved pain has an effect on the quality of life of an individual. It affects a person both physically and emotionally, impacts his family as well as the individual and the entire society (Ferrel, 1995). Pain is therefore a vital problem in the health care system. Pain is discussed by four major theories namely; specificity theory, gate control theory, pattern theory and psychological/ behavioral theory. The Gate Control Theory (GCT) is the most commonly used theory in the professional field. The insight of involves three interactive cerebral processes; motivational-effective, sensory discriminative and cognitive-evaluation (Melzack and Wall, 1965). Sensory-discriminative dimension speaks of the nerve transmission to the brain from the periphery through the spinal cord. This neospinothalamic projection system that is found in the brain serves to develop information that is sensory discriminative about duration, location and intensity to the stimulus. The limbic system and the formation of the brain brainstem reticular, which provoke the aversive and motivational drive are referred to as the motivational-affective dimension. Cognitive activities are referred to in the cognitive-evaluation dimension. These cognitive activities include attention , anxiety and cultural values. The cognitive-evaluation dimension places its basis on the analysis of multi-modal information, response strategies and past experience. This dimension also has effects on the other dimensions. According to Melzack and Wall, pain is a continuing process and not a sole sensation and response procedure. Pain includes a series of responses by a system of actions that start with reflex responses and continues with

Improvements to My Writing through ESL Courses Essay

Improvements to My Writing through ESL Courses - Essay Example Before I began the courses, I had difficulty expressing myself in English, and as a result some of my essays and other written work did not entirely make sense sometimes. However, through learning different key points in ESL 263 and other courses, I feel like I have now reached a point where I understand several ways to make my writing clear and forceful. The main techniques I have learned to use are to make the grammar clear and correct; to write titles and introductions which grab the reader’s attention; and to make sure the paragraphs are well-organized on the page. One of the ways I make my writing strong is by paying attention to grammatical rules, like subject-verb agreement and tense. In the past I would sometimes not check to make sure that the sentence made sense in this way, and that would sometimes confuse my readers because my sentence might seem to say something other than what I had wanted it to. I also try to always use a verb tense which makes the most sense in the context of the writing, so that I might use the simple past in an essay when something happened to me as a child, or the simple future when I am letting a reader know what I will talk about later on in an essay. In fact, this very essay shows how I have correctly used the simple past to describe my experiences with essay writing before taking ESL courses.

Visiting Beijing, China †Peking! Tourist destinations

Visiting Beijing, China – Peking! Tourist destinations Beijing – Peking! NÇ  hÇÅ ½o! (Hello in Mandarin) Beijing is the second largest city in China and is known for its culture, politics and education. Beijing in Chinese means ‘Northern Capital’ and was known by many other names in its earlier days. It has been the home for the Ming and Qing dynasties and is surrounded by hills. This city, which hosted the Olympics in 2008 has a population of over 20 million and is the most populous city in China. A lot of tourists visit this vibrant city to see the city of culture and relish the traditional food and tea. You will also be fascinated by its various temples, architecture, culture, and museums. While you are here, do ensure that you see the Great Wall of China, one of the wonders of the world. Best Season to Visit Beijing Beijing has a continental climate with hot and humid summers and cold winters. Summers are very hot, but this doesn’t deter the tourists from visiting the city. Spring in Beijing is dry and warm and you will see dust storms. Smog can be a huge challenge as well which is more during winters. You will also see snow in winters with temperatures going below -10 degrees. The best time to visit Beijing is in the months of September and October (Golden Autumn season). Highlights (Special things to do in Beijing) Visit the largest square in the world, the Tiananmen Square. Be amazed at seeing the Great Wall of China! Explore the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), which is a UNESCO Heritage Site. Learn about Peking man and ancient archeological discoveries at the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site Museum. Visit the Lama Temple, which is the most traditional and magnificent among the numerous temples in the city and the best place to see the Tibetan traditions and prayers. Visit the interesting Bell and Drum Towers, which was used for time keeping in the earlier days. Visit the world famous National Stadiumalso known as the ‘Birds Nest’. Watch the theatre performances and acrobats that are unique and different from any other city in the world. Enjoy the sunset at Houhai Lake on a romantic boat ride with your loved one. Enjoy a peaceful leisure stroll at the Beihai Park. Explore the courtyard and streets of Hutong by walk or cycle rickshaw. Relish Beijing’s most famous Peking roast duck, lamb kebabs, candied haw berries at its restaurants or at the street shops. Experience visiting a Tea House, which has acrobatics and other folk performances at the tea ceremony. Relax at the end of your vacation with a Chinese massage with aromatherapy or shiatsu. Hotspots of Beijing Tiananmen Square: This is the largest square in the world and is one of the top things you have to see when in Beijing. The Square has numerous tourist attractions around it – Museum of the Chinese Revolution, Museum of the Chinese History, Great Hall of the People, Qianmen Gate, Monument to the Peoples Martyrs and several others. Great Wall of China: You can plan an afternoon to see one of the wonders of the world. You can see the ruins of the Great Wall, which was built by the Ming Dynasty. The Badaling stretch of the Great Wall with its beautiful landscapes is spectacular and will make you ponder how it was built in the earlier days. If you are fit, do attempt to trek at the Great Wall and make it an unforgettable experience. Forbidden City: Known as the Purple Forbidden City in Chinese, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the Palace Museum. It has the largest collection of ancient wooden structures preserving historical findings about the Ming dynasty. The architecture and collection of paintings is marvelous here. Summer Palace: Located by the Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill, the summer palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Tower of Buddhist Incense is a prominent structure and can be seen from any part of the palace and garden. It is a popular tourist attraction for its architecture, gardens, bridges, temples and for the serenity around the palace. Beihai Park: This is the largest park in China. It is located by the lake and is famous for its numerous temples, structures and temples in the park. The highest point on the Jade Flower Island is the White Pagoda which is a prominent structure. Nine-Dragon Wall at the Five-Dragon Pavilions is famous across the country for its artistic paintings. There are several pavilions, temples and gardens inside the park which is a unique experience that you would like to see again. Beijing Zoo: The Beijing Zoo is popular for its adorable Pandas at the Panda Hall. The zoo has 16 exhibition halls with its most famous ones being the Panda Hall and the Gorilla Hall. The zoo has polar bears, giraffes, elephants, zebras, kangaroos, golden monkeys and various other animals. It is a perfect place for kids who will be fascinated and excited to see all the animals. Shopping in Beijing Beijing is known for its artistic craftsmen who create curios, silk, ivory carvings, pearl, jade and lacquer. You can shop for a lot of things in Beijing, which includes clothes, curios, jewelry, electronics, traditional silk printed items, artistic lacquer items and unique house decors. The popular shopping centers in the city are Xidan Commercial Street, Wangfujing Street, Hongqiao Pearl Market, Lufthansa Centre, Qianmen Street, Jade Factory and Silk Market. You must visit the Tea Street or Maliandao Tea City that have a large number of tea stores who stock an exceptionally high variety of tea. If you want to buy antiques then Panjiayuan Flea Market and Colored Glaze Factory are the places to visit. How to reach Beijing By Air – Beijing Capital International Airport (second largest airport in the world) is the main airport and caters to both international and domestic flights whereas Beijing Nanyuan Airport is a domestic airport. The airports are well connected with taxis and shuttles. Be careful about the taxi you take from the airport and make sure that the queue manager guides you to the right taxi. By Train – Beijing Railway Station is the main station; there 4 other stations – Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing East Railway Station, Beijing North Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station and Huangcun Railway Station. The main station, West and South connect all major cities within the country, Russia and North Korea. The others are smaller stations with lesser scheduled trains. By Road – There are several expressways to Beijing which are very well maintained and easy to commute by car. There are National highways as well connecting other major cities within the country. By Bus – There are long distance buses to/from Mongolia and Shanghai. The city has over 20 bus stations connecting all cities within the country. There are sleeper buses, regular and express buses. You can also avail meal services if you pay additional charges. How to get around in Beijing Taxis are the best way to get around in the city and also the most convenient and easily available anywhere in the city. The taxis are comfortable cars and fares are reasonable. The minimum starting fare is  ¥ 13 for 3 kilometers and then additional  ¥2.3 per kilometer. The downside is that not all taxi drivers speak English and you could waste time in traffic jams. Black cabs are more expensive. If you hire a cab be prepared for traffic jam delays and complicated routes. Subways have good connectivity to all parts of the city; they have English markings and are faster to travel to any part of the city and cheaper. Buses are also cheap but crowded and only some buses announce the stop names in English; the bus stop boards are not in English. Beijing has excellent bike lanes on all major streets and offers a good way to explore the city. Minibuses are ideal for countryside travel. Top areas in Beijing Beijing City Centre – This is the main financial center of the city. Most of the finance and media companies operate from the skyscrapers in this vicinity. The view of the city center from the Beijing TV Centre at night is spectacular. Beijing CBD International Business Festival is the most famous festival held here. The real estate prices in the area have been on the rise in the last decade. Chaoyang – The area has Beijing’s Central Business District and is famous for its restaurants, shopping, nightlife and the tourist attractions – Chaoyang Park , Chinese Ethnic Culture Park , Happy Valley Amusement Park , Side Park, Dongyue Temple , National Stadium , National Indoor Stadium , Olympic Sports Center Stadium , Art Museum of the Beijing Fine Art Academy, Blue Zoo Beijing, China National Film Museum, Sports Museum, World Trade Center Tower III and numerous art galleries and theatres. Chaoyang has the maximum tourist attractions in the city and is always busy bustling with tourists. Dongcheng – The city’s most famous Tiananmen Square is located in Dongcheng and this is surrounded by numerous tourist attractions – museums, galleries, parks, theatres and shopping arcades. Poetry Cafà © located in the area is a unique cafà © with a lot of travel and photography information. Xicheng – This is part of the old city in Beijing and is home to many tourist attractions that are rich in history and traditional architecture. There are numerous temples and parks and also Qianmen, Beijing Zoo, Fayuan Temple, Huguang Guild Hall, Capital Museum, Beijing Zoo and Aquarium and several others. National Centre for the Performing Arts stands out for its architecture and is a must see place if you visit Beijing. Haidian – Located less than an hour from the center of the city is Haidian which is famous for its Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace, Five Pagoda Temple, Purple Bamboo Par, Beijing Botanical Gardens, Fragrant Hills, World Art Museum Millennium Monument and Haidian Theater. Haidian is also famous for its shopping at New Wudaokou Clothing Market, Wudaokou Clothing Market and Golden Resources Shopping Mall and for electronics at Dinghao and Hailong. There are several clubs here that have live music bands playing among which D 22 is most famous. Sculpting in Time, Propaganda and Lush are popular pubs in the vicinity. Wangfujing – This is the most famous area in the city for shopping. You will see tourists in the area only for shopping; majority of the people who reside in this area are locals. The area has high end homes with the Qing dynasty and other aristocrats residing in the vicinity hence the name as Wangfu means ‘princely residence’. Houhai – The name means ‘Rear Sea’ in Chinese. It is a beautiful area that is famous for its lake. You can go for a boat ride during the day or at night both of which have stunning views of the city and landscapes. The area is famous for its restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs along the lake which attracts a lot of young locals and tourists. Xie Xie! (Thank You in Mandarin)