Sunday, October 13, 2019

Chinas Recent Economic Progress Economics Essay

Chinas Recent Economic Progress Economics Essay A transition economy or transitional economy is an economy which is changing from a centrally planned economy to a free market. Transition economies undergo economic liberalization, where market forces set prices rather than a central planning organization. In addition to this trade barriers are removed, there is a push to privatize state-owned businesses and resources, and a financial sector is created to facilitate macroeconomic stabilization and the movement of private capital. The process has been applied in China, the former Soviet Union and Communist bloc countries of Europe, and many third world countries and detailed work has been undertaken on its economic and social effects. The transition process is usually characterized by the changing and creating of institutions, particularly private enterprises; changes in the role of the state, thereby, the creation of fundamentally different governmental institutions and the promotion of private-owned enterprises, markets and independent financial institutions. In essence, one transition mode is the functional restructuring of state institutions from being a provider of growth to an enabler, with the private sector its engine. Another transition mode is change the way that economy grows and practice mode. The relationships between these two transition modes are micro and macro, partial and whole. Chinas Economic Transition, a Great Success During the process of economic transition over the past two decades, China has been pursuing a path of development in line with the reality of the country. As a result, Chinas GDP, on average, advanced by 9.3 percent each year from 1978 to 2000. Some Background The growth of the Chinese economy in the past few decades since economic reform in 1979 has been one of the wonders of modern economic development. China has experienced unprecedented growth in the past thirty years, with GDP rising on average of about 9.7% per year, with exceptionally strong growth between 2003-2007 averaging about 11% per year.. Indeed, China currently has the fourth largest GDP, measured in nominal US dollars, with the 2006 figure standing at US$2.68 trillion. Since the late 1970s China has moved from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major global role in 2010 China became the worlds largest exporter. Under the rule of Deng Xiaoping in 1979, China began the long process of transformation from a Soviet-style planned economy, where production decisions were made by the state, to one where market mechanisms would be the main driving force behind economic decisions. The National Party Congress cited a lack of economic growth and an increasing economic divide with the West and other Asian countries as the reason for the change. The changes were not to be a total abandonment of communist principles but to combine capitalist ideologies with Chinese characteristics. Reform of Economy An initial process of reform was proposed to ease the economy gently into its new guise, whereby any significant disparities between an open economy and the Chinese one would be ironed out. Key to this was expansion and liberalisation of the export program, development of major infrastructure, generation of power, and utilisation of raw materials. The significant problem of food shortages for the sizeable and ever increasing population was one of the first to be addressed. Farmers were given incentives to increase production levels whilst at the same time lowering the costs of production, a scheme which had the effect of greatly increasing food supplies. The authorities believed that the success of this initial trial period in isolated areas warranted a nationwide implementation and so it became; almost the entirety of the countrys farm system was governed by this method come the mid-1980s. The free market mechanism was deepened and led to further increases in production and demand, fuelling farm incomes. One particularly important development was the new freedom given to company leaders. Although inherent production and decision making differences between agriculture and industry prevented a similar success story to that in agriculture taking place, there were significant gains to be made. Rather than being put in a proverbial managerial straightjacket, business managers were given more freedom to set production targets as well as experimenting with incentive techniques to boost productivity amongst workers. The source of funds for investment was also shifted from zero interest government loans, which did not have to be repaid thus giving no incentives to generate profit. In addition, to make use of the countrys considerable workforce the government proposed the idea of creating firms which would be collectively owned by workers so that their income would be based on how well the firm performed, again providing an incentive to raise productivity. This also had the knock-on effect of boosting certain sectors the government wished to promote, by allocating these workers to the appropriate areas. The creation of more independent and market oriented firms meant the appearance of a burgeoning domestic consumer market, with citizens being given a consumption choice that they had never had before. The central government actively encouraged the delegation of production decisions to the market, in spite of underhand measures by local authorities to disproportionately tax private sellers, and the private system expanded to levels where they rivalled their state owned counterparts by the mid-1980s. Chinas Recent Economic Progress China has started her economic reforms for about 20 yrs and is progressing so well that not unsurprisingly it draws the envy of many countries Chinas economy developed at an unprecedented rate, and that momentum has been held steady into the 21st century. It was only after the liberalization reforms and a cultural counter-revolution in the late 1970s (under Deng Xiaoping initially), that China made appreciable progress. Massive external (manufacturing) investment was first attracted based on education and cheap skilled labour, while equally massive internal investment has more recently been mobilized in modern infrastructure and urban (including consumer) facilities especially in major cities. Despite Chinas intense population pressure, there was no shortage of land as traditional uses were simply demolished to make way and existing residents apparently compensated with an apartment and better job prospects. A key feature of Chinas rapid growth is seen to have been its ability to reform its economy very quickly to become more efficient . Techniques that encourage and support policy initiative within hierarchies have been developed. In Chinas recent progress it is possible to see lessons learned from (a) Singapores experience in building a modern Chinese city with foreign investment (b) Japans neo-Confucian industry policy methods and disregard of Western financial disciplines (c) the Nationalist Partys preferred cultural alternative to Maos version of Communism and (d) Taiwans adoption of some US techniques.   China seems to be attempting to implement a system of socio-political economy that has been little studied and probably cant be understood in terms of Western analogies or cultural assumptions (for reasons like those outlined in Structural Obstacles). The short-term result has been an unprecedented and impressive rate and magnitude of gains in Chinas real economy and a perception that it has excellent future prospects even recognizing that it suffers structural defects. Moreover some analysts have recently seen China as a safe haven for investors concerns about a US asset bubble, and the structural problems facing Japan and Europe . It is also argued that that China is playing, and will continue to play, a key role in promoting regional and global collaboration .   It is seen to be challenging Japans status in Asia, and to be the only country able to sustain a view of the world which is different to that of the US. China has also been seen as a rising power that will force others to adjust because of factors such as: its huge human resources and markets; the emergence of a high class education system; and the external resources of Greater China which will provide the skills to allow its structural problems to be overcome. China-led Asia has been seen to be returning to its historical role at the centre of affairs which has had a huge impact on the global economic system similar to the long rise of Europe (and its American offshoot) to pre-eminence 500 years ago. Its emergence has (as also in the case of India) been suggested to be simply a restoration of the position which had existed for most of recorded human history . China has shifted from a unilateral stance in opposition to global institutions to working (often with great effectiveness) within those institutions. A Chinese consensus has been suggested to be a better alternative to the (so called) Washington consensus (free societies and free markets) for developing economies.  Ã‚   Some have even argued that China is the future of the world undergoing a rapid developmental process, building infrastructure and industrial capabilities that will put it into a position of immense power in 20 years and replace the US as the worlds dominant power by 2050.   China is seen to have features which are quite different to earlier challenges to the USs 20th century global dominance (eg Soviet Union, Japan) and to have the potential to create a future Asia-centred economic regime which others including the US can either be part of, or be excluded from. A popular image now seems to be presented within China  of a trendy, super-modern consumer society that will eventually be able to satisfy every material desire. Chinas Economy will flourish According to me Chinas Economy will definitely Flourish for the next coming years. Year in and year out, China has defied the naysayers and stayed the course, perpetuating the most spectacular development miracle of modern times. That seems likely to continue. The following point goes on to itemize the whys and wherefores: STRATEGY, and specifically the latest 5-year plan that shifts from the highly successful producer model of the past 30 years to a flourishing consumer society. COMMITMENT. That Chinese leadership emphasizes stability, and does so with a vengeance. WHEREWITHAL TO DELIVER. More than 30 years of reform have unlocked its economic dynamismand many more reforms are coming. SAVING. A rate of 50% funded the investment imperatives of economic development.China now stands ready to absorb some of that surplus saving to promote a shift toward internal demand. RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION will continue for 20 years, creating huge demand for Chinas massive construction boom. LOW-HANGING FRUIT: CONSUMPTION. Theres enormous room for domestic economic expansion. LOW-HANGING FRUIT: SERVICES. The Chinese service sector is just waiting to be developed. FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT continues, and shows no sign of letting up. EDUCATION: China is catching up to the rest of the word fast. INNOVATION: Education China has huge human resources and potential markets. It has a high class education system, and can draw on external resources (Greater China) for the skills to allow its structural problems to be overcome; Past obstacles have been successfully navigated, and this process is continuing; Chinas response to indications of over-heating in 2004 were satisfactory because the problem was addressed by administrative controls rather than raising interest rates and despite the bad debts of its banking system, China has large international reserves, a more-or-less balanced current account / a modest fiscal deficit and a closed capital account which prevents capital outflows. 14the 2007 credit crisis illustrates Chinas strength. A $1.3tr cash reserve has been built up in the 10 years since the Asian financial crisis and the Peoples Bank of China believes that this provides insulation against crises elsewhere. Entrepreneurs have flourished in China, and the stock market has risen rapidly. There has been a flight of capital to Asia because of the credit crunch. The US / UK economies are heavily dependent on financial services and these are in doubt Problems However, as with all economic miracles there has also been a negative side to this development, and such huge growth has had an impact upon many areas of society and the environment. There became a huge gap between the urban rich and the rural poor, due to the massive incentive and investment programmes targeted in the cities, and to this day the divide remains the one of the largest in the world. Choking levels of pollution affect a great number of Chinese cities to the extent that China can boast the unenviable accolade of being home 7 of the worlds 10 most polluted cities. Other environmental concerns include the loss of substantial amounts of arable land, soil erosion and a drop in the level of the water table. Unemployment has been difficult to contain with huge lay-offs from the previously inefficient state-owned enterprises. These and other problems show only minor sign of receding in the near future so China faces a struggle to balance its unrelenting modernization with countering domestic imbalances and global environmental concerns. To overcome these Issues Chinas Government can take the following Measures for Improvement :- Emphasizes should continue economic reforms and the need to increase domestic consumption in order to make the economy Less dependent on exports in the future Maintaining stable and fast economic growth, with a  focus on price stabilization, more job creation, improved balance of payment, and higher quality of growth. Achieving major progress in economic restructuring, with higher share of household consumption and the service sector, further urbanization, more balanced rural-urban development, lower energy intensity and carbon emissions, and better environment. Increasing peoples incomes, reducing poverty and improving the living standards and quality of life. Expanding access to basic public services, increasing the educational level of the population, developing a sound legal system, and ensuring a stable and harmonious society. Deepening the reforms in the fiscal, financial, pricing and other key sectors, changing the role of the state, improving governance and efficiency, and further integrating into the world economy. Conclusion Although China occupies a unique niche in the worlds political economyits vast populace and large physical size alone mark it as a powerful global presenceit is still possible to look at the Chinese experience and draw some general lessons for other developing countries. Most important, while capital investment is crucial to growth, it becomes even more potent when accompanied by market-oriented reforms that introduce profit incentives to rural enterprises and small private businesses. That combination can unleash a productivity boom that will propel aggregate growth. For countries with a large segment of the population underemployed in agriculture, the Chinese example may be particularly instructive. By encouraging the growth of rural enterprises and not focusing exclusively on the urban industrial sector, China has successfully moved millions of workers off farms and into factories without creating an urban crisis. Finally, Chinas open-door policy has spurred foreign direct investm ent in the country, creating still more jobs and linking the Chinese economy with international markets.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Observing Persuasion in the New Age :: New Age Religion Psychology Essays

Observing Persuasion in the New Age Thesis:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The allure of the New Age can be attributed in part to an overall lack of understanding its nature; when its history is taken into consideration and its persuasive element is exposed, we see that, contrary to the assumption that the New Age is a freer alternative to mainstream religion, persuasion is a very present part of the New Age. I. Preface II. What is new about it? A. The New Age is not new. B. If there is anything really new about it, it is its acceptance in the West. C. Its adaptation to the Western culture is also new. III. Persuasive elements defined A. Reactance B. InGroup C. Foot-in-the-door phenomena D. Low-ball technique E. Effects of the Communicator 1. Trustworthiness 2. Credibility 3. Speaking confidently F. Range of acceptability G. Fear of appearing foolish H. Behaviour changing attitude I. Internalization IV. Persuasive elements observed V. Conclusion Preface The automatic and first context of an assessment of the New Age, as a ministerial student, is religious. For the purpose of this paper, however, I shall endeavour to limit the assessment of the New Age to the primary context of social psychology. As this paper is an exposition of the presence of persuasion in the New Age (contrary to its assumed freedom), it is also necessary, in the interest of fairness, to make some fundamental distinctions, with respect to the possibility of illusory correlations being formed from the conclusions of this paper: 1. if the New Age does indeed use elements of persuasion, it is not necessarily cult-like, any more than is the average Christian denomination, whether evangelical or mainstream. Persuasion is basically a human phenomena, and thus it inevitably appears — to some degree — wherever two or more people interact; 2. the visibly tragic results of some cults do not attend the average New Age participant. Persuasion is not about ends, its about means. Some use persuasion to a tragic end, some do not. In addition to various real-life instances where these factors have be observed, I shall be drawing extensively from the particular case of Will Baron, who has become a key speaker on the dangers of the New Age. It is of value for its contextual, in-depth examination of the duration of his entire experience with the New Age, from the earliest stages of involvement, to his total commitment of life and means, to his ultimate rejection of the philosophy of the New Age, as he was taught to understand it.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Henry David Thoreau †“Why I Went to the Woods” Essay

This excerpt is from his famous essay, â€Å"On the Duty of Civil Disobedience†. First, some background; in 1842, his brother John died of lockjaw. Three years later, Henry decided to write a book commemorating a canoe trip he had taken with John in 1839. Seeking a quiet place to write, he followed a friend’s suggestion and built a small cabin on the north shore of Walden Pond on a piece of land owned by his friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson. He started work on his cabin in March of 1845. On the 4th of July, he moved in. Thus began one of the great and lasting experiments in life and thought of the whole of human experience. â€Å"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.† Thoreau otherwise filled his time by working in his garden, talking with visitors, reading, and writing in his diary. B ut most of all, he walked and thought, and it’s difficult to tell now which was the more important activity. It seems that, in his two years living in his little cabin in the woods he brought himself to a state of conscious living, where thought and action were harmoniously combined. This story is about his rejection of the world’s definition of ‘success’ and so he demanded a life of personal freedom. He went to the woods, built a humble cabin on the edge of Walden Pond, Concord, Massachusetts†¦and learned about nature and life. He rejected the Establishment and all its trappings. He saw such possessions as fancy clothes and elaborate furniture as so much extra baggage. He demanded a fresh, uncluttered existence with time for self-exploration. He would, he told the world, â€Å"breathe after his own fashion.† All aspects of life for Thoreau focused on simplicity. When Thoreau’s two years at Walden had ended, he left with no regrets: â€Å"I left the woods for as good a reason as why I went there. Perhaps it seemed to me that I had several more lives t o live, and could not spare any more time for that one . . . â€Å" His experiment had been a success. Thoreau had learned many lessons, had taken time to examine his inner self and his world, and proved he could live under the simplest conditions and still be fulfilled: â€Å"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that as one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.† To him, most men live lives of â€Å"quiet desperation,† and have needed to simplify, to cast off material  encumbrances and achieve true freedom. The stages of spiritual evolution that a man passes through all prepare him for the more difficult inner development; and every man, he believed, possesses an inner spiritual instinct which, if nurtured and cared for, will divulge his divine nature.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Culture of Portugal

The country of Portugal has many rich cultural facets in food, music and sports. Situated on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula that it shares with Spain, Portugal’s culture was shaped by the influences from the Latin, Visigoth and Muslim cultures. Many men in Portugal go into the Atlantic to catch fish while the women are homebound doing chores like house work or cleaning the fish. The men are the bread winners while the women are the housewives who take care of the home. The kids are free to make their own decisions outside of their home. It is mandatory for children to go to school until 6th grade but after that they are free to choose to carry on in school or help out in the working society. Even though the children have freedom outside their homes, it is within the culture for children to not leave the house until married and have their own children because of the strong family ties. Divorce was not an option in Portugal for many years. After the revolution of 1974, divorce was finally allowed into the Portuguese culture dominated by the Roman Catholic religion. Portugal has been known to be a very homogenous society over the years with mainly one language and one religion, Portuguese and Roman Catholic respectively. The Do’s and Don’ts of the Portuguese Culture are quite simple but different from the way of life that we know here in the States. For example: each time you meet someone new, you take time to get to know them; do not use first names unless you know them very well, the Portuguese have a lot of respect for academic titles for doctors and engineers and are addressed accordingly; upon meeting for the first time, the Portuguese can be quite reserved and formal if they do not know you well; don’t write in red because it is considered rude; if invited to someone’s house, do bring flowers; do not stretch in public because it is also rude; tip taxis 10% on each ride and by just using common sense and smiling at all times you will not go far wrong. The food of Portugal Varies by the region you visit. In the north, there is caldo verde and sardines. Caldo verde is a type of kale & potato soup flavored with a spicy sausage. This soup is eaten with broa, which is a grainy corn bread with thick crust. The traditional wine that goes with this food in this region would be the vinho verde. This is a young wine made from grapes that grow on arbors that often serve as property markers. In the northeastern region a popular dish is the Tras o Montes, which is fresh and cured pork used in many meals. A stew consisted of mixed meats and vegetables called cozida a portuguesa originated in this region has become a national dish. In central Portugal Cheeses are a very important part of the meal and fish like octopus, squid and eel. And finally in the south, a soup called gazpacho with bread and smoked pork. Overall as a nation, Bacalhau, or codfish, has been the most popular fish sine the 15th century. The Bacalhau croquettes are popular appetizers and for dessert cinnamon on top of rice pudding. Port wine which is the symbol of the city Porto, is a major export and is only used in rural households during ceremonial occasions or offered to celebrated guests. The annual killing and preserving of the pig is an important ceremony in the culture of Portugal. The event which last two days, usually occurs in late December or January. This process involves making sausage, smoking ham and salting other parts of the pig, including the stomach area. On the first day of this celebration called Sarrabulho, the noon meal consists of rice, innards and the blood of the pig. The country of Portugal observes fourteen holidays throughout the calendar year. The major days include the following: Freedom day (25th April), day that Portugal went from a dictatorship to a democracy in 1974; Portugal day (10th June), celebrates 16th century epic poem that brought fame and fortune to Portugal; Assumption (15th August), day Mary was taken into heaven; restoration of independence (1st December), celebrates the end of the Iberian Union. Many of their holidays fall are shared and fall on the same days as the US holidays like new years day, Good Friday, Easter, Labor Day and Christmas day. Clothing is a huge essential aspect of the culture in Portugal. The people of Portugal are very particular about their clothing attire and dressing styles. Like in many countries clothing ranges from the modern to traditional dressing patterns. The clothing industry plays a very important role in the economy of the country. The clothing ranges from the urban to the rural region. Usually the city people are extremely well dressed. They bear the resemblance of the western influence with western pattern clothing. In the rural areas, clothing is in tune with the traditional pattern of dressing. Men’s traditional outfits include stocking caps, berets that are teamed with trousers and baggy shirts. Women wear black shawls and long dresses. Black or dark colors are usually worn for carrying out daily chores, however brightly hued clothing is usually worn on special occasions. The music of Portugal was influenced by Ancient Rome’s traditions. The genres music include classical to popular. The history of the music can be divided into music production from the middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic and Modern times. The music in Portugal offers a rich history and privileged geographical location which despite its European roots, reflects the intercontinental interactions with Portuguese discoveries. Despite all the rich culture in music, Portugal and more specifically the city of Lisbon is better known for the birth place of Fado. Fado is a melancholy urban genre of music that was believed to date back to the 15th century when it was believed that women would cry for the longing of their husbands who sailed the seas. Even though Arabs left the region in the 13th century, the instruments like the Portuguese guitar have Arabic imprints that are heavily used in the singing of Fado. In the year 1939, Fado became an international popular genre with Amalia Rodrigues. A Singer and actress, she made stylistic adjustments to Fado that have made her the most influential fadista of all time. Amalia Rodrigues revived the Fado tradition. She was followed by many new, young musicians who have contributed to the social/political revival of the music adapting and blending it with new trends. The new artists walk a fine line of adapting and carrying the old traditions while trying to bring in a new audience. Portugal takes a huge liking to the most popular sport in the world, football. Three major clubs that come out of Portugal are Sporting and Benfica both in Lisbon; and FC Porto based in Porto. The big three as they are known in Portugal not only compete in football but also in basketball, handball, futsal and volleyball. The Portuguese national team is one of the finest in Europe and the world and it evokes tremendous passion on its people. In studies it was proven that during the days of the National team games held throughout Portugal while hosting the Euro 2004 Championships, heart attacks increased by 46% for males with cardiovascular problems. With past players like Eusebio, Figo and now Christiano Ronaldo, Portugal has produced some of the best world class players in the game. Bullfighting is another popular sport. Unlike their Spanish compatriots, the Portuguese do not kill the bulls in the ring. The bullfighters come out usually dressed in an 18th century style coat and three-cornered hat. The horns of the bull are sheathed to protect the horse. The bullfighter, which is always on the horse, is followed by Forcados who are young men that take on the bull bare handed. And finally since Portugal is situated along the Atlantic Ocean, it is a popular destination for aquatic activities. It has become over the years a center for the activities the long seacoast and mild climate make for popular sailing, surfboarding and scuba diving. From the early 1990’s the Portuguese entrepreneurs along with the tourist board have heavily promoted the coastline for these popular sports and have been a revelation for the economy. From it’s vast array of food, including the ever so popular Bacalhau, to it’s most cherished music in Fado; Portugal has a unique mixture of cultural brilliance that’s sets it apart from it’s neighbor Spain and, for that matter, any country in Europe. With its pleasant climate along the coastline, it is not a surprise that they are hosts to many aquatic activities and produce a fine wine in Port. With Football being the hands down most popular sport in the country that drives the passion of the people, there is also an uprising of other sports through the big three clubs (Sporting, Benfica and Porto). Most importantly, family values and the cultures they create for the country of Portugal is still the core to most of the society who continue to live and have deep roots in their society modeled by their Catholic faith. References http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Portugal.html https://www.britannica.com/place/Portugal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal

Competence in Counseling Essay

Counseling is the professional guidance in resolving personal conflicts and emotional problems. It is advice, opinion, or instruction given in direction the judgment or conduct of another. Knowing how to posses personal qualities such as maturity, empathy, warmth, understanding, and knowledge. From a legal stand point ethics, morality, and law must be strongly conformed. It is accurate decision-making, knowing appropriate words to use, and knowledge of the governing standards that is required. Also knowing accurate information about culture and ethnicity of the present society. Aspects of Counseling Counseling has been misrepresented over the past years for different types of endorsements of products. In todays time the profession as far as counseling goes is now corresponded within its practice. The focus is on growth and wellness as well as clarification of mental disorders. In order to relate to the counseling field an understanding of guidance and psychotherapy must be understood along with having history of the profession. Guidance is leadership, instruction, or direction by helping others make important choices that affect their future in maintaining a productive and healthy lifestyle. An individual being taught guidance must learn to choose what values them the most in order to produce change within their life. This will give that particular individual a sense of direction by following instructions to becoming a leader. The goal in guidance is to promote resourceful and happy lives of individuals by helping them adjust to social actualities. Psychotherapy is a process focused on helping heal and learn more beneficial ays to deal with problems or issues within an individuals life. It is also a supportive process when going through a difficult time period or either under increased stress. It traditionally focused on serious problems associated with internal issues, personal issues, and conflicts. Normally psychotherapy is recommended when a person is struggling with a life, relationship, work issue, or a specific health concern causing the individual a great deal of pain or upset for longer than a few days. Counselors hold an important position that affect many lives throughout the course of a career. A counselor serves as an advice-giving role in a wide number of areas. There are many types of counselors, including school guidance counselors, psychological counselors, counselors for victims, youth camp counselors and more. Aspects of Counseling The vast majority of counselors are extremely caring people who are dedicated to their work and enjoy helping to make others’ lives better. There is a wide range of ideal personality traits that are associated with being a top counselor. One of the most important personality traits, if not the most important, is a keen ability to listen. In order to help people and find solutions to problems, the counselor must be a keen listener in order to best help the person seeking counsel. Counselors should also have an understanding of human psychology and possess a strong sense of sensitivity. Another ideal character trait for a counselor is having a strong sense of direction in order to find the best path to success for the people whom they counsel. Having a strong sense of direction usually solves problems more quickly and efficiently. Ideal counselor personality traits are a commitment to the profession, humanity and the client. The ideal counselor serves the assistance of the clients. The counselor will develop meaningful and trusting relationships with their clients and insure that this trust is not shaken or broken. An ideal counselor’s personality has a consumer first attitude and should represent a supporter and guidance role with nurturing characteristics to assist in the creation of a reliable bond between the client and the counselor. Other quality traits include their knowledge of the profession and its standards of practice, along with some background in psychology. A good organizational personality trait of a counselor is their willingness to promote efficient case management techniques. Aspects of Counseling As an effective counselor one of the main qualities needed is patience. Go to the next step of explanation only when the patient has clearly understood the content of the information you have provided. Therefore the counselor needs to have enough sufficient time for the patient, and should also be a good listener. Let the patient express everything he/she has to say, and give your inputs once when the patient has finished talking. A counselor should be very observant and able to interpret non-verbal communication for example if the patient looks angry, and then find out the cause of his/her anger first. An effective counselor should provide non-possessive warmth in a counseling environment. Smile and show concern and acceptance by showing comfort, empathy, and understanding to the patient. Counselors should have good knowledge on the topic /problem like compliance to medication. Some people do not take medication for the same reasons, while others demand medication. Understanding the factors why people may not do certain activities at specific time will help you to assist them better. Try to understand the feelings the patient is having in the counseling process. In other words put yourself in his/her position. Give the patient the opportunity to make his/her own decision from your message. Lastly be sure to make it aware to the patient that you as their counselor maintain confidentiality on what the patient tells you. This means that counseling must be done individually and privately. Letting the patient know that you maintain a high degree of personal reliability, trustworthiness and mutual trust as an effective counselor. Aspects of Counseling As there are three different levels of counseling relationships to be aware of nonprofessional, paraprofessional, and professional. Nonprofessionals would be considered as family, friends, colleagues, untrained volunteers, or supervisors who try in assisting those who are in need. Secondly, paraprofessionals are individuals who have received some sort of training in human relations. Lastly professionals are those who are educated with the nowledge to provide assistance on a protective and corrective level. While being the ideal, effective, and professional counselor you must also keep in mind that you must follow the ethical and legal aspects of counseling also. Ethics is defined as a philosophical discipline that is concerned with human conduct and moral decision-making. You should also familiarize yourself with morality, which involves judgment or evaluation of action, and another major definition to know is law, which is the precise organization of governing standards that are established to ensure legal and moral justice. The law does not dictate what is considered to be ethical but what is considered to be legal. Ethical codes are there to protect the profession from government. They allow the professions to control itself and functions independently instead of being controlled by legislation. In making ethical decisions counselors familiarize themselves with casebooks, professional colleagues, and principles. It is very crucial that counselors become well knowledgeable with ethics for the sake of their own well-being and of their patients as well. Multicultural psychology focuses on the cultural differences in thought processes and acceptable vs. nacceptable behaviors. It relates to normal lives – such as home, education, work and relationships – but also to what is considered ‘abnormal’ or ‘normal’. Aspects of Counseling Knowing your patient plays a huge factor in counseling sessions as well. To know the cultural background of your patient can help you better relate to them as an individual. Many cultural ethnic groups live in the United States. A culture is behaviors, thoughts, perceptions, values, goals, and cognitive processes. An issue in multicultural counseling is the dominance of theories based on cultural values. A second issue is sensitivity to cultures in general, believes that are essential to counselors is knowledge of culturally different patients. Knowing that everyone is their own unique person, and have their own views on different things in today’s society. The counselor must also have the skills to work with patients of different cultures. Counselors must work in order to know their patients and their problems. European Americans when taken into consideration is a larger diverse population they are very common to the people of the United States. When counseling African Americans a counselor must understand the history, and coping mechanisms. Hispanics/Latinos a very diverse group as well, and regardless to their background they are very bicultural. Asian and Pacific Islanders are considered as hard working, successful, and not prone to mental or emotional distress. When dealing with many diverse groups like this a common theme is that counselors who work with a variety of culturally different patients must be knowledgeable about them collectively.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Education Sector Best Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education Sector Best Practices - Essay Example Curriculum entails more than an ordinary definition; it is a key issue in the process of education. The scope of career development is so large that it affects every person involved in learning and teaching. Inclusive education practices entail  making the students feel welcomed and valued in the school, and therefore the students are effectively able to undertake all school activities entail rams. Diversity is accepted and respected; students’ different cultures, backgrounds, skills interests and needs; are taken into consideration in school practices and programs. To achieve thi9s end, there exists inclusive practices tools like; student survey, community survey, staff survey, school review profile, inclusive practices and survey reports. Inclusive practices tools are applied in supporting primary, intermediate or schools in engaging in the review process. The main purpose of the review process entails supporting schools in the journey towards developing and implementing inclusive processes for learners, including learners requiring special attention and consideration. Continuous personal development entails; learning by participating in the continuing professional development process; and from the experience and even the feedback. Competent professionals; look for opportunities and challenges in personal learning and development; identify mistakes and use them for learning opportunities; continuously participate in professional development programs; change behavior towards the positive through feedback and reflection. (Booth, 2011 15).Opportunities for learning and development include, pursuing management development training program.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Film study and appreciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Film study and appreciation - Essay Example In literal terms of, cinematography is means lighting in movement. This involves all the manipulations on the film strip by the camera during the shooting phase of a film. The processes that occur in the production laboratory after shooting also contribute significantly to the cinematography of a film. The director of photography plays a leading role in determining how the film will be shot. Cinematography is critical in deciding the eventual â€Å"look† of a film and this generally contributes significantly to the realization of the goals of a film. Ocean’s Eleven is a heist film that is with an element of comedy crime. The film is a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film. The characters of the film include con artists and a group of former prison inmates. This movie was produced in 2001 and was directed by Steven Soderbergh. It features high a high profile cast of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts. The plot of the film revolve s on a plan by ex convict Daniel Ocean (George Clooney) to conduct a high profile theft. The robbery is to be carried out on a high security vault that is shared by three casinos in Las Vegas. Daniel Ocean assembles a rag tag group to conduct the heist. It turns out that the real reason that motivates Daniel Ocean to coordinate the heist is to win back his wife and bankrupt the owner of the casinos who happens to have married Ocean’s wife. Camera angles are critical aspect of cinematography. The use of camera angles can play a significant role in highlighting the desired features so as to resonate well with the audience. A film can employ several camera angles such as high, low, straight-on and bird’s eye view to portray various themes (Brown 76). In the movie Ocean’s Eleven, the element of low angle is utilized to suggest power and influence. This is evident in most scenes where the main character, Daniel Ocean, is often portrayed from a low angle. This imperat ively communicates that he has power and skills to coordinate what is considerably an unprecedented heist. On the other hand, some of the con artists who make up the team are portrayed from high angles. This implies their dependence on the leadership of the main characters in order to succeed. The con artists’ skills are not of significance without the coordination of Daniel Ocean to conduct the heist. The angle of projection in the scene between Daniel Ocean and the casino owner is straight on. This shows that Daniel Ocean considers himself to be equal even not better than the man who took his lover. In some instances, camera angles are used to purely to create striking visual compositions. Scenes in the casinos are shot from bird’s eye view. This helps the audience to appreciate the features of the interior of the casinos such the playing tables and the general settings. Camera distances are also an important aspect of film cinematography. The filming scale can influ ence the perception of relationships between the various characters in a given film. Camera distances can be used to either foster intimacy with the characters of a film or divert the attention from the character to the environment (Brown 74). Hence, shot scale can be exploited to influence the narration and impression created by the various scenes in a film. In the film Ocean’s Eleven, extreme long shot is used to establish a given