Linking observation of children to developmental theory and policy

Linking observation of children to developmental theory and policy Written Report Linking Observation of Children to Developmental Theory and Policy Watching and listening to children is an important part of a Nursery Practitioners role. This is how we learn what stage of development a child has reached. Bowlby states â€Å"a further principle of the theory of learning is that an individual cannot learn a skill unless he has a friendly feeling towards his teacher.† (pg65) Observations enable you to compare to the expected development milestones which are the basis of our Social policy they are Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Every Child Matters documents. As all children develop at their own pace, there are influences that affect the rate at which a child develops, and these are environmental and also genetic. A childs surroundings, their family, and culture are very important in placing particular emphasis on some aspects rather than others. Rousseau proposed† that development proceeds according to an inner, biological timetable; we have a picture of development unfolding fairly independently from environmental influences. Children are no longer simply shaped by external forces, such as adult teachings and social reinforcements. They grow and learn largely on their own, according to natures plan. We call this method â€Å"Biological Maturation.† Within the first week of a child starting in the nursery setting, an initial child profile checklist is carried out. This profile gives the basis for the key person to discover at what stage of Early Years Foundation Development the child has currently reached; it also aids the key person in planning activities to assist in the childs development in moving on to the next stage. Practitioners will also be able to see any child development concerns. This can assist the key person in devising an individual educational plan if necessary. The methods of observations used for this report are a Sociogram and a Developmental Checklist. However these observations are only a snap shot of the overall development of the child. The aim of this Sociogram is to discover what child As interests are; who she interacts with; and what stages of development she has reached. Art Area Painting Choosing painting Putting apron on correctly Asking for help Painting lines and circle Writing L for name Speaks to child B Home Corner Dresses doll Speaks to doll Has conversation with child C explains what she is doing Book Area Talks to staff about rules Speaks to child D and E about rules Reads story to two children. The checklist focuss on the physical and intellectual development of child A as we can see from the checklist, the childs physical development is on line with the milestones stated. Also intellectual assessment is on line with Early Years Foundation Stage and Mary D Sheridan From birth to Five Years. E. Y. F. S. Personal, Social, Emotional Making Relationships 30-50 months Form friendships with other children. Demonstrate flexibility and adapt their behaviour to different events. 40-60 months Value and contribute to own well-being and self-control. Early LearningGoal 40-60+ months. Form good relationships with adults and peers. Sheridan 4 years Inclined to verbal impertinence with adults and quarrelling with playmates when wishes crossed. Bandura said â€Å"in social settings, we learn a great deal through imitation, and imitation involves cognitive processes.† (Cited Theories of Development). Dispositions and Attitudes 30-50 months Shows confidence in linking up with others for support and guidance. E.Y.F.S Communication, Language, Literacy Language for Communication 30-50 months Use intonation, rhythm and phrasing to make their meaning clear to others. Responds to simple instructions. 40-60 months Have confidence to speak to others about their own wants and interests. Linking sounds and letters 40-60 months Hear and say the initial sound in words and know which letters represent some of the sounds. Vygotsky states the acquisition of speech is of a major importance to the growing child, it enables the child to participate in the social life of his or her group. ` Sheridan 3years Hearing and Speech Large vocabulary intelligible even to strangers, but speech still shows many infantile phonetic substitutions and unconventional grammatical forms. Speech modulating in loudness and range of pitch. 4 years Matches and names four primary colours correctly. Reading 30-50 months Handle books carefully. Begin to be aware of the way stories are structured. Know information can be relayed in the form of print. Hold books the correct way up and turn pages. Writing 30-50 Sometimes give meaning to the marks they make. Montessori claims â€Å"four year olds usually master writing before reading. This is because writing is the more concrete and sensory activity and therefore better suits the young childs style of learning.†(Cited Theories of Development). Handwriting 30-50 months Use one handed tools. Draw lines and circles using gross motor skills. 40-60 months Begin to form recognisable letters. Sheridan 4 years Holds and uses a pencil with good control in adult fashion. Montessori says first, the child is shown how to hold a pencil and then practices drawing by staying within outlines. (CitedTheories and Development). E.Y.F.S Knowledge, Understanding of the World Exploration and investigation 22-36months Use others as sources of information and learning. Brunner believed children can do more if they have guidance and help from another person who is more experienced than themselves whether it is peer or an adult. His scaffold approach, giving the child more support at first then reducing that support as the child becomes secure (Brunner 1973). Time 30-50 months Remember and talk about significant events in their own experience E.Y.F.S Creative Development Developing Imaginative play 40-60 months Play alongside other children who are engaged in the same theme E.Y.F.S Physical Development Using Equipment and Materials 30-50 months Engage in activities requiring hand eye co-ordination. Show increasing control over clothing and fastenings. Sheridan 4 years Posture and Large Movement Walks or runs alone up and down stairs using one foot to a stair. Advantages and Disadvantages The methods of observations used had advantages and disadvantages the Sociogram disadvantages:- Subject to considerable distortion. Another child may need your attention; therefore you may have to stop and start again. Also another member of staff can not take over form you. A lot of language can take place which is not obvious in the Sociogram. Not explanatory for parents. Advantages:- 1. Shows how many contacts a child has during the time observed. â€Å"Interesting to test out the theories that young children are more likely to have changing friends† states(Sharman C et al) Checklist disadvantages:- Children dont always perform to order. A lot of language can take place which is not obvious in the checklist. Parents can miss interpret results. Information is closed data. Advantages:- You can put checklist down and return to it later. Quick and easy way to record. Any colleague can take over from you. You are able to identify a need while you are doing this. Does not require completion in one day. Does not require to be filled in the order given. Its an on going profile for the Early Years Foundation Stage Development. Evaluation The milestones for a four year old (Sheridan) states â€Å"walks up and down stairs alone one foot to a stair and matches and names four primary colours correctly† (pg 55); child A is 3 years 3months. This shows us that she is above her milestone development. Child A interacts well with staff and relates well to her peers; she thoroughly enjoys books and taking the lead and reading stories to her peers; a lot of the time from memory. The information gathered does not give a holistic view of the child but of her performance on the day the observations were carried out. Conclusion As we have assessed child As milestones through the observations we now know that she has reached the milestones relevant for her age range. We also note that she has reached several developmental milestones in the next stage of her development. Other methods of observation used in the setting are Target child and Time sample along with photographic observations. We know that childrens development is not straight forward and that they all develop at a different speed, so for the practitioners to be able to monitor these milestones they need to have the knowledge and social policies in place to be able refer to them. Sharman, Cross and Vennis say â€Å"The most appropriate way to monitor progress and compare it with what we are learning, or know, about the way children and young people mature and develop, is to understand observation.† ( Sharmon C, viii 2006 ).

Surviving the Cold War

When America dropped a bomb on Japan in 1945 it marked the end of World War 2 and the beginning of the Cold War. The government urged citizens to be prepared for the worst; an atomic bomb. It was a time of extreme fear. It was a time to take measures in your own hands to protect your family. As head of my household during the cold war it would be hard not to fall pray to the constant propaganda of the day. Since any above ground post atomic attack survival strategies would be futile; efforts would be made for an underground or bunker survival. I would build a shelter at least four levels deep underground. The engineering behind this structure would have to be well thought out. Things like radiation resistant paint would be carefully considered. Every minor detail would be planned out before taking on construction. The creation of a survival plan would be part of the essential strategy. This would be rehearsed on a regular basis so in the event, things would operate smoothly. Each member of the family would be charged with specific duties, to avoid any confusion and chaos. It would be practiced routinely so that it becomes second nature. In order to survive extended periods of time in a confined space your basic requirements must be met. The storage of water and food would be priority. I would try to build a tank that could hold at least a thousand gallons of water; as for food as many dried and can goods as possible. There would be no such thing as too much. My goal would be to have enough resources to last a year. I would make sure we had adequate power supply with back up generators and batteries for a year. Having an extensive first aid kit would be fundamental, in case of minor injuries and exposure to hazardous materials. Another key strategy would be secrecy. Information about the family bunker and supplies would not be shared with neighbors or any other non family members. I feel this is imperative for our survival. If the news of our location was shared with people our survival would be compromised because of having to share our resources and limited space. Finally the need for information would be a central motivator for reading the paper and watching the news reports about nemy operations and threats against the homeland. Keeping abreast of the news would let me know if it is safe to go outside or not. If we are expecting anymore bomb treats and generally what’s going on in the world around us. In any society that lives under fear, it is extremely important to be informed. Being prepared as best as possible would be your only chance for survival. Throughout history mankind have engaged in wars and I firmly believe that like them, we too; are resilient and can survive with the right preparations.

Applying Risk Management Essay

Risk management is an important element in managing information systems. Applying risk management principals to business procedures is essential because it helps organizations design and maintain a safe systems environment to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of company data. Kudler Fine Foods has expressed an interest in developing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The primary objective is to improve business administration by integrating stores and business systems. Kudler Fine Foods has three stores in California and integrating business functions across all stores would be extremely beneficial. This paper will outline the major factors and benefits by applying risk management principles to ensure a secure and effective system. Risk Management Principles According to Whitman and Mattord (2010), risk management is a collaborative effort involving Information security, information technology, management, and users. It is important to involve all of these areas to devise a comprehensive and effective risk management strategy. The major principles include identifying risks, quantifying risks, plan for risks, and monitor and manage risks. The first stage is risk identification. This is when the organization’s managers identifies all of its assets and classifies them into meaningful categories in addition to prioritizing them by importance. Assets include various components such as people, processes, data, and all elements of information technology. Gathering information on assets such as the people aspect processes, and data could be challenging because they are not always documented and readily available. The information gathered for people may include position titles, the title of his or her supervisor, security levels, and skills. Information collected  for processes may include procedure description, purpose, IT connections, document storage location for reference and updates. After listing out the assets, the next step is to classify them into categories such as people, data, software, and hardware and then classify each asset into sub-categories such as confidential, internal, and public. Applying value or impact to each asset is next by determining its criticality to the business. Questions that may help to assigning a value may include; â€Å"Which assets generates the highest profitability?†, or â€Å"Which asset would impede business functions if it were compromised?† Quantifying risks provides the framework for executives to make informed decisions in relation to cost and resources surrounding security. All of the steps outlined above is essential in the risk identification stage (Whitman and Mattord, 2010). After completing the risk identification process where all assets are identified and classified, the next phase is to determine the potential threat source and potential vulnerability. Some common threat sources include natural threats, human threats, and environmental threats. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (2002), a threat is an exploitation of a vulnerability caused by a threat source. The NIST publication suggests the following: identifying a threat source, indicating the motivation of source, and outlining the threat actions. This practice will help determine the likelihood of a threat taking advantage of a system vulnerability. Next in the process is identifying vulnerabilities. Vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in procedures or controls applied to a system. Identifying potential vulnerabilities will help an organization put controls in place to mitigate risks associated with vulnerabilities. Risk mitigation involves a systematic approach in reducing the exposure to a risk and the likelihood of it occurring. Mitigating defined risks is the gateway for the development of processes and controls to reduce the likelihood of a threat. Having prevention mechanisms that include policies and controls is best practice in regard to securing assets therefore it is critical that Kudler Fine Foods determines the best risk management process that fits their business requirements and needs. Because technology is consistently growing and changing, preventative measures must include flexibility to allow for change and growth. Without these considerations, a business could jeopardize themselves by restricting the ability to expand or even update the systems  with necessary security patches. Preventative measures should include future growth. As technology grows, risks increase. Protection mechanisms will change as new threats are introduced to business as well as new legislations. Many security standards are based on data protection regulations and as laws change or new laws are introduced, information technology is the most costly element in ensuring compliance. There could be costly ramifications with poor planning. Risk avoidance can be costly and inconvenient but it would be more costly and inconvenient when a security issue occurs. A risk assessment would be the first step to take when determining whether to chance a certain risk or not. Determining what the assets are and understanding the impact on the business if a security incident occurs is important. It is also important for businesses to understand regulations and what is necessary to comply with certain laws and requirements. Kudler Fine Foods must conduct risk analysis and ask themselves â€Å"What is the risk of not applying preventative measures?† and â€Å"What would it cost to recover from a certain attack?† Legal ramifications could result if a security breach occurs. This could include steep financial penalties as well as jeopardizing company reputation. The table below outlines examples of risk, vulnerability, and mitigation strategy. Risk Vulnerability Mitigation Strategy Hardware failure Hardware could fail and impede business. Systems could be unavailable for an undetermined amount of time. Create security policy to ensure all hardware is kept up to date with current patches and upgrades. User training Insufficient training of end-users leads to improper use of application which could compromise data or systems. Create detailed training documentation and implement a user training program. Ensure all users participate in training. Deliberate network attacks Potential Malware and Denial of Service attacks. Could lead to exposure of sensitive information. Implement policy to ensure adequate firewall  protection, anti-malware software, and install Intrusion Detection System. Conclusion It is important for businesses such as Kudler Fine Foods to employ a risk management strategy to protect its assets and reputation. Without an effective risk management process the company will be vulnerable to various threats. It is Kudler Fine Foods responsibility to determine what mechanisms should be applied and how it will maintain a secure environment for its own business objectives as well as meeting required regulations. The risk management process is the primary method in facilitating security objectives. References Whitman,M.E., & Mattord, H. J. (2010). Management of information security(3rded.). Boston, MA: Course Technology/Cengage Learning National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2002). Retrieved from http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-30/sp800-30.pd

Love for a Grandson in A Worn Path by Eudora Welty

Have you ever loved someone so much that you would do anything in your power to help them in their time of need? In the short story â€Å"A Worn Path† by Eudora Welty, the reader witnesses the love and strength of a grandmother for her grandson. The protagonist, Phoenix Jackson, shows love, determination and self-sacrifice as she faces several obstacles while traveling by foot in the cold through the wilderness. She travels this path frequently, as the title suggests, to the city to get medicine needed for her grandson. Phoenix’s willpower to continue on her path through every hindrance that she faces is commendable. Phoenix Jackson endures many obstacles along her journey through the worn path. When faced with hardship, she persevered regardless of her difficult circumstances. The reader watches her climb up and down a steep hill that was hard on her feeble body. Then, she comes to a creek with a log lying across it. The reader is aware that Phoenix has a hard time wal king, but instead of giving up she faces this extremely dangerous and challenging situation as â€Å"†¦she mounted the log and shut her eyes† (Welty 645). When she gets to the other side she opens her eyes. Welty uses this challenge to show the reader that sometime one must rely on faith to get through trials. Next a barbed wire fence challenges her but she meets it without fear. Eventually, Phoenix encounters a white hunter who tries to persuade her to turn around by pointing his gun at her asking, â€Å"Doesn’t the gunShow MoreRelatedCan Love Conquer All? A Worn Path by Eudora Welty Essay914 Words   |  4 PagesCan Love Conquer All? A Worn Path by Eudora Welty There are many authors in this world. Every author has a unique way of expressing their writing. Eudora Welty is the author of â€Å"A Worn Path.† She has written many short stories and novels. She was born April 13, 1909 and died July 23, 2001. 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