The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 3. Phenomenon

Truly, I was not thirsty, but I decided to hunt again that night. A small ounce of prevention, inadequate though I knew it to be. Carlisle came with me; we hadn't been alone together since I'd returned from Denali. As we ran through the black forest, I heard him thinking about that hasty goodbye last week. In his memory, I saw the way my features had been twisted in fierce despair. I felt his surprise and sudden worry. â€Å"Edward?† â€Å"I have to go, Carlisle. I have to go now.† â€Å"What's happened?† â€Å"Nothing. Yet. But it will, if I stay.† He'd reached for my arm. I felt how it had hurt him when I'd cringed away from his hand. â€Å"I don't understand.† â€Å"Have you ever†¦has there ever been a time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I watched myself take a deep breath, saw the wild light in my eyes through the filter of his deep concern. â€Å"Has any one person ever smelled better to you than the rest of them? Much better?† â€Å"Oh.† When I'd known that he understood, my face had fallen with shame. He'd reached out to touch me, ignoring it when I'd recoiled again, and left his hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Do what you must to resist, son. I will miss you. Here, take my car. It's faster.† He was wondering now if he'd done the right thing then, sending me away. Wondering if he hadn't hurt me with his lack of trust. â€Å"No,† I whispered as I ran. â€Å"That was what I needed. I might so easily have betrayed that trust, if you'd told me to stay.† â€Å"I'm sorry you're suffering, Edward. But you should do what you can to keep the Swan child alive. Even if it means that you must leave us again.† â€Å"I know, I know.† â€Å"Why did you come back? You know how happy I am to have you here, but if this is too difficult†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I didn't like feeling a coward,† I admitted. We'd slowed – we were barely jogging through the darkness now. â€Å"Better that than to put her in danger. She'll be gone in a year or two.† â€Å"You're right, I know that.† Contrarily, though, his words only made me more anxious to stay. The girl would be gone in a year or two†¦ Carlisle stopped running and I stopped with him; he turned to examine my expression. But you're not going to run, are you? I hung my head. Is it pride, Edward? There's no shame in – â€Å"No, it isn't pride that keeps me here. Not now.† Nowhere to go? I laughed shortly. â€Å"No. That wouldn't stop me, if I could make myself leave.† â€Å"We'll come with you, of course, if that's what you need. You only have to ask. You've moved on without complaint for the rest of them. They won't begrudge you this.† I raised one eyebrow. He laughed. â€Å"Yes, Rosalie might, but she owes you. Anyway, it's much better for us to leave now, no damage done, than for us to leave later, after a life has been ended.† All humor was gone by the end. I flinched at his words. â€Å"Yes,† I agreed. My voice sounded hoarse. But you're not leaving? I sighed. â€Å"I should.† â€Å"What holds you here, Edward? I'm failing to see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't know if I can explain.† Even to myself, it made no sense. He measured my expression for a long moment. No, I do not see. But I will respect your privacy, if you prefer. â€Å"Thank you. It's generous of you, seeing as how I give privacy to no one.† With one exception. And I was doing what I could to deprive her of that, wasn't I? We all have our quirks. He laughed again. Shall we? He'd just caught the scent of a small herd of deer. It was hard to rally much enthusiasm for what was, even under the best of circumstances, a less than mouthwatering aroma. Right now, with the memory of the girl's blood fresh in my mind, the smell actually turned my stomach. I sighed. â€Å"Let's,† I agreed, though I knew that forcing more blood down my throat would help so little. We both shifted into a hunting crouch and let the unappealing scent pull us silently forward. It was colder when we returned home. The melted snow had refrozen; it was as if a thin sheet of glass covered everything – each pine needle, each fern frond, each blade of grass was iced over. While Carlisle went to dress for his early shift at the hospital, I stayed by the river, waiting for the sun to rise. I felt almost swollen from the amount of blood I'd consumed, but I knew the lack of actual thirst would mean little when I sat beside the girl again. Cool and motionless as the stone I sat on, I stared at the dark water running beside the icy bank, stared right through it. Carlisle was right. I should leave Forks. They could spread some story to explain my absence. Boarding school in Europe. Visiting distant relatives. Teenage runaway. The story didn't matter. No one would question too intensely. It was just a year or two, and then the girl would disappear. She would go on with her life – she would have a life to go on with. She'd go to college somewhere, get older, start a career, perhaps marry someone. I could picture that – I could see the girl dressed all in white and walking at a measured pace, her arm through her father's. It was odd, the pain that image caused me. I couldn't understand it. Was I jealous, because she had a future that I could never have? That made no sense. Every one of the humans around me had that same potential ahead of them – a life – and I rarely stopped to envy them. I should leave her to her future. Stop risking her life. That was the right thing to do. Carlisle always chose the right way. I should listen to him now. The sun rose behind the clouds, and the faint light glistened off all the frozen glass. One more day, I decided. I would see her one more time. I could handle that. Perhaps I would mention my pending disappearance, set the story up. This was going to be difficult; I could feel that in the heavy reluctance that was already making me think of excuses to stay – to extend the deadline to two days, three, four†¦ But I would do the right thing. I knew I could trust Carlisle's advice. And I also knew that I was too conflicted to make the right decision alone. Much too conflicted. How much of this reluctance came from my obsessive curiosity, and how much came from my unsatisfied appetite? I went inside to change into fresh clothes for school. Alice was waiting for me, sitting on the top step at the edge of the third floor. You're leaving again, she accused me. I sighed and nodded. I can't see where you're going this time. â€Å"I don't know where I'm going yet,† I whispered. I want you to stay. I shook my head. Maybe Jazz and I could come with you? â€Å"They'll need you all the more, if I'm not here to watch out for them. And think of Esme. Would you take half her family away in one blow?† You're going to make her so sad. â€Å"I know. That's why you have to stay.† That's not the same as having you here, and you know it. â€Å"Yes. But I have to do what's right.† There are many right ways, and many wrong ways, though, aren't there? For a brief moment she was swept away into one of her strange visions; I watched along with her as the indistinct images flickered and whirled. I saw myself mixed in with strange shadows that I couldn't make out – hazy, imprecise forms. And then, suddenly, my skin was glittering in the bright sunlight of a small open meadow. This was a place I knew. There was a figure in the meadow with me, but, again, it was indistinct, not there enough to recognize. The images shivered and disappeared as a million tiny choices rearranged the future again. â€Å"I didn't catch much of that,† I told her when the vision went dark. Me either. Your future is shifting around so much I can't keep up with any of it. I think, though†¦ She stopped, and she flipped through a vast collection of other recent visions for me. They were all the same – blurry and vague. â€Å"I think something is changing, though,† she said out loud. â€Å"Your life seems to be at a crossroads.† I laughed grimly. â€Å"You do realize that you sound like a bogus gypsy at a carnival now, right?† She stuck her tiny tongue out at me. â€Å"Today is all right, though, isn't it?† I asked, my voice abruptly apprehensive. â€Å"I don't see you killing anyone today,† she assured me. â€Å"Thanks, Alice.† â€Å"Go get dressed. I won't say anything – I'll let you tell the others when you're ready.† She stood and darted back down the stairs, her shoulders hunched slightly. Miss you. Really. Yes, I would really miss her, too. It was a quiet ride to school. Jasper could tell that Alice was upset about something, but he knew that if she wanted to talk about it she would have done so already. Emmett and Rosalie were oblivious, having another of their moments, gazing into each others' eyes with wonder – it was rather disgusting to watch from the outside. We were all quite aware how desperately in love they were. Or maybe I was just being bitter because I was the only one alone. Some days it was harder than others to live with three sets of perfectly matched lovers. This was one of them. Maybe they would all be happier without me hanging around, ill-tempered and belligerent as the old man I should be by now. Of course, the first thing I did when we reached the school was to look for the girl. Just preparing myself again. Right. It was embarrassing how my world suddenly seemed to be empty of everything but her – my whole existence centered around the girl, rather than around myself anymore. It was easy enough to understand, though, really; after eighty years of the same thing every day and every night, any change became a point of absorption. She had not yet arrived, but could I hear the thunderous chugging of her truck's engine in the distance. I leaned against the side of the car to wait. Alice stayed with me, while the others went straight to class. They were bored with my fixation – it was incomprehensible to them how any human could hold my interest for so long, no matter how delicious she smelled. The girl drove slowly into view, her eyes intent on the road and her hands tight on the wheel. She seemed anxious about something. It took me a second to figure out what that something was, to realize that every human wore the same expression today. Ah, the road was slick with ice, and they were all trying to drive more carefully. I could see she was taking the added risk seriously. That seemed in line with what little I had learned of her character. I added this to my small list: she was a serious person, a responsible person. She parked not too far from me, but she hadn't noticed me standing here yet, staring at her. I wondered what she would do when she did? Blush and walk away? That was my first guess. But maybe she would stare back. Maybe she would come to talk to me. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs hopefully, just in case. She got out of the truck with care, testing the slick ground before she put her weight on it. She didn't look up, and that frustrated me. Maybe I would go talk to her†¦ No, that would be wrong. Instead of turning toward the school, she made her way to the rear of her truck, clinging to the side of the truck bed in a droll way, not trusting her footing. It made me smile, and I felt Alice's eyes on my face. I didn't listen to whatever this made her think – I was having too much fun watching the girl check her snow chains. She actually looked in some danger of falling, the way her feet were sliding around. No one else was having trouble – had she parked in the worst of the ice? She paused there, staring down with a strange expression on her face. It was†¦tender? As if something about the tire was making her†¦emotional? Again, the curiosity ached like a thirst. It was as if I had to know what she was thinking – as if nothing else mattered. I would go talk to her. She looked like she could use a hand anyway, at least until she was off the slick pavement. Of course, I couldn't offer her that, could I? I hesitated, torn. As adverse as she seemed to be to snow, she would hardly welcome the touch of my cold white hand. I should have worn gloves – â€Å"NO!† Alice gasped aloud. Instantly, I scanned her thoughts, guessing at first that I had made a poor choice and she saw me doing something inexcusable. But it had nothing to do with me at all. Tyler Crowley had chosen to take the turn into the parking lot at an injudicious speed. This choice would send him skidding across a patch of ice†¦ The vision came just half a second before the reality. Tyler's van rounded the corner as I was still watching the conclusion that had pulled the horrified gasp through Alice's lips. No, this vision had nothing to do with me, and yet it had everything to do with me, because Tyler's van – the tires right now hitting the ice at the worst possible angle – was going to spin across the lot and crush the girl who had become the uninvited focal point of my world. Even without Alice's foresight it would have been simple enough to read the trajectory of the vehicle, flying out of Tyler's control. The girl, standing in the exactly wrong place at the back of her truck, looked up, bewildered by the sound of the screeching tires. She looked straight into my horrorstruck eyes, and then turned to watch her approaching death. Not her! The words shouted in my head as if they belonged to someone else. Still locked into Alice's thoughts, I saw the vision suddenly shift, but I had no time to see what the outcome would be. I launched myself across the lot, throwing myself between the skidding van and the frozen girl. I moved so fast that everything was a streaky blur except for the object of my focus. She didn't see me – no human eyes could have followed my flight – still staring at the hulking shape that was about to grind her body into the metal frame of her truck. I caught her around the waist, moving with too much urgency to be as gentle as she would need me to be. In the hundredth of a second between the time that I yanked her slight form out of the path of death and the time that I crashed into to the ground with her in my arms, I was vividly aware of her fragile, breakable body. When I heard her head crack against the ice, it felt like I had turned to ice, too. But I didn't even have a full second to ascertain her condition. I heard the van behind us, grating and squealing as it twisted around the sturdy iron body of the girl's truck. It was changing course, arcing, coming for her again – like she was a magnet, pulling it toward us. A word I'd never said before in the presence of a lady slid between my clenched teeth. I had already done too much. As I'd nearly flown through the air to push her out of the way, I'd been fully aware of the mistake I was making. Knowing that it was a mistake did not stop me, but I was not oblivious to the risk I was taking – taking, not just for myself, but for my entire family. Exposure. And this certainly wasn't going to help, but there was no way I was going to allow the van to succeed in its second attempt to take her life. I dropped her and threw my hands out, catching the van before it could touch the girl. The force of it hurled me back into the car parked beside her truck, and I could feel its frame buckle behind my shoulders. The van shuddered and shivered against the unyielding obstacle of my arms, and then swayed, balancing unstably on the two far tires. If I moved my hands, the back tire of the van was going fall onto her legs. Oh, for the love of all that was holy, would the catastrophes never end? Was there anything else that could go wrong? I could hardly sit here, holding the van in the air, and wait for rescue. Nor could I throw the van away – there was the driver to consider, his thoughts incoherent with panic. With an internal groan, I shoved the van so that it rocked away from us for an instant. As it fell back toward me, I caught it under the frame with my right hand while I wrapped my left arm around the girl's waist again and drug her out from under the van, pulling her tight up against my side. Her body moved limply as I swung her around so that her legs would be in the clear – was she conscious? How much damage had I done to her in my impromptu rescue attempt? I let the van drop, now that it could not hurt her. It crashed to the pavement, all the windows shattering in unison. I knew that I was in the middle of a crisis. How much had she seen? Had any other witnesses watched me materialize at her side and then juggle the van while I tried to keep her out from under it? These questions should be my biggest concern. But I was too anxious to really care about the threat of exposure as much as I should. Too panic-stricken that I might have injured her myself in my effort to protect her. Too frightened to have her this close to me, knowing what I would smell if I allowed myself to inhale. Too aware of the heat of her soft body, pressed against mine – even through the double obstacle of our jackets, I could feel that heat†¦ The first fear was the greatest fear. As the screaming of the witnesses erupted around us, I leaned down to examine her face, to see if she was conscious – hoping fiercely that she was not bleeding anywhere. Her eyes were open, staring in shock. â€Å"Bella?† I asked urgently. â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"I'm fine.† She said the words automatically in a dazed voice. Relief, so exquisite it was nearly pain, washed through me at the sound of her voice. I sucked in a breath through my teeth, and did not mind the accompanying burn in my throat. I almost welcomed it. She struggled to sit up, but I was not ready to release her. It felt somehow†¦safer? Better, at least, having her tucked into my side. â€Å"Be careful,† I warned her. â€Å"I think you hit your head pretty hard.† There had been no smell of fresh blood – a mercy, that – but this did not rule out internal damage. I was abruptly anxious to get her to Carlisle and a full compliment of radiology equipment. â€Å"Ow,† she said, her tone comically shocked as she realized I was right about her head. â€Å"That's what I thought.† Relief made it funny to me, made me almost giddy. â€Å"How in the†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice trailed off, and her eyelids fluttered. â€Å"How did you get over here so fast?† The relief turned sour, the humor vanished. She had noticed too much. Now that it appeared that the girl was in decent shape, the anxiety for my family became severe. â€Å"I was standing right next to you, Bella.† I knew from experience that if I was very confident as I lied, it made any questioner less sure of the truth. She struggled to move again, and this time I allowed it. I needed to breathe so that I could play my role correctly. I needed space from her warm-blooded heat so that it would not combine with her scent to overwhelm me. I slid away from her, as far as was possible in the small space between the wrecked vehicles. She stared up at me, and I stared back. To look away first was a mistake only an incompetent liar would make, and I was not an incompetent liar. My expression was smooth, benign†¦ It seemed to confuse her. That was good. The accident scene was surrounded now. Mostly students, children, peering and pushing through the cracks to see if any mangled bodies were visible. There was a babble of shouting and a gush of shocked thought. I scanned the thoughts once to make sure there were no suspicions yet, and then tuned it out and concentrated only on the girl. She was distracted by the bedlam. She glanced around, her expression still stunned, and tried to get to her feet. I put my hand lightly on her shoulder to hold her down. â€Å"Just stay put for now.† She seemed alright, but should she really be moving her neck? Again, I wished for Carlisle. My years of theoretical medical study were no match for his centuries of hands-on medical practice. â€Å"But it's cold,† she objected. She had almost been crushed to death two distinct times and crippled one more, and it was the cold that worried her. A chuckle slid through my teeth before I could remember that the situation was not funny. Bella blinked, and then her eyes focused on my face. â€Å"You were over there.† That sobered me again. She glanced toward the south, though there was nothing to see now but the crumpled side of the van. â€Å"You were by your car.† â€Å"No, I wasn't.† â€Å"I saw you,† she insisted; her voice was childlike when she was being stubborn. Her chin jutted out. â€Å"Bella, I was standing with you, and I pulled you out of the way.† I stared deeply into her wide eyes, trying to will her into accepting my version – the only rational version on the table. Her jaw set. â€Å"No.† I tried to stay calm, to not panic. If only I could keep her quiet for a few moments, to give me a chance to destroy the evidence†¦.and undermine her story by disclosing her head injury. Shouldn't it be easy to keep this silent, secretive girl quiet? If only she would trust me, just for a few moments†¦ â€Å"Please, Bella,† I said, and my voice was too intense, because I suddenly wanted her to trust me. Wanted it badly, and not just in regards to this accident. A stupid desire. What sense would it make for her to trust me? â€Å"Why?† she asked, still defensive. â€Å"Trust me,† I pleaded. â€Å"Will you promise to explain everything to me later?† It made me angry to have to lie to her again, when I so much wished that I could somehow deserve her trust. So, when I answered her, it was a retort. â€Å"Fine.† â€Å"Fine,† she echoed in the same tone. While the rescue attempt began around us – adults arriving, authorities called, sirens in the distance – I tried to ignore the girl and get my priorities in the right order. I searched through every mind in the lot, the witnesses and the latecomers both, but I could find nothing dangerous. Many were surprised to see me here beside Bella, but all concluded – as there was no other possible conclusion – that they had just not noticed me standing by the girl before the accident. She was the only one who didn't accept the easy explanation, but she would be considered the least reliable witness. She had been frightened, traumatized, not to mention sustaining the blow to the head. Possibly in shock. It would be acceptable for her story to be confused, wouldn't it? No one would give it much credence above so many other spectators†¦ I winced when I caught the thoughts of Rosalie, Jasper and Emmett, just arriving on the scene. There would be hell to pay for this tonight. I wanted to iron out the indention my shoulders had made against the tan car, but the girl was too close. I'd have to wait till she was distracted. It was frustrating to wait – so many eyes on me – as the humans struggled with the van, trying to pull it away from us. I might have helped them, just to speed the process, but I was already in enough trouble and the girl had sharp eyes. Finally, they were able to shift it far enough away for the EMTs to get to us with their stretchers. A familiar, grizzled face appraised me. â€Å"Hey, Edward,† Brett Warner said. He was also a registered nurse, and I knew him well from the hospital. It was a stroke of luck – the only luck today – that he was the first through to us. In his thoughts, he was noting that I looked alert and calm. â€Å"You okay, kid?† â€Å"Perfect, Brett. Nothing touched me. But I'm afraid Bella here might have a concussion. She really hit her head when I yanked her out of the way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Brett turned his attention to the girl, who shot me a fierce look of betrayal. Oh, that was right. She was the quiet martyr – she'd prefer to suffer in silence. She did not contradict my story immediately, though, and this made me feel easier. The next EMT tried to insist that I allow myself to be treated, but it wasn't too difficult to dissuade him. I promised I would let my father examine me, and he let it go. With most humans, speaking with cool assurance was all that was needed. Most humans, just not the girl, of course. Did she fit into any of the normal patterns? As they put a neck brace on her – and her face flushed scarlet with embarrassment – I used the moment of distraction to quietly rearrange the shape of the dent in the tan car with the back of my foot. Only my siblings noticed what I was doing, and I heard Emmett's mental promise to catch anything I missed. Grateful for his help – and more grateful that Emmett, at least, had already forgiven my dangerous choice – I was more relaxed as I climbed into the front seat of the ambulance next to Brett. The chief of police arrived before they had gotten Bella into the back of the ambulance. Though Bella's father's thoughts were past words, the panic and concern emanating out of the man's mind drown out just about every other thought in the vicinity. Wordless anxiety and guilt, a great swell of them, washed out of him as he saw his only daughter on the gurney. Washed out of him and through me, echoing and growing stronger. When Alice had warned me that killing Charlie Swan's daughter would kill him, too, she had not been exaggerating. My head bowed with that guilt as I listened to his panicked voice. â€Å"Bella!† he shouted. â€Å"I'm completely fine, Char – Dad.† She sighed. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with me.† Her assurance barely soothed his dread. He turned at once to the closest EMT and demanded more information. I wasn't until I heard him speaking, forming perfectly coherent sentences despite his panic, that I realized that his anxiety and concern were not wordless. I just†¦could not hear the exact words. Hmm. Charlie Swan was not as silent as his daughter, but I could see where she got it from. Interesting. I'd never spent much time around the town's police chief. I'd always taken him for a man of slow thought – now I realized that I was the one who was slow. His thoughts were partially concealed, not absent. I could only make out the tenor, the tone of them†¦ I wanted to listen harder, to see if I could find in this new, lesser puzzle the key to the girl's secrets. But Bella was loaded into the back by then, and the ambulance was on its way. It was hard to tear myself away from this possible solution to the mystery that had come to obsess me. But I had to think now – to look at what had been done today from every angle. I had to listen, to make sure that I had not put us all in so much danger that we would have to leave immediately. I had to concentrate. There was nothing in the thoughts of the EMTs to worry me. As far as they could tell, there was nothing seriously wrong with the girl. And Bella was sticking to the story I'd provided, thus far. The first priority, when we reached the hospital, was to see Carlisle. I hurried through the automatic doors, but I was unable to totally forgo watching after Bella; I kept an eye on her through the paramedics' thoughts. It was easy to find my father's familiar mind. He was in his small office, all alone – the second stroke of luck in this luckless day. â€Å"Carlisle.† He'd heard my approach, and he was alarmed as soon as he saw my face. He jumped to his feet, his face paling to bone white. He leaned forward across the neatly organized walnut desk. Edward – you didn't – â€Å"No, no, it's not that.† He took deep breath. Of course not. I'm sorry I entertained the thought. Your eyes, of course, I should have known†¦ He noted my still-golden eyes with relief. â€Å"She's hurt, though, Carlisle, probably not seriously, but – â€Å" â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"A stupid car accident. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I couldn't just stand there – let it crush her – â€Å" Start over, I don't understand. How were you involved? â€Å"A van skidded across the ice,† I whispered. I stared at the wall behind him while I spoke. Instead of a throng of framed diplomas, he had one simple oil painting – a favorite of his, an undiscovered Hassam. â€Å"She was in the way. Alice saw it coming, but there wasn't time to do anything but really run across the lot and shove her out of the way. No one noticed†¦except for her. I had to stop the van, too, but again, nobody saw that†¦besides her. I'm†¦I'm sorry Carlisle. I didn't mean to put us in danger.† He circled the desk and put his hand on my shoulder. You did the right thing. And it couldn't have been easy for you. I'm proud of you, Edward. I could look him in the eye then. â€Å"She knows there's something†¦wrong with me.† â€Å"That doesn't matter. If we have to leave, we leave. What has she said?† I shook my head, a little frustrated. â€Å"Nothing yet.† Yet? â€Å"She agreed to my version of events – but she's expecting an explanation.† He frowned, pondering this. â€Å"She hit her head – well, I did that,† I continued quickly. â€Å"I knocked her to the ground fairly hard. She seems fine, but†¦ I don't think it will take much to discredit her account.† I felt like a cad just saying the words. Carlisle heard the distaste in my voice. Perhaps that won't be necessary. Let's see what happens, shall we? It sounds like I have a patient to check on. â€Å"Please,† I said. â€Å"I'm so worried that I hurt her.† Carlisle's expression brightened. He smoothed his fair hair – just a few shades lighter than his golden eyes – and he laughed. It's been an interesting day for you, hasn't it? In his mind, I could see the irony, and it was humorous, at least to him. Quite the reversal of roles. Somewhere during that short thoughtless second when I'd sprinted across the icy lot, I had transformed from killer to protector. I laughed with him, remembering how sure I'd been that Bella would never need protecting from anything more than myself. There was an edge to my laugh because, van notwithstanding, that was still entirely true. I waited alone in Carlisle's office – one of the longer hours I had ever lived – listening to the hospital full of thoughts. Tyler Crowley, the van's driver, looked to be hurt worse than Bella, and the attention shifted to him while she waited her turn to be X-rayed. Carlisle kept in the background, trusting the PA's diagnosis that the girl was only slightly injured. This made me anxious, but I knew he was right. One glance at his face and she would be immediately reminded of me, of the fact that there was something not right about my family, and that might set her talking. She certainly had a willing enough partner to converse with. Tyler was consumed with guilt over the fact that he had almost killed her, and he couldn't seem to shut up about it. I could see her expression through his eyes, and it was clear that she wished he would stop. How did he not see that? There was a tense moment for me when Tyler asked her how she'd gotten out of the way. I waited, not breathing, as she hesitated. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he heard her say. Then she paused for so long that Tyler wondered if his question had confused her. Finally, she went on. â€Å"Edward pulled me out of the way.† I exhaled. And then my breathing accelerated. I'd never heard her speak my name before. I like the way it sounded – even just hearing it through Tyler's thoughts. I wanted to hear it for myself†¦ â€Å"Edward Cullen,† she said, when Tyler didn't realize who she meant. I found myself at the door, my hand on the knob. The desire to see her was growing stronger. I had to remind myself of the need for caution. â€Å"He was standing next to me.† â€Å"Cullen?† Huh. That's weird. â€Å"I didn't see him.† I could have sworn†¦ â€Å"Wow, it was all so fast, I guess. Is he okay?† â€Å"I think so. He's here somewhere, but they didn't make him use a stretcher.† I saw the thoughtful look on her face, the suspicious tightening of her eyes, but these little changes in her expression were lost on Tyler. She's pretty, he was thinking, almost in surprise. Even all messed up. Not my usual type, still†¦ I should take her out. Make up for today†¦ I was out in the hall, then, halfway to the emergency room, without thinking for one second about what I was doing. Luckily, the nurse entered the room before I could – it was Bella's turn for X-rays. I leaned against the wall in a dark nook just around the corner, and tried to get a grip on myself while she was wheeled away. It didn't matter that Tyler thought she was pretty. Anyone would notice that. There was no reason for me to feel†¦how did I feel? Annoyed? Or was angry closer to the truth? That made no sense at all. I stayed where I was for as long as I could, but impatience got the best of me and I took a back way around to the radiology room. She'd already been moved back to the ER, but I was able to take a peek at her x-rays while the nurse's back was turned. I felt calmer when I had. Her head was fine. I hadn't hurt her, not really. Carlisle caught me there. You look better, he commented. I just looked straight ahead. We weren't alone, the halls full of orderlies and visitors. Ah, yes. He stuck her x-rays to the lightboard, but I didn't need a second look. I see. She's absolutely fine. Well done, Edward. The sound of my father's approval created a mixed reaction in me. I would have been pleased, except that I knew that he would not approve of what I was going to do now. At least, he would not approve if he knew my real motivations†¦ â€Å"I think I'm going to go talk to her – before she sees you,† I murmured under my breath. â€Å"Act natural, like nothing happened. Smooth it over.† All acceptable reasons. Carlisle nodded absently, still looking over the x-rays. â€Å"Good idea. Hmm.† I looked to see what had his interest. Look at all the healed contusions! How many times did her mother drop her? Carlisle laughed to himself at his joke. â€Å"I'm beginning to think the girl just has really bad luck. Always in the wrong place at the wrong time.† Forks is certainly the wrong place for her, with you here. I flinched. Go ahead. Smooth things over. I'll join you momentarily. I walked away quickly, feeling guilty. Perhaps I was too good a liar, if I could fool Carlisle. When I got to the ER, Tyler was mumbling under his breath, still apologizing. The girl was trying to escape his remorse by pretending to sleep. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing was not even, and now and then her fingers would twitch impatiently. I stared at her face for a long moment. This was the last time I would see her. That fact triggered an acute aching in my chest. Was it because I hated to leave any puzzle unsolved? That did not seem like enough of an explanation. Finally, I took a deep breath and moved into view. When Tyler saw me, he started to speak, but I put one finger to my lips. â€Å"Is she sleeping?† I murmured. Bella's eyes snapped open and focused on my face. They widened momentarily, and then narrowed in anger or suspicion. I remembered that I had a role to play, so I smiled at her as if nothing unusual had happened this morning – besides a blow to her head and a bit of imagination run wild. â€Å"Hey, Edward,† Tyler said. â€Å"I'm really sorry – â€Å" I raised one hand to halt his apology. â€Å"No blood, no foul,† I said wryly. Without thinking, I smiled too widely at my private joke. It was amazingly easy to ignore Tyler, lying no more than four feet from me, covered in fresh blood. I'd never understood how Carlisle was able to do that – ignore the blood of his patients in order to treat them. Wouldn't the constant temptation be so distracting, so dangerous†¦? But, now†¦ I could see how, if you were focusing on something else hard enough, the temptation was be nothing at all. Even fresh and exposed, Tyler's blood had nothing on Bella's. I kept my distance from her, seating myself on the foot of Tyler's mattress. â€Å"So, what's the verdict?† I asked her. Her lower lip pushed out a little. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with me at all, but they won't let me go. How come you aren't strapped to a gurney like the rest of us?† Her impatience made me smile again. I could hear Carlisle in the hall now. â€Å"It's all about who you know,† I said lightly. â€Å"But don't worry, I came to spring you.† I watched her reaction carefully as my father entered the room. Her eyes widened and her mouth actually fell open in surprise. I groaned internally. Yes, she'd certainly noticed the resemblance. â€Å"So, Miss Swan, how are you feeling?† Carlisle asked. He had a wonderfully soothing beside manner that put most patients at ease within moments. I couldn't tell how it affected Bella. â€Å"I'm fine,† she said quietly. Carlisle clipped her X-rays to the lightboard by the bed. â€Å"Your X-rays look good. Does your head hurt? Edward said you hit it pretty hard.† She sighed, and said, â€Å"I'm fine,† again, but this time impatience leaked into her voice. Then she glowered once in my direction. Carlisle stepped closer to her and ran his fingers gently over her scalp until he found the bump under her hair. I was caught off guard by the wave of emotion that crashed over me. I had seen Carlisle work with humans a thousand times. Years ago, I had even assisted him informally – though only in situations where blood was not involved. So it wasn't a new thing to me, to watch him interact with the girl as if he were as human as she was. I'd envied his control many times, but that was not the same as this emotion. I envied him more than his control. I ached for the difference between Carlisle and me – that he could touch her so gently, without fear, knowing he would never harm her†¦ She winced, and I twitched in my seat. I had to concentrate for a moment to keep my relaxed posture. â€Å"Tender?† Carlisle asked. Her chin jerked up a fraction. â€Å"Not really,† she said. Another small piece of her character fell into place: she was brave. She didn't like to show weakness. Possibly the most vulnerable creature I'd ever seen, and she didn't want to seem weak. A chuckle slid through my lips. She shot another glare at me. â€Å"Well,† Carlisle said. â€Å"Your father is in the waiting room – you can go home with him now. But come back if you feel dizzy or have trouble with your eyesight at all.† Her father was here? I swept through the thoughts in the crowded waiting room, but I couldn't pick his subtle mental voice out of the group before she was speaking again, her face anxious. â€Å"Can't I go back to school?† â€Å"Maybe you should take it easy today,† Carlisle suggested. Her eyes flickered back to me. â€Å"Does he get to go to school?† Act normal, smooth things over†¦ignore the way it feels when she looks me in the eye†¦ â€Å"Someone has to spread the good news that we survived,† I said. â€Å"Actually,† Carlisle corrected, â€Å"most of the school seems to be in the waiting room.† I anticipated her reaction this time – her aversion to attention. She didn't disappoint. â€Å"Oh no,† she moaned, and she put her hands over her face. I liked that I'd finally guessed right. I was beginning to understand her†¦ â€Å"Do you want to stay?† Carlisle asked. â€Å"No, no!† she said quickly, swinging her legs over the side of the mattress and sliding down till her feet were on the floor. She stumbled forward, off-balance, into Carlisle's arms. He caught and steadied her. Again, the envy flooded through me. â€Å"I'm fine,† she said before he could comment, faint pink in her cheeks. Of course, that wouldn't bother Carlisle. He made sure she was balanced, and then dropped his hands. â€Å"Take some Tylenol for the pain,† he instructed. â€Å"It doesn't hurt that bad.† Carlisle smiled as he signed her chart. â€Å"It sounds like you were extremely lucky.† She turned her face slightly, to stare at me with hard eyes. â€Å"Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me.† â€Å"Oh, well, yes,† Carlisle agreed quickly, hearing the same thing in her voice that I heard. She hadn't written her suspicions off as imagination. Not yet. All yours, Carlisle thought. Handle it as you think best. â€Å"Thanks so much,† I whispered, quick and quiet. Neither human heard me. Carlisle's lips turned up a tiny bit at my sarcasm as he turned to Tyler. â€Å"I'm afraid that you'll have to stay with us just a little bit longer,† he said as he began examining the slashes left by the shattered windshield. Well, I'd made the mess, so it was only fair that I had to deal with it. Bella walked deliberately toward me, not stopping until she was uncomfortably close. I remembered how I had hoped, before all the mayhem, that she would approach me†¦ This was like a mockery of that wish. â€Å"Can I talk to you for a minute?† she hissed at me. Her warm breath brushed my face and I had to stagger back a step. Her appeal had not abated one bit. Every time she was near me, it triggered all my worst, most urgent instincts. Venom flowed in my mouth and my body yearned to strike – to wrench her into my arms and crush her throat to my teeth. My mind was stronger than my body, but only just. â€Å"Your father is waiting for you,† I reminded her, my jaw clenched tight. She glanced toward Carlisle and Tyler. Tyler was paying us no attention at all, but Carlisle was monitoring my every breath. Carefully, Edward. â€Å"I'd like to speak to you alone, if you don't mind,† she insisted in a low voice. I wanted to tell her that I did mind very much, but I knew I would have to do this eventually. I may as well get on with it. I was full of so many conflicting emotions as I stalked out of the room, listening to her stumbling footsteps behind me, trying to keep up. I had a show to put on now. I knew the role I would play – I had the character down: I would be the villain. I would lie and ridicule and be cruel. It went against all my better impulses – the human impulses that I'd clung to through all these years. I'd never wanted to deserve trust more than in this moment, when I had to destroy all possibility of it. It made it worse to know that this would be the last memory she would have of me. This was my farewell scene. I turned on her. â€Å"What do you want?† I asked coldly. She cringed back slightly from my hostility. Her eyes turned bewildered, the expression that had haunted me†¦ â€Å"You owe me an explanation,† she said in a small voice; her ivory face blanched. It was very hard to keep my voice harsh. â€Å"I saved your life – I don't owe you anything.† She flinched – it burned like acid to watch my words hurt her. â€Å"You promised,† she whispered. â€Å"Bella, you hit your head, you don't know what you're talking about.† Her chin came up then. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with my head.† She was angry now, and that made it easier for me. I met her glare, making my face more unfriendly. â€Å"What do you want from me, Bella?† â€Å"I want to know the truth. I want to know why I'm lying for you.† What she wanted was only fair – it frustrated me to have to deny her. â€Å"What do you think happened?† I nearly growled at her. Her words poured out in a torrent. â€Å"All I know is that you weren't anywhere near me – Tyler didn't see you, either, so don't tell me I hit my head too hard. That van was going to crush us both – and it didn't, and your hands left dents in the side of it – and you left a dent in the other car, and you're not hurt at all – and the van should have smashed my legs, but you were holding it up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Suddenly, she clenched her teeth together and her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. I stared at her, my expression derisive, though what I really felt was awe; she had seen everything. â€Å"You think I lifted a van off you?† I asked sarcastically. She answered with one stiff nod. My voice grew more mocking. â€Å"Nobody will believe that, you know.† She made an effort to control her anger. When she answered me, she spoke each word with slow deliberation. â€Å"I'm not going to tell anybody.† She meant it – I could see that in her eyes. Even furious and betrayed, she would keep my secret. Why? The shock of it ruined my carefully designed expression for half a second, and then I pulled myself together. â€Å"Then why does it matter?† I asked, working to keep my voice severe. â€Å"It matters to me,† she said intensely. â€Å"I don't like to lie – so there'd better be a good reason why I'm doing it.† She was asking me to trust her. Just as I wanted her to trust me. But this was a line I could not cross. My voice stayed callous. â€Å"Can't you just thank me and get it over with?† â€Å"Thank you,† she said, and then she fumed silently, waiting. â€Å"You're not going to let it go, are you?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"In that case†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't tell her the truth if I wanted to†¦and I didn't want to. I'd rather she made up her own story than know what I was, because nothing could be worse than the truth – I was a living nightmare, straight from the pages of a horror novel. â€Å"I hope you enjoy disappointment.† We scowled at each other. It was odd how endearing her anger was. Like a furious kitten, soft and harmless, and so unaware of her own vulnerability. She flushed pink and ground her teeth together again. â€Å"Why did you even bother?† Her question wasn't one that I was expecting or prepared to answer. I lost my hold on the role I was playing. I felt the mask slip from my face, and I told her – this one time – the truth. â€Å"I don't know.† I memorized her face one last time – it was still set in lines of anger, the blood not yet faded from her cheeks – and then I turned and walked away from her.

Nano Robots Essay

ABSTRACT: Nanorobotics is the technology of creating machines or robots at or close to the microscopic scale of a nanometer (10−9 meters). More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the still largely hypothetical nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots, devices ranging in size from 0.1-10 micrometers and constructed of nanoscale or molecular components. As no artificial non-biological Nanorobots have yet been created, they remain a hypothetical concept. The names nanobots, nanoids, nanites or nanomites have also been used to describe these hypothetical devices. INTRODUCTION: There are pressing needs in biological research today: the cost of getting new drugs to market is estimated to be 1$ billion by 2015, time to market has increased and failure rates remain shockingly high. Illnesses such as cancer,neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular diseases continue to ravage people around the world. The broad field of nanomedicine seeks to address many of these needs in biology, creating the not so quite as broad discipline of nanobiotechnology. In the last decade, progress in developing nano sized hybrid therapeutics and drug delivery systems has been remarkable. These nanoscale and often multicomponent constructs can be seen as the first nanomedicines, already bringing clinical benefits. A good flow of related technologies is also in development. But are these ‘Nanomedicines’ really new? The educated answer is ‘not really’. The concepts of antibody-conjugates, liposomes and polymer-conjugates stem from the 1970s. At first, they were seen as competing technologies; only one would emerge as a ‘magic bullet’ for all drugtargeting applications. But each has advantages and disadvantages. Antibodies have exquisite potential for selective targeting but, even as humanized proteins, can be immunogenic. Liposomes have high drug-carrying capacity, but can either release drug too quickly or entrap it too strongly and are prone to capture by the reticuloendothelial system (RES), even when polymer coated. Similarly, it is  hard to steer nanoparticles away from the RES after intravenous injection. The ideal delivery system often merges benefits of two or more technologies. As we mark the birth of nanomedicine, it is worth reflecting on the revolution it could bring to healthcare. It is essential that benefits of genomics and proteomics research and advances in drug delivery, are quickly harnessed to realize improvements in diagnosis and therapy. Nanotechnology is already making a key contribution, but this is just the start. There are opportunities to design nanosized, bioresponsive systems able to diagnose and then deliver drugs (theranostics), and systems able to promote tissue regeneration and repair (in disease, trauma and ageing), circumventing chemotherapy. These ideas may seem like science fiction, but to dismiss them would be foolish. Risks and benefits must be addressed carefully to yield useful and safe technologies. An interdisciplinary approach will ensure that the exciting potential of nano medicine’s many facets will be a practical reality in the foreseeable future. The tightly-integrated interdisciplinary team of medical researchers, pharmaceutical scientists, physicists, chemists, and chemical engineers, has an extensive range of expertise to facilitate research on nanomedicine.The long term goal is the development of novel and revolutionary bio molecular machine components that can be assembled and form multi-degree-offreedom nanodevices that will apply forces and manipulate objects in the nanoworld, transfer information from the nano to the macro world, and travel in the nanoenvironment. These machines are expected to be highly efficient, controllable, economical in mass production, and fully operational with minimal supervision. These ultraminiature robotic systems and nano-mechanical devices will be the biomolecular electro-mechanical hardware of future biomedical applications(IGERT). NANOROBOTS: WHAT ARE THEY? Nanorobots are theoretical microscopic devices measured on the scale of nanometers (1nm equals one millionth of 1 millimeter). When fully realized from the hypothetical stage, they would work at the atomic, molecular and cellular level to perform tasks in both the medical and industrial fields that have heretofore been the stuff of science fiction. Nanomedicine’s nanorobots are so tiny that they can easily traverse the human body.  Scientists report the exterior of a nanorobot will likely be constructed of carbon atoms in a diamondoid structure because of its inert properties and strength. Super-smooth surfaces will lessen the likelihood of triggering the body’s immune system, allowing the nanorobots to go about their business unimpeded. Glucose or natural body sugars and oxygen might be a source for propulsion and the nanorobot will have other biochemical or molecular parts depending on its task. Nanomachines are largely in the researchand-development phase [1], but some primitive molecular machines have been tested. An example is a sensor having a switch approximately . DISADVANTAGES †¢ The initial design cost is very high. †¢ The design of the nanorobot is a very complicated one. †¢ Electrical systems can create stray fields which may activate bioelectric-based molecular recognition systems in biology. †¢ Electrical nanorobots are susceptible to electrical interference from external sources such as rf or electric fields, EMP pulses, and stray fields from other in vivo electrical devices. †¢ Hard to Interface, Customize and Design, Complex †¢ Nanorobots can cause a brutal risk in the field of terrorism. The terrorism and anti groups can make use of nanorobots as a new form of torturing the communities as nanotechnology also has the capability of destructing the human body at the molecular level. †¢ Privacy is the other potential risk involved with Nanorobots. As Nanorobots deals with the designing of compact and minute devices, there are chances for more eavesdropping than that already exists. Nanotechnology as a diagnostic and treatment tool for patients with cancer and diabetes showed how actual developments in new manufacturing technologies are enabling innovative works which may help in constructing and employing nanorobots most effectively for biomedical problems. Nanorobots applied to medicine hold a wealth of promise from eradicating disease to reversing the aging process (wrinkles, loss of bone mass and age-related conditions are all treatable at the cellular level); nanorobots are also candidates for industrial applications. They will provide personalised treatments with improved efficacy and reduced side  effects that are not available today. They will provide combined action– drugs marketed with diagnostics, imaging agents acting as drugs, surgery with instant diagnostic feedback. The advent of molecular nanotechnology will again expand enormously the effectiveness, comfort and speed of future medical treatments while at the same time significantly reducing their risk, cost, and invasiveness. This science might sound like a fiction now, but Nanorobotics has strong potential to revolutionize healthcare, to treat disease in future. It opens up new ways for vast, abundant research work. Nanotechnology will change health care and human life more profoundly than other developments.Consequently they will change the shape of the industry, broadening the product development and marketing interactions between Pharma, Biotech, Diagnostic and Healthcare industries. Future healthcare will make use of sensitive new diagnostics for an improved personal risk assessment. Highest impact can be expected if those major diseases are addressed first, which impose the highest burden on the aging population: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, musculoskeletal conditions, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, diabetes, and viral infections. International Journal of Pharma and Bio Sciences Nanomedicine holds the promise to lead to an earlier diagnosis, better therapy and improved follow up care, making the health care more effective and affordable. Nanomedicine will also allow a more personalised treatment for many diseases, exploiting the in-depth understanding of diseases on a molecular level. CONCLUSION: Nanotechnology as a diagnostic and treatment tool for patients with cancer and diabetes showed how actual developments in new manufacturing technologies are enabling innovative works which may help in constructing and employing nanorobots most effectively for biomedical problems. Nanorobots applied to medicine hold a wealth of promise from eradicating disease to reversing the aging process (wrinkles, loss of bone mass and age-related conditions are all treatable at the cellular level); nanorobots are also candidates for industrial applications. They will provide personalised treatments with improved efficacy and reduced side effects that  are not available today. They will provide combined action – drugs marketed with diagnostics, imaging agents acting as drugs, surgery with instant diagnostic feedback. The advent of molecular nanotechnology will again expand enormously the effectiveness, comfort and speed of future medical treatments while at the same time significantly reducing theirrisk, cost, and invasiveness. This science might sound like a fiction now, but Nanorobotics has strong potential to revolutionize healthcare, to treat disease in future. It opens up new ways for vast, abundant research work. Nanotechnology will change health care and human life more profoundly han other developments. Consequently they will change the shape of the industry, broadening the product development and marketing interactions between Pharma, Biotech, Diagnostic and Healthcare industries. Future healthcare will make use of sensitive new diagnostics for an improved personal risk assessment.

The Importance of Play and the Cognitive Development of Children

The Importance of Play and the Cognitive Development of Children Marlene Joy M. Cepeda Western Governors University Abstract The focus on academic success and high assessment scores has led many educators and administrators to perceive play as an unimportant part of a child’s development. But play does lay a good foundation developmentally for children. Through each different types of play, a child develops the necessary skills in order to succeed. When children are given opportunities to play, they develop the connections and experiences they will use to help them succeed academically.Since the No Child Left Behind Act was created in 2001, schools have shifted their focus onto academics and achieving high scores for standardized tests. This focus on academics has led many administrators and parents to perceive play as unimportant for children ages birth and five years old. Even though play may seem unimportant to those outside early childhood education, it creates a solid fou ndation for the child’s cognitive development and future academic success. In 2001, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the No Child Left Behind Act that would change the way schools addressed academics.Schools had to focus on ensuring all students were able to perform and were meeting the state academic standards. Kysilka (2003) wrote â€Å"the purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act was to hold schools, local educational agencies and States accountable for improving the academic achievement of all students and identifying and turning around low-performing schools that have failed to provide a high-quality education to their students, while providing alternatives to students in such schools to enable the students to receive a high-quality education† (Kysilka, 2003, p. 00). Since schools and administrators are being held to a standard, parents are looking at these scores to see if the child succeeds or fails. The focus shifting primarily on aca demics means the time for play is cut short during school hours if not completely removed. More recently, due to state and national emphasis on proficiency text performance, even the small segments of social pretend play time that have been allowed (if not encouraged) in school, such as kindergarten â€Å"choice† time and recess breaks are disappearing (Bergen, 2002).Bergen (2002) writes â€Å"the press for â€Å"academic readiness† through concentrated and direct teaching of alphabet, number, color, and other skills is now affecting the amount of time allocated for play in preschools† (Bergen, 2002, Challenges and Policy Directions suggested by Recent Research, para. 1). Kindergarten classes now are focused on ensuring their students are prepared academically. Instead of allowing the child to develop naturally, schools are now primarily emphasizing on the academics. Kindergarten students are no longer being taught the basics, like the alphabets, colors, or numb ers.Kindergarten students are now taught to read simple words and do more reading and writing in class. Three- and four-year-olds are now expected to engage in far more early writing and reading activities than ever before (Almon, n. d). Kindergarten programs in the U. S. focus so strongly on teaching literacy, numeracy, and other academic subjects that many children no longer have time to play in kindergarten (Almon, n. d. ). Play time has become unimportant in the schools. Educational psychologist Anthony Pellegrini writes â€Å"for many children, the opportunities for such freely chosen play are narrowing† (as cited in Bergen, 2009, p. 28). Pellegini continues â€Å"much of their play time at home has been lost to music, dance, or other lessons; participations on sports teams (using adult defined rules); and afterschool homework or test preparation. At the same time, many schools especially those considered to be poor performers, have reduced or eliminated recess† ( as cited in Bergen, 2009, p. 428). In the first 5 years of a child’s life, play is crucial for development more so than ensuring that the child understands the ABCs or the colors. Children develop problem solving skills when faced with a challenge in a game or with the object they are playing with.Children must think about what to do in order to overcome a particular obstacle or challenge. In the process children also use language skills to voice out frustrations, concerns, or questions to help them understand the situation they are experiencing. In 2006, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated â€Å"free and unstructured play â€Å"is healthy and, in fact, essential for helping children reach important social, emotional, cognitive developmental milestones as well as helping them manage stress and become resilient†Ã¢â‚¬  (as cited in Warner, 2009 p. 1).The Zero to Three Organization (2004) writes â€Å"children are naturally curious beings who are motivated to mak e sense of the world around them. The brain is the only organ that is not fully formed at birth† (Zero to Three Organization, 2004). The Zero to Three Organization (2004) also states â€Å"during the first 3 years, trillions of connections between brain cells are being made† (Zero to Three Organization, 2004). A child’s relationships and experiences during the early years greatly influence how her brain grows. Since children are still developing before age 5, it is imperative that they are allowed to develop naturally.Allowing children to experience play early will help them form those experiences and connections and lay that basic foundation before they begin school. While play may not be regarded as important as the academics to succeed, it plays a vital role in the cognitive development of children. Jean Piaget developed a theory about the cognitive development of young children. Piaget understood through his own observation that children learn logic and reaso ning through manipulation of their environment (Dodge, Colker, Heroman, & Bickart, 2009).Children manipulate the environment through play. Through play, children learn thinking and problem solving skills and understand how the world around them works. Sara Smilansky had created categories of play and described the skills children were learning through each type of play. Smilansky distinguishes four types of play: functional, constructive, dramatic or pretend play, and games with rules (Dodge, Colker, Heroman & Bickart, 2009). When children are actively exploring their world, using their senses and their bodies, this would be described as functional play.This particular play begins when children are babies and are learning about their world. It is during functional play children begin to make those connections of memories to objects in the present. For example when a baby has learned to hold a rattle, they in turn continue to do this action for every other object they can grab. Funct ional play is a form of play in which children use their sense and muscles to experiment with materials and learn how things go together (Dodge, Colker, Heroman & Bickart, 2009). As children grow and develop so does the basic understanding of how things work in the world.Children build upon the skills already learned and find they can create and build new things. These skills are developed through constructive play. Children learn how certain objects fit together through organizing objects, stacking objects, or simply creating something new with those objects. Allen and Marotz describes â€Å"the cognitive process includes mental activities such as discovering, interpreting, sorting, classifying, and remembering. All interactions that children experience during their daily activities contribute to their cognitive development† (as cited in Guam Early Learning Guidelines, 2005, p. 21).Children, ages one year and older, are very observant and can imitate the things they see in t he world around them. Using their imagination, children place themselves in different settings, like the doctor’s office, or a school, or even the house. Rubin describes â€Å"role enactment is the highest form of symbolic play† (as cited in Umek & Musek, 2001 p. 56). How children use imagination is often based on past experiences. According to Piaget, â€Å"assimilation is when children bring in new knowledge to their own schemas and accommodation is when children have to change their schemas to â€Å"accommodate† the new information or knowledge.This adjustment process occurs when learning, as one is processing new information to fit into what is already in one’s memory† (as cited in Powell & Kalina, 2009, p. 3). This play called dramatic play can occur when the child is by themselves or with other children. In dramatic play children typically take on a role, pretend to be someone else, and use real or pretend objects to play out a role (Dodge, C olker, Heroman & Bickart, 2009). Children, ages three to four years old, begin to understand certain things have to be done a certain way.They learn that there are rules and guidelines that must be followed not only for reasons of safety, but the safety and well-being of others. This lesson can be taught to children, ages three to four years old, through games with rules. Some games require lots of movement and lots of room; dodge ball, kickball, musical chairs. Some games can be played on tables with a small number of people; bingo, Uno, go fish. Through this type of play, children not only use their muscles, both big and small, but they learn to communicate with their friends or teammate in the game.Children also learn to respect the others when it is their turn and learn to follow the rules. This type of play requires the children to use many of senses, teach them to play well with others, and respect everyone who is playing the game. There are two broad types of games with rules -table games and physical or movement games. Both require children to control their behavior, both physically and verbally, to conform to a structure or preset rules (Dodge, Colker, Heroman & Bickart, 2009). When children are not given the opportunity to play, they may not learn many of skills that are associated with play.Gould had written â€Å"humans, as specialists in non-specialisation, have survived not through rigid and narrow ways of behaving, but through adaptive qualities of quirkiness, flexibility, and unpredictability and sloppiness. † â€Å"These are the essence of play† (as cited in Lester, 2010 p. 16). The ability for children to play is tied to the ability to being creative and imaginative. The skills of being creative and imaginative can be lost or forgotten if children are not able to exercise these skills. Almon (n. d. writes â€Å"given the importance of play for children’s physical, social, emotional, and mental development, the demise of p lay will certainly have serious consequences during childhood and throughout children’s lives† (Almon, n. d. ). Almon (n. d. ) explains â€Å"indeed, there is growing concern about what kind of society we are creating if a generation of children grow up without play and the creative thinking that emerges from play† (Almon, n. d. ). To many outside the early childhood education, play may seem unimportant.Laying the basic foundation for success, play is an integral part of a child’s growth. Children gain many benefits through play. Not only do the children develop social skills through interactions with other children, but they continue to develop their thinking and problem solving skills. The manipulation of the world around them through play helps create those lasting memories and allows for connections of the past experiences to be tied to the experiences of the present. References Almon, J. (n. d. ). The Vital Role of Play in Childhood. Retrieved from ht tp://www. aldorfearlychildhood. org/article. asp? id=5 Bergen, D. & Fromberg, D. P. (2009). Play and Social Interaction in Middle Childhood. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(6), 426-430. Bergen, D. (2002). The Role of Pretend Play in Children’s Cognitive Development. [Supplemental material]. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 4(1) Retrieved from http://ecrp. uiuc. edu/v4n1/bergen. html Dodge, D. T. , Colker, L. J. , Heroman, C. , & Bickart, T. S. (2009). The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. (4th ed. ). Washington, D. C. : Teaching Strategies, Inc. Early Childhood Care & Education Committee. 2005). Guam early learning guidelines for young children ages three to five. Mangilao, Guam: The Guam Department of Public Health & Social Services. Kysilka, M. L. (2003). NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. Curriculum & Teaching Dialogue, 5(2), 99-104. Lester. S. (n. d. ). Children’s Right to Play: An examination of the importance of play in the lives of children worldwide. Working papers in early child hood development, No. 57. Bernard Van Leer Foundation. Power, K. C. , & Kalina, C. J. (2009). Cognitive and Social Constructivism: Developing tools for and effective classroom.Education, 130(2), 241-250. Umek. L. , & Musek, P. (2001) Symbolic Play: opportunities for cognitive and language development in preschool settings. Early Years: Journal of International Research & Development, 21(1), 55-64. Doi:10. 1080/09575140020022689 Warner, L. (n. d. ). â€Å"You’re It! †: Thoughts on Play and Learning in Schools. Horace, 24(n2) Zero to Three Organization. (2004). Getting ready for school begins at birth [Brochure]. Retrieved from http://www. zerotothree. org/child-development/social-emotional-development/gettingreadyforschoolbeginsatbirth. pdf

Laukemia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Laukemia - Term Paper Example This factor does not help the normal blood cells to carry out their work. Leukemia begins in the bone marrow and later spreads throughout the body. Mostly, a bone marrow test is carried out to identify leukemia. Both adults and children can develop this disease. â€Å"Although leukemia often is thought to be a childhood disease, in fact, the disease strikes 10 times as many adults as children.† (Leukemia Facts & Figures, n.d.) Though exact reason for a person to develop leukemia is not known, many significant clinical trials have been done on the development of Leukemia. Every year, around 250,000 people are being identified to have developed leukemia and over 200,000 of them die (Vogt, 2010). The treatment methods for this disease are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy. Though there are many tests to diagnose leukemia, the diagnosis itself may be delayed due to delayed symptoms or symptoms which resemble other conditions. The diagnosis of leukemia may vary acco rding to the kind of leukemia that has developed in a person. Statistics say that â€Å"in the United States about 2,000 children and 27,000 adults are diagnosed each year with leukemia† (Leukemia Information, 2011). Survival rates have increased considerably in the years before due to improvements in treatment. Symptoms of this disease may not be noticeable many times, particularly in chronic leukemia, but people may get symptoms like tiredness, inexplicable weight loss, and fever at times. Other symptoms of leukemia like headaches, joint pain, and pain in the belly due to enlarged spleen may also be noticed. Types of Leukemia Leukemia has been divided into various groups. Leukemia is a term covering four forms of diseases of the blood and bone marrow. These include â€Å"acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia†. These two types of leukemia progress rapidly while the other two types, â€Å"the chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myelogenous leu kemia, progress slowly† (Leukemia, n.d.). Acute leukemia exemplifies swift increase of immature blood cells. Instant and necessary treatment is required in acute leukemia due to this fast development and growth of the abnormal cells. The acute form of leukemia is most common in children. Chronic leukemia is found in those that progress relatively slow when compared to acute forms. The chronic leukemia cells are abnormal white blood cells that take many months or years to progress. The cells are produced much more in number than normal cells. Chronic leukemia is monitored for a certain amount of time before initializing treatment so as to make sure the maximum usefulness of therapy. This form of leukemia is more often found in elderly people but occurs in any age. Leukemia is further divided into various types (What is Leukemia? What causes Leukemia, 2009): 1. Acute lymphocytic leukemia: This form of leukemia is more common in young children. This disease is also found in older people who are 65 years and above. The standard treatment for this type would be chemotherapy and radiation. The rate of survival is 85% in children and 50% in adults. 2. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: This is most frequently found in adults over 55 years of age. This type is seldom found in children. The rate of survival is five years and is found in adults. It is not curable. 3. Acute myelogenous leukemia: This form is more easily found in adults than children and in men than women.

The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire and How It Mirrors the United Essay

The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire and How It Mirrors the United States - Essay Example Importantly, the rise of both Roman and American empires follow almost same trajectory of consolidation of ‘pockets of power’ to large scale annexation through combined constitutional, economic and military assaults. The American quagmire in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the growing fallacies of the American empire gives a sense that its doom too would follow the Roman course. The purpose of the paper is to give a glimpse at the rise and fall of Roman empire and see the parallels with the case of the America empire, by examining some of the constitutive features of both the political formations in a brief and concise manner. The Making and the Unmaking of the Empires From the ancient period to the present time, world has seen the rise and fall of many empires. Roman, Greek, ancient Egypt, Persian, British, and American empires are a few to name. The timeline of these empires varies from each other. The chances of survival of an empire in ancient times were more than the mode rn ones. However, a country has more chances to survive than an empire. Decline or fall of an empire is inevitable and only depended upon on time whereas a country can survive for longer period. When a country goes for territorial expansion and succeeds in it, the country then transforms itself into an empire. After acquiring a status of an empire, the nation precipitates the unavoidable decline and fall of the empire. This is the basic but generalized story both the Roman empire and the American empire tell to us. The fall of empire reflects the decaying of the society. After the disintegration of an empire, the society experiences too much hardships and the life of the people become miserable. Experiences of fall of the Roman, ancient Egyptian empire show that the lives of the citizens later were never as good as it was during empires’ height. Now itself, we can sense that America citizens’ hardships are growing day after day and it certainly sheds light into the wea kening core of the American empire. Roman Empire lasted around one thousand years whereas American empire started stumbling only after two hundred and twenty years. There are certain parallels between fall of Roman Empire and the contemporary scenario in the United States. Romans started up with a republic, later transformed it into an Empire. The twentieth century saw America metamorphosing from a nation into an empire. It is very interesting to see that how these two most sophisticated republics of their times ended up as being vicious empires! Importantly, cold war with the former Soviet Union and the subsequent triumph of an American new global order have many parallels between the Romans’ eternal tension with the Carthage. Same as in the case of American empire, the Roman empire was also fully constituted only with the complete disintegration of Carthage. America too became an empire with truly global capabilities only after the collapse of Soviet Union in 1991. It is im portant to remember that â€Å"the Roman Republic was an unabashed plutocracy; the citizen-body was carefully graded according to stringent property qualifications. In turn, this classification regulated voting rights: all adult male citizens were enfranchised, but a system of electoral colleges guaranteed that the rich, if united, would always be able to out-vote the poor. In addition, the heavy costs of electioneering and office-holding ensured that all who were most prominent in government were

Case Study about Group Financiero Inverlat byDaniel D Campbell

About Group Financiero Inverlat byDaniel D Campbell - Case Study Example Mexico is a largely Spanish country while Canadians speak English. It is thus problematic for the Canadian managers to understand the Spanish language. Consequently, the Mexicans have problems with the English language. As a result, it is hard to understand one another on key aspects of the business. The use of interpreters reduces the interpersonal relationships that managers are supposed to have in order to address the challenges facing the company. Another intercultural communication problem is that Mexican managers believe in a non-formal way of business communication. The problem is manifested by the fact that Mexican managers feel humiliated when Canadian managers give strict business instructions. As opposed to the Mexican style, Canadian managers follow a strict protocol that guide all business processes. One of the business activities that require a revamp in communication is meetings. The Mexican culture is that managers had the leeway to walk around and consult verbally during the meeting. Before the takeover, Mexicans rarely communicated precisely on a problem that had been caused by their fellow manager. Indeed, they do not take criticisms lightly. Further, it is not their culture to criticize a manager in front of other managers and employees. However, the Canadian business culture allows these criticisms and prioritize the interest of the business. As noted above, the new BNS management needs the local management team to understand the Mexican business. However, the Mexican managers seem discontented and uncomfortable with the Canadian management style. One of the issues that triggers discomfort was communication. The Canadian and Mexican managers speak different languages and hence it is difficult to understand one another. As a result, the Mexican managers are rarely consulted on major decisions made by the Canadian section. Another issue bringing discontent is the lack of job security. The BNS brought in senior managers from Canada

Study of a nursing theory ( choose a nursing theorist ) for use in Research Paper

Study of a nursing theory ( choose a nursing theorist ) for use in practice - Research Paper Example One such theorist is Jean Watson who developed and conceptualized the "Theory of Human Caring". According to Watson (2009), "nursing is a lifetime journey of caring and healing, seeking to understand and preserve the wholeness of human existence, and to offer compassionate, informed, knowledgeable human caring to society and humankind." In this essay, application of Watson's theory to clinical nursing practice will be exercised for better understanding of the concepts of the theory. Context of development of theory Jean Watson, an imminent theorist and nurse educator has contributed immensely to the nursing profession. Her most popular conceptualization of nursing profession is the Theory of Transpersonal Caring which is commonly known as the Theory of Human Caring. The nurse educator was born in West Virginia. She graduated from the Colarado University and completed Master's degree from the same University. Her specialty was psychiatric-mental health nursing. She did her Ph.D in cou nseling in psychology. She is currently a distinguished professor at the Colarado University. She is the founder of the Center for Human Caring located in the same city as the University she is employed at (Cara, 2003). The theory is the output of the professor's experience in the field of psychology, mental health and counseling, her specialty subjects during her post graduation and doctorate degrees. This theory emphasizes the humanistic aspect of the noble profession of nursing based on principles of scientific knowledge acquired through education, learning, research and training. Thus, this theory is very important for the profession of nursing both theoretically and practically. Watson (2009) opined that "the ability to resolve conflicts between what nursing is and what nurses supposedly do, may be the most critical challenge for the discipline and for the profession’s survival into this millennium." Watson strongly believed that resolution of conflicts at all levels of society is crucial, because; such conflicts can affect health care at any level (Cara, 2003). The theory of Human caring was brought out in 1979. According to Watson, nursing is a profession that is distinct from other health related professions. Based on this distinct nature of the profession, she defined, ascertained and opined about the distinct role of the profession in the caring for humans who are sick. Infact, this theory defined the role of nurse. According to the theory of Human Caring, nurses impart care by establishing a good relationship with the patients and also their relatives (Sitzman, 2007). Nurses have to treat patients by including all aspects of life, the mind, body and spirit and not just deal with physical ailments of the body. Thus, nurses are expected to provide holistic care to the patient. It is because of holistic care that various needs of the patient like spiritual, emotional, psychological, economical and physical needs of the patient are met. The theor y strongly upholds the fact that nurses must display acceptance towards patients and their relatives in an unconditional manner and whatever treatment is instituted is done with positivism. Nurses are expected to cause health promotion and well-being through appropriate knowledge concerning the medical condition of the patient and also through medical interventions. Above all, it is expected that

Peer to Peer Push Technology for Content Delivery Systems Annotated Bibliography

Peer to Peer Push Technology for Content Delivery Systems - Annotated Bibliography Example The leading book of Ken is System Analysis and Design. The book explores avant-garde research which is being conducted on emerging information technologies. This book explains the application and relevance to the consultants, managers and to the decision makers. The real purpose of the book is to enable the readers to build bridges from technological coming out to the technological uplifting. The in depth analyses in the book include Data Warehousing, Artificial Intelligence , Information Delivery Systems and Group Support System. From the last decade the research of Dr.Kendall is focused on e-commerce and particularly his sphere of attention is push and pulls technologies. His very famous article "Information Delivery System: An Exploration of Web Push and Pull Technologies" was published in Communication of AIS. This book was helpful for me to understand the Push Technology and was informative for me to know that Push is a realizable technology within the known HTTP protocols, which are quite very well established in the Internet arena today Ranjit Kumar is affiliated with the University of Western Australia. ... Particularly detail on in depth interviewing has been expanded which allows students to analyze different methods of data collection and the book provides separate sections for the analysis of qualitative and quantitative research. 11 new figures one new table are added in the chapter on Research Methodology and Practice Evaluation to enable the students for enhanced analysis and visual learning. It also focuses on developing research skills by giving such examples which are practical example from both qualitative and quantitative research for a balanced and comprehensive grounding in research methodology. The book was helpful for me to understand research methodology and to use different examples for my qualitative and quantitative research. The New Results: 1-Appropriate metrics were identified during the course of the research work and the same has been listed earlier. During the survey the respondents have also indicated that the KPI's used for measuring the performance is appropriate and has resulted in the overall gain. 2-A corporate body was selected and the infrastructure characterization and the workload characterization have been studied. This has resulted in identifying the nature of gains that the company has had due to the implementation of the system. A survey was conducted and the required objective was met. The results of the survey were in line with the research outcome, which indicated overall satisfaction of push technology in select applications. Particularly, customer management and in content delivery systems the end users recommended usage of these systems. 3-The Push technology does have advantages for the industry and they can gainfully employ them. Though they are immediately usable in specific areas of work, they should also be

MODERN JEWISH HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MODERN JEWISH HISTORY - Essay Example As a result, the individuals are likely to be converted, marry or get married and get full recognition into the said community as the process reaches advanced stages. However, in the case of the Jews, there have been historical issues that have surrounded their assimilation because of the various injustices they had to face. In the light of this observation, this paper will examine the various issues that led Jews to assimilation in order to shield themselves from persecutions given their minority status historically. The paper will be two phased with the first section discussing the assimilation process in the east and west, the second part will look at the case of assimilation in Poland. Assimilation in the East and West One of the great influences of the Jewish community in these regions was the impact of religious bearing between Judaism and the other religions For instance, the inferior nature of the community that practices Judaism as compared to their Christian counterparts is assumed to be a fact. As a result, the people who may be living in other nations may not be considered to belong because of the difference in culture or some mutual obligations that bind the group together. On the other hand, the assimilated groups in other nations may tend to treat their Jewish status as an embarrassment and therefore a non issue in the process of integration. As many people accepted these stereotypes, there were continued calls for assimilation into Christianity since it provided a good opportunity of the development of personal goals. In effect, Christianity therefore remained the dominant religion in such regions. Moreover, the desire to assimilate and become â€Å"terminal Jews† was popular because of the younger generations who were vulnerable to stigma and exclusion in the society. Through this, being a Jew was becoming meaningless in the eastern and western societies. Anybody with that identity was considered an outsider and therefore the hastening o f the assimilation process for fear of being abandoned or even persecuted. This in effect created a condition where the Jews in the regions dominated by other religions conform and re-align their faith and integrate with the others. As a result, there came â€Å"liberal Judaism† that seemed to have done away with the strict requirements of the Jewish law including all the theological guidelines and other religious beliefs and practices. By arguing that inclusiveness is the main foundation of Judaism, those in support for assimilation therefore were inclined towards the ethics of "prophetic Judaism". The Jewish intellectuals stressed individual moral independence, rational conduct and inclusiveness. Consequently, this idea became popular and gave rise to a ‘Judeo-Christian ethic approach’ in most of the regions of the western nations. Christians were comfortable with this approach because they were trying to reconnect to their ethics that emerged from the propheti c teachings of biblical Judaism. They also wanted to claim the legitimacy of Christianity as the designated owner of the Judaism as practiced in the biblical Israel. On the other hand, the Jews supported this because they wanted to demonstrate that in terms of ethics, they were similar to Christians and hence were supportive of them. In America, as opposed to Europe, Jews were not bothered with having to fight for their basic civil and human rights. Jewish ethics as fought

Are E-cigarettes Healthier Than Normal Cigarettes Research Paper

Are E-cigarettes Healthier Than Normal Cigarettes - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that there are several positive aspects of using E-cigarette. One of the positive aspects of E-cigarette is that it delivers lower level of toxins that that of conventional cigarette. Toxins may be lower but it still contains some which provide the taste of using normal cigarette. The smoking of normal tobacco contains huge number of chemicals. Some of the chemicals are still unknown. But still all of the contained chemicals are harmful and dangerous. E-cigarette contains less harmful chemicals such as vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine and other flavored chemicals. The ratio of chemicals provided in E-cigarette is much less than that of chemicals in normal cigarette. This paper makes a conclusion that E-cigarette is much healthier than that of normal cigarettes. Regardless of being healthier device, it also has some shortcomings which can cause severe harm to human beings. E-cigarette has lower quantity of toxins than that of conventional cigarettes. Normal cigarettes pollute the environment with harmful chemicals. But the use of E-cigarette reduces the amount of harmful chemical emission. This is due to the fact that it releases water vapor which contains fewer amounts of injurious chemicals. It is cheaper option and provides same experience as that of normal cigarettes. The usage of E-cigarette delivers huge threat to the children. It can be easily accessible with the help of internet and mall kiosks E-cigarette is as dangerous like normal cigarettes.

Corporate failure prediction methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate failure prediction methods - Essay Example Fair value accounting refers to a financial reporting method under the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) the method allows companies to measure as well as report the value of assets and liabilities on the basis of their actual or estimated fair market prices. Some of the advantages of fair value accounting include the fact that it provides a more accurate valuation of assets and liabilities. Therefore, it accurately relates the value of assets and the market price. The method also limits a company’s ability to manipulate its reported net income hence leading to the portrayal of true income. It is timely in nature owing to the fact that it reports gains or losses on assets in the period that they occur. One of its disadvantages is that it may adversely affect the market conditions in a negative way. The lower value of an asset after revaluation may lead to a fall in the prices of all related assets thus affecting the market negatively. The method may also result i n a number of challenges to firms as well as to the users of the reported financial information. The market conditions in which a given asset and liability is traded may fluctuate in many occasions and become more volatile in some situations (Cooper, 2007, 17-18). On the other hand, historical cost accounting is a technique that values assets and liabilities at the price paid during its acquisition. Revenues, assets, and expenditures are recorded based on their time of acquisition. Revenues are recorded based on their time of acquisition.

Promotional Material Essay Example for Free

Promotional Material Essay Before we created our promotional materials such as posters, leaflets and flyers, we had to make sure that we were able to find a suitable price in which we can budget according to our finances. During our research, we were able to locate a suitable printing agency in which we could print our promotional materials in bulk, so we could hand out in the local area to help promote the business. The advantage of the agency we chose for printing our material was that they were able to print our promotional materials within 2 working days and that any deliveries that took place could be tracked on the website when u log on to it, this to make sure that the delivery is going according to plan. By selecting the amount we though would be appropriate for this campaign, we were able to locate the price in which it would cost us as an advertising agency if that amount were to be printed out. Promotional Material Leaflets We used leaflets to ensure customers the products that the cafà © will be selling in their local cafà ©. The leaflet we designed had a bright Italian background (in the form of the Italy colours), indicating immediately to the consumer that the cafà © is Italian based, which is probably the most important factor to inform the customer about. We made sure that the leaflet was specifically designed and had the relevant information such as the location of the cafà © and the products that the cafà © were going to sell. This is vital to clear as misleading customers about products that the cafà © doesnt sell could lead to the business losing customers. We also had to include contact information so that customers could maybe phone in the cafà © to order food or to see whether the cafà © is open. We used pictures so that consumers are able to get a feel of some of the products that the cafà © has on offer. We placed this on the front (main) side of the leaflet so that it is eye cat ching to the consumer as soon as they see the leaflet. We made 1500 printout leaflets as they can be easily distributed around the local area and are the most common method of promotion used by a business of a similar stature. Leaflets could be posted through letter boxers to the people around the local area so it increases the chance of the consumer actually noticing and reading the leaflet This can help achieve the business objectives of achieving 30 customers daily as by using this type of promotion, in the form of leaflets, the business is virtually trying to attract more customers to shop at the cafà © and build more customer awareness of the cafà ©. If the business has more customers, they could achieve their aim of breaking even in the first year. However, a drawback of using a leaflet was that it proved to be the most costly in terms of production as we were charged at 11p per leaflet. Posters The posters we designed were again Italian based but had to limit the amount of information we could put on the poster due to lack of space. This was one of the drawbacks of using a poster but could be just as effective as using the leaflet. However, the production of the poster was the cheapest at just 4.5 per poster. This came at a surprise as we thought that the poster was to be more expensive than the rest of the promotional material. The content we had on the poster had o be very basic but had to send the message across to consumers of the products that the cafà © may sell if they came to visit. The drawback of creating a poster was that it was very time consuming as first we had to make a draft copy, then were we able to form the main copy in which was going to be used for distribution. The use of pictures made it more eyes catching for the consumer and the contents that were stated were the basic products that the cafà © were going to sell. The reason behind this decision was that we believed that consumers would be more likely to read a poster that had a limited amount of writing on the poster rather than having a jammed pack poster full of writing and fewer pictures. By just stating the important points and more use of pictures proved to be more eye catching for us and potential consumers. This could help achieve the aims of this organisation as students and working class people could notice this poster when they shop at local newsagents or public areas when they go to work or college. Although these wont be distributed to houses like leaflets, they will be situated at public areas such as on buses or some of the local shops nearby. This would increase customer awareness of the business on a whole or be a drawback as some people like the elderly who do not shop as often as other student are more likely to miss the poster rather than students who walk past on a day to day basis.

Raising Attainment for Learning Difficulty Pupils

Raising Attainment for Learning Difficulty Pupils Discuss the key components of an  effective strategy for raising the  attainment of pupils with learning difficulties. Introduction The aspect of pupils with learning difficulties can take on many differing forms. From difficulty in communicating thoughts and ideas as well as a lack of verbal skills to not â€Å"†¦ being able to concentrate †¦Ã¢â‚¬  long enough to convert that thought into communication with others (NASA Occupational Health, 2006). There are varied forms of learning difficulties, ranging from problems in using language, math, and general understanding as well as the previously mentioned understanding and communication aspects (NASA Occupational Health, 2006). The identification of pupils with learning difficulties represents an area that parents as well as teachers need to be cognizant of, with early identification representing the more favorable approach to intervention (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 1). The preceding types of learning difficulties are termed â€Å"†¦ dyslexia, dysphasia, the attention deficit disorders (ADD), with the added hyperactivity (ADHD), Asperserâ₠¬â„¢s syndrome, specific language impairment (SLI), and the Scandinavian-named DAMP (deficit in attention, motor control and perception) (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 1). The United Kingdom’s Department for Education and Skills (2007) states that an â€Å"Initial and diagnostic assessment †¦Ã¢â‚¬  represents the â€Å"†¦ starting point, or baseline, for learning†. The identification of pupils with learning difficulties â€Å"†¦ can be subtle, multiple and difficult to pinpoint †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2007). Keen (2001) advised that as a result of enhanced identification methods and understandings there has been an 80 percent increase in children identified with having a difficulty that hinders learning. The increased number of students identified with learning difficulties has stretched the demand on â€Å"†¦ physiotherapists, occupational therapists and psychologists †¦Ã¢â‚¬  to the point where in the United Kingdom they cannot cope, stretching waiting times and referrals to a unacceptable levels (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 1). Thus, â€Å"†¦ teachers are bei ng urged to make a comprehensive assessment of children’s difficulties †¦Ã¢â‚¬  and utilize strategies and learning materials and techniques to cope with pupils having this problem. This paper shall seek to identify the key components of an effective strategy for raising the attainment of pupils with learning difficulties. Learning Difficulties The context of learning disabilities can be dealt with either in special situation schools or mainstream educational facilities. As this examination indicates the effective components of an effective strategy to achieve a heightened level of attainment for pupils with learning disabilities, the strategy aspect identifies that the context is in mainstream educational facilities. One of the key facets of pupils with learning difficulties is that they require additional attention as well as monitoring of progress that is outside of the normative procedures for students not so affected (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 88). In the United Kingdom under the government initiative titled â€Å"Every Child Matters† (National Literacy Trust, 2007a) such has provided the framework for the development of a special agenda â€Å"Barriers to Achievement – Special Educational Needs† which sets forth the vision of the government to provide pupils with special needs â€Å"†¦ the opportunity to succeed† (National Literacy Trust, 2007b). The preceding also falls under ‘Special Educational Needs (SEN)’ provides â€Å"†¦ that schools and local authorities †¦Ã¢â‚¬  adopt practices that avoids â€Å"†¦ the need for schools to write and review Individual Education Plans† which is accompanied by guidance materials termed ‘The Disability Equality Duty’ (Teachernet, 2007a). The preceding guidance sets forth for schools, and their local authorities, â€Å"†¦ to take a more proactive approach to promoting disability equality †¦Ã¢â‚¬  which includes learning difficulties, to develop their own individual schemes â€Å"†¦ through a staged approach â€Å", and to â€Å"†¦ provide training and development activities †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Teachernet (2007b). Central to the proceeding, and one of the cornerstones of the strategy for raising the attainment of pupils with learning difficulties is ‘inclusion’ (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 88). As the word, inclusion, within this context means differing things to different groups, authorities and agencies it is defined as â€Å"†¦ the process of increasing the participation of learners within and reducing their exclusion from, the mainstream curricula and communities† (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 88). This component of inclusion has become a significant component of the UK’s national educational framework, which also endorses â€Å"†¦ greater flexibility in planning a curriculum suited to the needs of those with learning difficulties† (Kelly and Norwich, 2004, p. 42). They continue that ‘inclusion’ â€Å"†¦ provides frameworks and materials to support schools in curriculum development †¦ (and that) †¦ it is aimed at a very diverse group of children and young people ranging from profound and multiple learning difficulties, through severe to moderate learning difficulties† (Kelly and Norwich, 2004, p. 42). The Qualification and Curriculum Authority (2001, p. 4) states that the guidelines represent support for â€Å"†¦ the planning, development and implementation of the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties†. The guidelines represent a foundation that schools can utilize with their own materials along with the National Curriculum in conformity with the â€Å"†¦ statutory entitlement †¦Ã¢â‚¬  for learning for all students, and to â€Å"†¦ build on the principles of inclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬  that are set forth under the National Curriculum (The Qualification and Curriculum Authority, 2001, p. 4). Furthermore, the guidelines represent a means via which to aid schools in this process through the setting of â€Å"†¦ suitable learning challenges†, â€Å"†¦ responding to pupil’s diverse learning needs† and via the inclusion of â€Å"†¦ all learners by overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment† (Th e Qualification and Curriculum Authority, 2001, p. 4). The scheme also attempts to â€Å"†¦ integrate aspects of †¦ the full range of National Curriculum subjects †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as setting â€Å"†¦ the foundation stage for the early years of education †¦ preparation for adult life †¦ key skills framework †¦ thinking skills †¦ (and) †¦ personal priority needs in terms of therapies† (Kelly and Norwich, 2004, pp. 42-43). Lewis and Norwich (2000, pp. 6-8) state that even with the positive step in the direction of national inclusion and guidelines, their review found that there â€Å"†¦ has been no serious attempt to develop a curriculum or pedagogy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , which is defined in this context as â€Å" †¦ the cluster of decisions and actions that aim to promote school learning (Lewis and Norwich, 2000, p. 7). The foregoing review set about to determine if â€Å"†¦ there were specific or district kinds of pedagogy for the different areas of learning difficulties† Kelly and Norwich, 2004, p. 43). Said examination was conducted under the assumption that there are three broad types of pedagogy needs that can be identified â€Å"†¦ needs common to all, needs specific to a defined group and needs unique to individuals† Kelly and Norwich, 2004, p. 43). The importance of the preceding is that there are distinct teaching differences and methodologies associated with the teaching of differing subject matter as well as the specific learning difficulties involved. Mastopieri et al (1997, pp. 199-211) found that in a study of pupils with learning difficulties that they did not respond as well as to science teaching that was based upon the use of inductive reasoning that represented a particular learning difficulty separate from those associated with low attainers or severe learning difficulties. Wishart (1993, pp. 380-403) stated that the preceding needs to explore the aspect for what he termed as differential teaching strategies that include error free versus trial and error learning, the use of visual as opposed to auditory presentations to aid in retention and comprehension, a consolidation of learning techniques and the monitoring of behaviours in off task routines. Bernstein (2002), in espouses that learning difficulties tend to appear when pupils â€Å"†¦ hit a brick wall they cannot climb with their particular set of competencies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and in her belief, the preceding represents that a learning difficulty is connected with the failure to adapt to the learning environment. The preceding is an important observation in that children develop competencies at differing rates, thus schools need to consider the changes that could be made to the curriculum as well as the learning environment to provide more successful learning experiences (Bernstein, 2002). This tailoring of curriculum and learning environment with needs, in her view, represents matching the learning tasks to the learning needs as opposed to expectations that are pre-set (Bernstein, 2002). The preceding means that curriculums should represent flexible as well as responsive vehicles that aid pupils in attaining their maximum potentials, through understanding and recognizing diversity as part of the inclusion process. The Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum (2007) advises that differentiation represents an attitude as well as approach and structure which makes flexibility possible and that through the modification of teaching pace th at content level can thus be adapted to meet and suit the needs of particular students. Thus, in utilizing the ‘inclusion’ methodology it means that a reconsideration of the approach to teaching is thus required as well. Deponio and Macintyre (2003, p. 89) state that teachers must resist teaching to pupils in the manner in that they learn as â€Å"†¦ this may not suit the learning styles of children with specific learning difficulties†. Madsen and Olson (2005) endorse the preceding viewpoint in stating that the understanding of â€Å"†¦ how people learn is the foundation of informed teaching †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Loucks-Horsley et al (1998, p. 32) advise that teachers in observing student behaviors as well as their records thus need to â€Å"†¦ apply knowledge about students, content, the curriculum, instruction, assessment, and the school and local communities†. Johnson (1993, pp. 507-535) refers to the preceding as representing a cognitively demanding act and thus newer teachers have a tendency to rely on fewer clues from which to make and base their decisions. Thus theory as well as experience and practical applications represent an important facet in identifying the courses of teaching action and methodologies to take in adapting the curriculum to deal with students with learning difficulties. Deponio and Macintyre (2003, pp. 89-90) point to a solution representing the use of individualized curriculums which are integrated into the planning process through a study of the pupils in classroom composition, their records and past comments and performances by other teachers. Such pre teaching planning provides the teacher with a guideline to develop strategies and alternative courses of action based upon this prior information and observation as opposed to adapting as they go (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 91). The Scottish Executive (2002, p. 5) advises that the preceding is an important aspect of improving instructional effectiveness and that too little consultation with parents and prior records is utilized in the development of educational plans on the part of teachers. The idea of ‘individualized education programmes is by no means new. Smith (1990) advises that this represents an established facet of Public Law, 94-142, and that individualized education programmes provide educational opportunities for children with learning difficulties in adapting the curriculum to enable them to participate and learn. It, individualized education programs, represent the combination of â€Å"†¦ team based decisions, parent involvement, data based goal planning and the presumption of access to the general education curriculum (Yell and Shriner, 1997, pp. 1-20). Deponio and Macintyre (2003, p. 91) advise that in order for individualized education programmes to be effective, they must  "†¦ be integrated into the planning process and not regarded as an add on for a particular child†. They add that individualized education programmes represent a method of â€Å"†¦ sharing information and understanding children’s strengths and difficulties †¦ (and that) †¦ agreed aims and targets should be shared so that the document becomes the whole school response to children’s learning† (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 91). Conclusion Effective strategies for raising the attainment of pupils with learning difficulties, as discussed herein, are represented by the processes of ‘Initial and diagnostic assessment’ (Department for Education and Skills, 2007), inclusion (Deponio and Macintyre, 2003, p. 88), and ‘individualized education programmes (Smith, 1990) representing key strategies in the process. The preceding are processes, theories and methodologies that have been developed over a long period of observation, and represent established practices. The facet of learning difficulties is no longer confined to what used to be thought of as a small group, but represents a larger sphere of pupils that includes ethnic diversities as well as those identified with having problems using language, math, general understanding and communication skills. The broad context of pupils that fall into the preceding means that the educational process needs to utilize the observation of teachers, the involvement of parents and the use of curriculum to design programmes that address the individualized learning processes that are present in differing students. The process does not intend to develop specialized programmes that isolate those pupils with learning difficulties, but rather to moderate the curriculum and teaching process to permit the teacher to instruct in a manner that is consistent with the students comprising their classroom. This approach represents a more comprehensive as well as challenging facet to teaching that requires the teacher to have a better understanding of the composition of student abilities and learning facets. Yell and Shriner (1997, pp. 1-20) summarize the foregoing by stating that such represents the utilization of â€Å"†¦ team based decisions, parent involvement, data based goal planning and the presu mption of access to the general education curriculum. Bibliography Bernstein, J. (2002) Assessing the developing child: a neurodevelopmental perspective. 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