Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Technology - Essay Example Nevertheless, at the time most people used the commercial phones such as telephones to communicate especially in businesses and other related matters. Such kind of communication was extremely expensive and only a small percentage of businesses could afford. Consequently, those who were able to purchase or own these kinds of phones used them with extreme caution and for very important reasons. Conversely, private entities such as homes used the phones for communication although this was only present to those who could afford such kind of luxury at the time (Miller & Horst, 2006). Eventually, mobile phones were discovered by an inventor known as Martin Cooper in 1973 while he worked as a senior development engineer in the mobile equipment group. According to Cooper, the invention of a portable phone was driven by the necessity he saw from people to communicate in a more private manner as compared to the then phone communication where privacy was not upheld. Furthermore, Cooper argued that apart from the privacy issue, people needed phones that they would use anytime and anywhere without necessarily having to be connected to immobile places such as office desks, homes or even persons who traded with phones for communication (Miller & Horst, 2006). In this regard, Ling (2004) articulates that the use of mobile phones is highest across the world. According to a recent research, there are approximately six billion mobile subscribers out of the seven billion people population across the world. Moreover, more people continue to embrace the information and communication technology by becoming mobile subscribers. For instance, Asia is argued to be a region with the highest number of mobile subscribers across the globe. Therefore, importances of mobile phones are numerous and continue to increase by the day. Firstly, mobile phones are being used in modern society to keep in touchà © with

Functional Perspective on group Making Theory and Cultural approach to Research Paper

Functional Perspective on group Making Theory and Cultural approach to organization - Research Paper Example They have to begin by analyzing the problem they are facing and identifying its causes. There could be various problems and they have to be identified. The next step is to set specific goals that can be measured using various metrics. The board also has to identify some viable alternatives to enable the company achieve the goals they have set. Throughout the process, feedback has to be given on each of the steps and included in the next step to come up with an optimal solution. The theory is quite simplistic failing to take into account various environmental factors that affect the decisions made by the group. These factors could be internal or external to the group responsible for making the decision. Communication between the group members and with other entities outside of the group has a big role to play. The environment and circumstances surrounding the decision being made also have a great impact that the parties involved will feel. The GM board could face challenges from external environment such as legislations passed by congress on various matters affecting the motor vehicle industry. The company’s internal organization is an internal factor that affects the decisions made. The cultural approach to organizations was a theory put across by Clifford James Geertz. The theory is based on the main idea of organizations having their own unique cultures. This culture influences the meaning that the individuals pin on various things in their lives. Image, climate and character are the main factors that contribute towards the formation of a company’s corporate culture. The culture takes on an almost human perspective (Griffin 273). The theory mainly advocates for switching from systems approach to corporate culture to a more human approach. An example of application of the theory is in a bank. The employees of a specific bank have to keep the reputation that the bank is known for. One of the most important things in the industry is the quality of

Performing Purchasing Agent Duties Research Paper - 1

Performing Purchasing Agent Duties - Research Paper Example It operated in large scale with very flexible approaches to business decisions concerning the entrepreneurial skills where there is hierarchy but the ideas flows from the bottom-up and top-down. This paper therefore seeks to assess the role of the purchasing agents in the Waters Inc. company and develop a request for proposal for companies dealing in computer soft wares To obtain the information on the project that the company is yet to get into, this gives the opportunity for the company to learn about the project and determine whether the client is a good match that can help the company to prepare their bids and draw up contracts (Cheng, Farooq & Johansen, 2011). The questions will also help to make the client to be aware of the basic requirements and find out whether they are capable of meeting them. The company of the Waters Inc. has issued this request for proposal for an integrated document management software system that are set for implementation to meet the operational requirement of the of the various departments that may include building safety, finance and management services and even the administrations. The company request for Five Pentium two computers, each of the computer to be powered by 500 megahertz microprocessor that has a RAM of 32 MB and can be expanded up to the capacity of 500 MB of RAM and a hard drive of 8 gigabytes with 3.5 inch floppy disk drives. The purpose of this request for proposal (REP) is to give information that is sufficient to allow the interested parties (offerors) to prepare and submit their detailed proposals to the Waters Inc. finance department that is the treasury for consideration. Office in charge of issuing the computer soft wares (treasury) has issued this REP on behalf of the Waters Inc. Company. The only person to be contacted on matters relating to the soft wares in the Waters Inc.

Factors Of Influence On Retail Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Factors Of Influence On Retail Trade - Essay Example on the retail industry as a whole and therefore Sainsbury’s have been chosen for the purpose as it holds the 30th position in the global ranking of retail industry â€Å"Kantar Retail Top 50 Retailer Rankings† (Kantar Retail, 2013). Sainsbury’s was set up during 1869 and presently it runs more than 1106 convenience stores and supermarkets that provide job opportunities to almost 157000 people. Customer is considered to be the heart of the organization and the firm continuously invests money for improving the experience of the channel partners and employees to offer the customer with the best â€Å"shopping experience† (J Sainsbury PLC, 2013). Key Issues Whilst Tesco has issues in almost each part of its operations, its greatest competitor Sainsbury's revealed an advanced move towards growth in sales by the means of â€Å"quality and service† (Gottdiener, 1998). Sainsbury successfully exchanged blows with its rivals like Asda and Tesco. Justin King, the chief executive of the firm stated that the success of Sainsbury primarily rooted from its excellent service quality and from the superior quality self-brand products. The firm has strongly protested against the â€Å"Price Promise† ad program of Tesco. According to Sainsbury, The program deceives the consumers since it proves to be a failure in pointing out that the firm’s own-label brands have original standards or excellent ethical benchmarks. Sainsbury’s claim had been supported by â€Å"ethical trading accreditation bodies† namely the RSPCA's Freedom Food proposal, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Fair-trade (Butler and Rankin, 2013). According to Justin King, fundamentally most of the customers visiting the supermarkets prefer to opt for discount stores like Lidl and Aldi, and these stores have been... Whilst Tesco has issues in almost each part of its operations, its greatest competitor Sainsbury's revealed an advanced move towards growth in sales by the means of â€Å"quality and service† (Gottdiener, 1998). Sainsbury successfully exchanged blows with its rivals like Asda and Tesco. Justin King, the chief executive of the firm stated that the success of Sainsbury primarily rooted from its excellent service quality and from the superior quality self-brand products. The firm has strongly protested against the "Price Promise" ad program of Tesco. According to Sainsbury, The program receives the consumers since it proves to be a failure in pointing out that the firm's own-label brands have original standards or excellent ethical benchmarks. Sainsbury's claim had been supported by "ethical trading accreditation bodies" namely the RSPCA's Freedom Food proposal, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Fair-trade (Butler and Rankin, 2013). According to Justin King, fundamentally mo st of the customers visiting the supermarkets prefer to opt for discount stores like Lidl and Aldi, and these stores have been experiencing remarkable growth for the past years. However, in spite of offering goods at discounted prices, Lidl and Aldi failed to beat the superior service provided by Sainsbury's. The in-house labels of the retailer like â€Å"By Sainsbury's† and â€Å"Taste the Difference† developed at a rate that is two times the rate of the external brands since the customers always find ways for saving money.

Time and Chart Essay Example for Free

Time and Chart Essay Note: Thanks to Alan Profitt, a member of MHT, for providing the text for this paper. FSC offers PVT and MFI indicators along with a beautiful chart to help you in MHT. SAY AGAIN? Freestockcharts. com (FSC) by Worden offers, not only a beautiful chart with very good indicators (almost more than you can comprehend), but it really is free. In the Morning Hours Trading (MHT) chat room you will hear many refer to an indicator only on FSC. It is Price Volume Trend (PVT). Money Flow Index (MFI) is a more common indicator available on many other sites. This discussion is to help you set up FSC and become familiar with how to use PVT and MFI. After logging in to Freestockcharts. com, you will see a very nice chart. Something like this. Please note the arrow pointing to â€Å"settings† (#1). By clicking on it, you can change plot styles, color, etc. I have set candlesticks red and green. Many other options are available for whatever your desires. The arrow pointing to â€Å"Price History† (#2) allows you to adjust the price presentation on the chart. Just above the stock symbol and â€Å"Add Indicator† (#3) buttons is a button called â€Å"Draw† (#4). By clicking on it you can add many favorite trader activities such as Fibonacci lines, pivot points etc. to the main chart. You will notice the yellow horizontal line (#5) on the chart which is yesterday’s closing price. Just to the left of â€Å"settings†, on the same line you will see a small down arrow which you can click to change time frame of the chart, i. e. , 1 min 5 min etc. (#6). On the same line again left of the time frame selector is the â€Å"Add Indicator† button (#7). Here is where you add what I feel is the best part of FSC. You will find Price Volume Trend listed alphabetically on the drop down list. Clicking on it adds the new chart as shown below with MFI added. On this chart you will see that it is the yellow line. (To change colors click on the words â€Å"Price Volume Trend† within the chart, â€Å"Edit†, and change the plot color. ) Also, as you see above, you can add the â€Å"Money Flow Index† by again clicking on PVT and instead of editing go to â€Å"Add Indicator†, scroll down to MFI. The purpose of adding the MFI to the PVT chart is to get the top green and bottom red lines. The numbers to the far right don’t mean anything for our purposes here. You can change them to generally go from 0 -100 by repeatedly clicking on the carrot symbol on the bottom outside of the numbers (#9). In the background on this chart, notice faint white lines. These are important because they indicate when the time has come to execute the trade. We are not talking about the brighter white line just above times. The very bottom time line is adjusted by the slider (#10). Most of the time I have seven hours set. The best part of the PVT, MFI chart is, what I feel is the quicker indication than RSI and MA crossing for signals when to buy or sell a stock. You absolutely need to verify with your other favorite indications for picking the time to execute a trade as discussed by Bob’s must read. Many in our chat room only use this though and you will hear a â€Å"PVT setup† referenced. At 2:45 on the above chart, youll see a PVT indication to buy as it touched the bottom faint white line (#11). Folks, that’s it! PVT hits the bottom buy, set your stops, target gain, etc. If you are trending when it hits the top, then sell or go short if you’re not in already. Ive provided a second example below. This is from 11-16-09 at about 12:15. Ive added RSI with a tight setting of 7 and then added a moving average onto the RSI indicator. This creates a moving average of RSI and allows you to see cross over patterns. You can see the crossover pattern that occured with RSI at the same time that PVT touched the bottom white line, giving a confirmation signal. While this is not necessary, it is sometimes good to have several indicators confirming your decision to enter a trade. The next example is of a short trade. In the chart below (also taken from 11-16-09), you can see how PVT hits the top line and, at the same time, RSI makes a quick downward crossover of its moving average. Another great feature of FSC is the Watch lists. While it is a great feature, it is a little difficult to understand the setup. So, here it goes. The #12 indicates where you click to bring up various Watch Lists. You will see â€Å"All, Main, Scan, Component, etc. † Click on Component, and most of us use either S P 500 Component Stocks or Russell 2 or3000 component stocks. THESE ARE THE ONES YOU USE ON YOUR OWN TO PICK GAP UPS OR DOWNS AFTER BOB’S PICKS. Needless to say you will get MANY stocks and to eliminate penny stocks you might want to use a smaller population. Try them all out to find your own grazing area. In order to sort your list, click on â€Å"add column†. Shown here in orange (#13). All you want to use is â€Å"Symbol and Todays %†. You can delete anything else that’s default. Edit the symbol icon by clicking on it and change the column width to 60 if it’s not already there (#14). Todays % shows as â€Å"% Change†. Click on it and change column width to 50 colors your choice and decimal places 2. Once the above is done you have, just to the right of sort, in orange, and % Change, a blue up or down arrow with accompanying green stairs just before â€Å"Asc or Desc†. By clicking on this you change the order of the lists in your Portfolio to see the gap up or down. The right arrow above shows a small grey border which has two small hash marks in the middle. By grabbing the hash marks you can slide your portfolio column vertically (#15). Why is this important? Because this is the place you want to enter Bob’s Gap stocks. Click on â€Å"Create Portfolio† and enter the name you want to call Bob’s list. I have named mine MHT; others call it Bob’s list. (I also have my own individual portfolio. ) Here is where you add Bob’s gap up and down picks he announces at 8:15. You can put both on one list and use the Asc/Desc, or by clicking on the % Change next to â€Å"Symbol†, to get the gap ups or down. Throughout the morning, I constantly review this list for PVT setups, as well as listen for Bob’s picks. The third and bottom section of this left hand column is for current news for the stock you have picked on the main chart. Another great feature so that you don’t have to leave to find out any breaking news on other programs. The height can also be adjusted by using the hash marks in the little grey border, to minimize or expand. The use of PVT is a great addition to anyone’s trading repertory, but it does have two limitations. First, it could lag behind on thinly traded stocks because it gets data from only the BATS Exchange. It does not use all the exchanges. This normally presents little or no problems on stocks with over 500,000 shares traded daily. Secondly, when you change the time frame from 1 min to 5 or 15 min etc, you need to be aware that the time frame goes from hourly to daily or monthly. Great for investors and those wishing to view history, but of limited value to day traders I think. Due to FSC only using the BATTS exchange, if only offers indications during normal trading hours. No pre or post market. Once youve created your portfolio of stocks (your watch list), you can click on the stock and it will populate your chart. You can also press the space bar to access each symbols chart. After youve created your ideal layout, youll want to go the File menu in order to save and name your chart (# 16). You can also learn to create your own scans and set up audible alerts by using the Help menu. This presentation is strictly to demonstrate how to set up Free Stock Charts so that you can trade in Morning Hour Trading and be on the same page as most others. Please read Bob’s other must read sections to become successful in our group. His advice on how and when to make trades is invaluable.

Kindergarten and Children Essay Example for Free

Kindergarten and Children Essay The early year’s sector was not developed by government policy with specific aims but was created in response to the requirements of families to change economical and social factors. Therefore public expenditure focused on families with social needs and difficulties. Local authority day nurseries catered mainly for children who were at risk from harm mainly in deprived areas. The Private sector held childminders, nannies and private nurseries available. The playgroup movement developed during the 1960s where parents set up and ran provision for their own children to learn through play in village halls and other community facilities. Families requirements for their children vary some parents want care for their children so that they can return to work, some parents want to stay with their children while they socialise, some parents want their children in settings which offer services aimed at learning. Others may want their children to be in a home based environment but unfortunately not every family can afford to pay provision fees, therefore the early year’s sector has various forms of provision to meet the needs of all families. The childcare provision includes: Mother and toddler groups  A place were the toddler can socialise with other children their age, whilst the mother or father can stay and learn more ways to look after and help with the childs development Pre-school A private nursery, one that is paid for by the parent do not hold compulsory hours, the child doesn’t have a primary school place already. This is for a younger child to gain confidence at an early age. Day care A day care is for children from the age of 3 months to 5 years, they have different classes for children of different ages and the parents can drop off the child and pick them up when they wish. Some parents only take the child in for one or two hours a day so that they have some interaction with other children and have new experiences. Creche A creche is a drop in centre childcare provision, the parents do not pay a monthly fee they only pay when they need such childcare, creche’s are in many different places such as gyms, shopping centres and churches, in these areas the children are looked after whilst the parents can work out, shop or pray. The childcare sector has changed vastly in the last 50 years along with society. Mothers have stopped staying at home and also passed on primary care to nannies or child minders. More childcare settings have been needed as a result of this. The government offer all 3-4 year old children free day care in nurseries such as my setting for up to 15 hours a week, this means mothers can go to work etc. leaving their child there in the care of nursery teachers, practitioners and nursery nurses. Identify current policies, frameworks and influences on the early years sector [pic] [pic] [pic] United nations convention on the rights of the child. Founded in 1989 by world leaders who decided that children needed a special convention for those under 18s because they often need special care and that the government has a responsibility to take measures to make sure children’s rights are protected, respected and fulfilled. All children have a right to adequate food, shelter, clean water, education, health care, leisure and recreation. The act also protects children’s rights by setting the standards in health care, education and legal, civil and social services. The four core principles are: Non-discrimination. Devotion to the best interests of the child The right to life Survival and development Respect the views of a child All children up to the age of 18 are protected regardless of race, religion, gender, culture, whether they are rich or poor have a disability, what they do and don’t say and what language they speak, no child should be treated unfairly. The best interests of the child must always come first when making decisions that can affect them. The EYFS works at setting the standards for learning ensuring that children make progress and no child gets left behind. The education Act Free childcare provisions were introduced for under five year old children as stated briefly previously. Since September 1st 2010 this rose from 12 and a half hours a week to 15 hours a week. The free entitlement provides access to education and care and the hours can be flexible over the week, all childcare provisions must use the EYFS and help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes. Describe what is meant by evidence-based practice and give examples of how this has influenced work with children in their early years. Evidence based practice is a framework of decisions made from effective information researched that influences practice and allows practitioners to apply their knowledge to a situation which allows them to make a well informed decisions on future actions. Professional practice requires these findings and research to be kept up-to-date and a consideration as to how these can be applied to settings. Sometimes, we need to be sure of what we find out before taking action as it might not be real or true. This is why it is so important for me to communicate and concerns or queries to my team. My everyday practice is influenced by what I have found out or learnt previously as a mother but also professionally through watching my nursery teacher and practitioners and learning as I go. It has been interesting to see that I am heading in the right track as a parent but excited to learn things I hadnt even thought of previously for my own children that I can not only use in the setting but also bring home for my children to benefit from. An example of how research has influenced working with children is The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) which is the first main study in the UK that focuses on the effectiveness of early years education and studies young childrens intellectual, social and behavioural development at age 3 to 7, collecting a wide range of information on more than 3000 children, their parents, their home environment and the pre-school they attended. Its findings found that children who had attended early years provision were more likely to have better cognitive, social and behaviour skills when they started formal education than those who had no early years provision, also confirming the value of early learning through play especially from low-income families. Key Elements of effective practice (KEEP) is another example. It stressed that effective learning in children is dependent on secure relationships. Learning through play and forming secure relationships are both key elements to the EYFS. With formal and non formal observation schedules and reflective practice, there is quality of care, learning and development and accountability as staff may require training and review of procedures and policies in order to keep up to date with new evidence in the provision of health and education. Explain what is meant by Diversity Diversity is the differences between individuals and groups of people in societies. These differences could be gender, ethnic origins, social cultural or religious background, family structure, disabilities, sexuality or appearance. Equality Equality means that individuals in society experience opportunities to achieve which are as good as the opportunities experienced by other people. Inclusion Inclusion is a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging. Explain the importance of anti-discriminatory/anti bias practice, giving examples of how it is applied in practice with children and carers The curriculum within settings should represent the different cultures of the children within it to promote anti-discriminatory and anti bias practice, as does my setting. We include positive images within the play areas for example in books and on posters which allows our children to view pictures of different races, disabilities, sex and age which promotes an anti-bias view of the world we live in. We also have children within the setting who have special educational needs which also brings it to life for all the children to encourage this acceptance into their lives. The setting creates an environment which is acceptable to all children regardless of their background, along with being able to make them feel welcomed. We ensure they are all valued and have access in every aspect of the provision. We also have had the pleasure of meeting practitioners who are from different countries which also helps the children relate to equality within their lives. Explain how the active participation of the children in decisions affecting their lives promotes the achievement of positive outcomes. Children need to actively participate in decisions that will affect their life. Children that are young need to make simple choices that enable them to find out their likes and dislikes not only for themselves but for us to then plan activities that meet their needs and challenge their abilities, it can be as simple as having a choice between an apple and a pear. This will enable them to express their needs and wishes. Letting the children make choices builds a child’s confidence, self esteem and their social skills. In our setting the children make choices all the time, this will be when a child makes a choice on what they want to do or who they want to do it with, these are simple choices that a child of pre-school and nursery age can make for themselves. This will enable the child to develop more and make choices later on in life that are more important such as, relationships, what course to take at college, whether to gain a qualification, what job they may undertake or even when to get married etc. These choices will all be big decisions that could affect the rest of their life. We as practitioners need to actively listen to the child’s choices and other ways that they may be able to communicate their wishes such as pointing, pictures, signing and any other non verbal means of communication to find out what the child or family actually want or need. We need to understand that children have voices and that they should be heard. Providing that they or others are not in any significant harm, their wishes should be listened to and followed. Examples of how children in our setting actively participate in their own choices include area of play, choice of activities during free flow time, choice of healthy food and drink available to them, choice of actions (good or bad, with intervention when necessary). Again, by giving them these choices it will help them to make small decisions in life and will enable them later in life to extend this to bigger decisions that affect their lives and will help future experiences. It also enables our children to learn to build up confidence, self-esteem and social skills by themselves and sometimes, with our guidance. Explain the importance of reviewing own practice as part of being an effective practitioner The quality of provision in any early years settings is dependent on the skills, attitudes, knowledge and experience of everyone who works there. Reflective practice is the key to quality improvement as it helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different aspects of a setting’s provision. Reflective practice is the term used to describe the way in which professionals evaluate their own work and consider ways of improving their work. It is important to do this, as each year a different set of children and parents join the setting. They may have different needs, expectations or interests. Activities, routines and polices may have to be changed or updated to accommodate the new families. Reflecting on practice will help to see where changes need to be made. Staff are developing all the time too. Their knowledge and skills may change due to extra training or new staff having new ideas. National standards and frameworks may also change so this may have an impact on how the setting is run. To reflect on my own practice I tend to critically question what I do and see whether it works or whether there is room for improvement by asking my team for feedback and advise. I am also new to childcare as a profession rather then parent so I am constantly taking things in and using support from my team as motivation to improve my own strengths and target my weaknesses. I tend to observe the reactions of children, parents and the team to help think about my effectiveness, but at the end of the day voicing any concerns is the best policy and my team will always come to me when needed. Especially in areas I may think are working well, I like to think about what skills and knowledge are helping me achieve this or whether I can become more efficient. In areas of weaknesses I always think of ways to improve and pick up hints and tips from my brilliant colleagues who are more then happy to advise. I may need more training in the future when I fell more experience is needed such as first aid etc. I find reflecting on my practise helpful as it gives me a clearer picture of what I actually do within my work role for my setting, and how I can make myself a valuable asset to my team. This itself gives me more confidence of my ability as practitioner and confidence to know that everybody can improve to provide the best care for all our children as I reach higher standards as I progress. Undertake a reflective analysis of own practice Being a reflective practitioner involves thinking about how you currently work and evaluating what you do in order to improve your practice. The reflective practitioner stands back, takes a balanced view and recognises what works well, but is also able to acknowledge what could be changed. To be a reflective practitioner you need to be self aware and able to look as objectively and honestly as possible at how you work with children, colleagues and parents. This is not easy, but taking a proactive role, reflecting on and analysing your own practice is far more rewarding than relying on someone in a more senior position to do this for you. Evaluating your own practice helps to put you in control of the changes that should be made, enables you to identify your professional development needs and will increase your confidence and feelings of job satisfaction. Reflective practice and self evaluation are fundamental to the Ofsted inspection process. By completing the Self Evaluation Form (SEF) managers and setting leaders are able to provide a snapshot of what happens in a setting. Through the SEF they can clearly identify the setting’s strengths and highlight what it does well. At the same time they can acknowledge any weaknesses in provision and plan the changes and improvements to be made. However, managers cannot achieve this alone. They are reliant on all practitioners in the setting taking responsibility for the quality of their individual practice and aiming for continuous improvement. As practitioner I want to be a good role model for the children in my setting by being enthusiastic to their efforts, positive and optimistic towards their abilities and good choices but also as I understand children are active learners I wish for them to be as enthusiastic as I am with their learning and development. I always aim to show a relaxed expression and warm tones in my voice that I can pitch higher as I express enthusiasm. I try to get the children eager to get involved especially in planned activities that are designed to assess the children individually as it is important for me to know each childs specific needs etc. I am aware that my relationships with the children, parents and colleagues are not only important for the setting environment but also for our children to understand how to treat others and how peers and teamwork is important in life. I treat others how I wish to be treated and respect all my team as individuals professionally as well as getting to know them and enjoying their company during work hours. It is a pleasure to work with a great group of people who are passionate about giving our children a great start in life which, in turn also gives me the motivation to thrive and provide the best care I can for my colleagues and children. I actively listen and am taking in lots of information and advise given verbally or through watching others. This is active learning and it is a cycle within the work setting. When I talk to my colleagues it is in a professional manner with interest and respect. I am also willing to help in any way I can to maintain an efficient smooth running setting. When I talk to the children in the setting I try to relate to them, coming down to their level with interest and listening to anything they have to say. They will always ask questions that I will answer as honestly as I can. I am always intrigued to know their likes and dislikes and by getting to know each individual child helps in this area. It is always nice to following up on their ideas by discussing every thing with the nursery teacher who will then advise. I try my hardest to make every parent feel welcome and at value what they tell me especially when it is about the importance of their individual child. It is important to maintain relationships with everyone as not only does it help me provide the best care I can but it also makes the place a very strong place to be as we are helping these children thrive and flourish to take these abilities with them through life. I try to help the setting by being proactive in solving problems as they arise but I will come to my team in times of need. I definitely need to continue to actively learn through my team but also establish a personal style and accept we are all different and all give a different benefit to the team. I started off with little confidence as a parent you never quiet know what boundaries you can cross with other children such as how stern to be when they make bad choices etc. Now I am much more confident and relaxed in my approach but I am always learning, every day I learn something new. I need to communicate and not be afraid to ask my nursery teacher if I misunderstand a task given to me. I made the mistake of setting out an extra activity that didnt help what the nursery teacher had planned as I assumed bowels were left out for it when in fact they were forgotten about and not put away. The nursery teacher was busy and so I tried to use my initiative but it was not a good decision. I should have waited to speak to my tutor and seek advice. This is what I shall do in the future. I tend to learn from my mistakes! Develop strategies to deal with areas of difficulty and challenges encountered in professional practice in early years settings Examples of areas of difficulty and challenges that may arise in the work setting between myself and parents of children include: Parents not collecting their child on time getting later and later Parents with outstanding fees Parents with a complaint e. g. they claim a child has hit their child Speaking to a parent about a concern you have about their child (you feel that the child has specific needs, and you are worried how they may accept/not accept it). Parent has been discriminating against another parent (possibly verbally to the other parents). These issues are not only very sensitive to each individual family but they all require handling with professionalism and respect as a parent myself you need to feel valued and listened to and made aware that the dilema will be dealt with promptly and effectively and in confidence. This is why having full and comprehensive policies and procedures within my setting is important and relevant at these times to follow. When speaking to parents, if they came to me with a concern or complaint I would listen, really listen, even if they start to shout, often they just want to say their piece. Then if they have cause to complain or bring something up I may be able to deal with it there and then by speaking in a professional manner, without making it personal. If I am able to resolve it, I will try, if not I would this to the nursery teacher as she is a very good active listener and always wants the best for our children, parents and team. It is very important to maintain relationships as we would hate to tarnish the settings name we really do enjoy our involvement and helping our children the best way we can. To me it doesnt matter how small the concern is its important for that child and their parents, and I want to assure those parents I take things very seriously in order to resolve issues. When a parent needs addressing for issues such as a concern about their child or fees are owed then the nursery teacher will deal with this matter by forms of letters or arranging a meeting to speak in confidence regarding the above. If a parent has come to me or the nursery teacher with a complaint about another parent I would have to have a quiet word or arrange a meeting to say It has been brought to my attention that you have been speaking about another parent unkindly/discriminatingly. They may interject here and say who said, they are lying? But I would just have to remember to say something such as I am not at liberty to say, but whether it is true or not I must remind you we are an equal opportunity setting who celebrates diversity and cultural beliefs. Remember to explain sensitively and nicely that you are duty bound to make sure all the children and families are treated equally, and you would do the same for their child, if you felt they needed your support. But currently it is the responsibility of the nursery teacher and so I would talk to her about any such issues.

Kindergarten and Children Essay Example for Free

Kindergarten and Children Essay The early year’s sector was not developed by government policy with specific aims but was created in response to the requirements of families to change economical and social factors. Therefore public expenditure focused on families with social needs and difficulties. Local authority day nurseries catered mainly for children who were at risk from harm mainly in deprived areas. The Private sector held childminders, nannies and private nurseries available. The playgroup movement developed during the 1960s where parents set up and ran provision for their own children to learn through play in village halls and other community facilities. Families requirements for their children vary some parents want care for their children so that they can return to work, some parents want to stay with their children while they socialise, some parents want their children in settings which offer services aimed at learning. Others may want their children to be in a home based environment but unfortunately not every family can afford to pay provision fees, therefore the early year’s sector has various forms of provision to meet the needs of all families. The childcare provision includes: Mother and toddler groups  A place were the toddler can socialise with other children their age, whilst the mother or father can stay and learn more ways to look after and help with the childs development Pre-school A private nursery, one that is paid for by the parent do not hold compulsory hours, the child doesn’t have a primary school place already. This is for a younger child to gain confidence at an early age. Day care A day care is for children from the age of 3 months to 5 years, they have different classes for children of different ages and the parents can drop off the child and pick them up when they wish. Some parents only take the child in for one or two hours a day so that they have some interaction with other children and have new experiences. Creche A creche is a drop in centre childcare provision, the parents do not pay a monthly fee they only pay when they need such childcare, creche’s are in many different places such as gyms, shopping centres and churches, in these areas the children are looked after whilst the parents can work out, shop or pray. The childcare sector has changed vastly in the last 50 years along with society. Mothers have stopped staying at home and also passed on primary care to nannies or child minders. More childcare settings have been needed as a result of this. The government offer all 3-4 year old children free day care in nurseries such as my setting for up to 15 hours a week, this means mothers can go to work etc. leaving their child there in the care of nursery teachers, practitioners and nursery nurses. Identify current policies, frameworks and influences on the early years sector [pic] [pic] [pic] United nations convention on the rights of the child. Founded in 1989 by world leaders who decided that children needed a special convention for those under 18s because they often need special care and that the government has a responsibility to take measures to make sure children’s rights are protected, respected and fulfilled. All children have a right to adequate food, shelter, clean water, education, health care, leisure and recreation. The act also protects children’s rights by setting the standards in health care, education and legal, civil and social services. The four core principles are: Non-discrimination. Devotion to the best interests of the child The right to life Survival and development Respect the views of a child All children up to the age of 18 are protected regardless of race, religion, gender, culture, whether they are rich or poor have a disability, what they do and don’t say and what language they speak, no child should be treated unfairly. The best interests of the child must always come first when making decisions that can affect them. The EYFS works at setting the standards for learning ensuring that children make progress and no child gets left behind. The education Act Free childcare provisions were introduced for under five year old children as stated briefly previously. Since September 1st 2010 this rose from 12 and a half hours a week to 15 hours a week. The free entitlement provides access to education and care and the hours can be flexible over the week, all childcare provisions must use the EYFS and help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes. Describe what is meant by evidence-based practice and give examples of how this has influenced work with children in their early years. Evidence based practice is a framework of decisions made from effective information researched that influences practice and allows practitioners to apply their knowledge to a situation which allows them to make a well informed decisions on future actions. Professional practice requires these findings and research to be kept up-to-date and a consideration as to how these can be applied to settings. Sometimes, we need to be sure of what we find out before taking action as it might not be real or true. This is why it is so important for me to communicate and concerns or queries to my team. My everyday practice is influenced by what I have found out or learnt previously as a mother but also professionally through watching my nursery teacher and practitioners and learning as I go. It has been interesting to see that I am heading in the right track as a parent but excited to learn things I hadnt even thought of previously for my own children that I can not only use in the setting but also bring home for my children to benefit from. An example of how research has influenced working with children is The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) which is the first main study in the UK that focuses on the effectiveness of early years education and studies young childrens intellectual, social and behavioural development at age 3 to 7, collecting a wide range of information on more than 3000 children, their parents, their home environment and the pre-school they attended. Its findings found that children who had attended early years provision were more likely to have better cognitive, social and behaviour skills when they started formal education than those who had no early years provision, also confirming the value of early learning through play especially from low-income families. Key Elements of effective practice (KEEP) is another example. It stressed that effective learning in children is dependent on secure relationships. Learning through play and forming secure relationships are both key elements to the EYFS. With formal and non formal observation schedules and reflective practice, there is quality of care, learning and development and accountability as staff may require training and review of procedures and policies in order to keep up to date with new evidence in the provision of health and education. Explain what is meant by Diversity Diversity is the differences between individuals and groups of people in societies. These differences could be gender, ethnic origins, social cultural or religious background, family structure, disabilities, sexuality or appearance. Equality Equality means that individuals in society experience opportunities to achieve which are as good as the opportunities experienced by other people. Inclusion Inclusion is a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging. Explain the importance of anti-discriminatory/anti bias practice, giving examples of how it is applied in practice with children and carers The curriculum within settings should represent the different cultures of the children within it to promote anti-discriminatory and anti bias practice, as does my setting. We include positive images within the play areas for example in books and on posters which allows our children to view pictures of different races, disabilities, sex and age which promotes an anti-bias view of the world we live in. We also have children within the setting who have special educational needs which also brings it to life for all the children to encourage this acceptance into their lives. The setting creates an environment which is acceptable to all children regardless of their background, along with being able to make them feel welcomed. We ensure they are all valued and have access in every aspect of the provision. We also have had the pleasure of meeting practitioners who are from different countries which also helps the children relate to equality within their lives. Explain how the active participation of the children in decisions affecting their lives promotes the achievement of positive outcomes. Children need to actively participate in decisions that will affect their life. Children that are young need to make simple choices that enable them to find out their likes and dislikes not only for themselves but for us to then plan activities that meet their needs and challenge their abilities, it can be as simple as having a choice between an apple and a pear. This will enable them to express their needs and wishes. Letting the children make choices builds a child’s confidence, self esteem and their social skills. In our setting the children make choices all the time, this will be when a child makes a choice on what they want to do or who they want to do it with, these are simple choices that a child of pre-school and nursery age can make for themselves. This will enable the child to develop more and make choices later on in life that are more important such as, relationships, what course to take at college, whether to gain a qualification, what job they may undertake or even when to get married etc. These choices will all be big decisions that could affect the rest of their life. We as practitioners need to actively listen to the child’s choices and other ways that they may be able to communicate their wishes such as pointing, pictures, signing and any other non verbal means of communication to find out what the child or family actually want or need. We need to understand that children have voices and that they should be heard. Providing that they or others are not in any significant harm, their wishes should be listened to and followed. Examples of how children in our setting actively participate in their own choices include area of play, choice of activities during free flow time, choice of healthy food and drink available to them, choice of actions (good or bad, with intervention when necessary). Again, by giving them these choices it will help them to make small decisions in life and will enable them later in life to extend this to bigger decisions that affect their lives and will help future experiences. It also enables our children to learn to build up confidence, self-esteem and social skills by themselves and sometimes, with our guidance. Explain the importance of reviewing own practice as part of being an effective practitioner The quality of provision in any early years settings is dependent on the skills, attitudes, knowledge and experience of everyone who works there. Reflective practice is the key to quality improvement as it helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different aspects of a setting’s provision. Reflective practice is the term used to describe the way in which professionals evaluate their own work and consider ways of improving their work. It is important to do this, as each year a different set of children and parents join the setting. They may have different needs, expectations or interests. Activities, routines and polices may have to be changed or updated to accommodate the new families. Reflecting on practice will help to see where changes need to be made. Staff are developing all the time too. Their knowledge and skills may change due to extra training or new staff having new ideas. National standards and frameworks may also change so this may have an impact on how the setting is run. To reflect on my own practice I tend to critically question what I do and see whether it works or whether there is room for improvement by asking my team for feedback and advise. I am also new to childcare as a profession rather then parent so I am constantly taking things in and using support from my team as motivation to improve my own strengths and target my weaknesses. I tend to observe the reactions of children, parents and the team to help think about my effectiveness, but at the end of the day voicing any concerns is the best policy and my team will always come to me when needed. Especially in areas I may think are working well, I like to think about what skills and knowledge are helping me achieve this or whether I can become more efficient. In areas of weaknesses I always think of ways to improve and pick up hints and tips from my brilliant colleagues who are more then happy to advise. I may need more training in the future when I fell more experience is needed such as first aid etc. I find reflecting on my practise helpful as it gives me a clearer picture of what I actually do within my work role for my setting, and how I can make myself a valuable asset to my team. This itself gives me more confidence of my ability as practitioner and confidence to know that everybody can improve to provide the best care for all our children as I reach higher standards as I progress. Undertake a reflective analysis of own practice Being a reflective practitioner involves thinking about how you currently work and evaluating what you do in order to improve your practice. The reflective practitioner stands back, takes a balanced view and recognises what works well, but is also able to acknowledge what could be changed. To be a reflective practitioner you need to be self aware and able to look as objectively and honestly as possible at how you work with children, colleagues and parents. This is not easy, but taking a proactive role, reflecting on and analysing your own practice is far more rewarding than relying on someone in a more senior position to do this for you. Evaluating your own practice helps to put you in control of the changes that should be made, enables you to identify your professional development needs and will increase your confidence and feelings of job satisfaction. Reflective practice and self evaluation are fundamental to the Ofsted inspection process. By completing the Self Evaluation Form (SEF) managers and setting leaders are able to provide a snapshot of what happens in a setting. Through the SEF they can clearly identify the setting’s strengths and highlight what it does well. At the same time they can acknowledge any weaknesses in provision and plan the changes and improvements to be made. However, managers cannot achieve this alone. They are reliant on all practitioners in the setting taking responsibility for the quality of their individual practice and aiming for continuous improvement. As practitioner I want to be a good role model for the children in my setting by being enthusiastic to their efforts, positive and optimistic towards their abilities and good choices but also as I understand children are active learners I wish for them to be as enthusiastic as I am with their learning and development. I always aim to show a relaxed expression and warm tones in my voice that I can pitch higher as I express enthusiasm. I try to get the children eager to get involved especially in planned activities that are designed to assess the children individually as it is important for me to know each childs specific needs etc. I am aware that my relationships with the children, parents and colleagues are not only important for the setting environment but also for our children to understand how to treat others and how peers and teamwork is important in life. I treat others how I wish to be treated and respect all my team as individuals professionally as well as getting to know them and enjoying their company during work hours. It is a pleasure to work with a great group of people who are passionate about giving our children a great start in life which, in turn also gives me the motivation to thrive and provide the best care I can for my colleagues and children. I actively listen and am taking in lots of information and advise given verbally or through watching others. This is active learning and it is a cycle within the work setting. When I talk to my colleagues it is in a professional manner with interest and respect. I am also willing to help in any way I can to maintain an efficient smooth running setting. When I talk to the children in the setting I try to relate to them, coming down to their level with interest and listening to anything they have to say. They will always ask questions that I will answer as honestly as I can. I am always intrigued to know their likes and dislikes and by getting to know each individual child helps in this area. It is always nice to following up on their ideas by discussing every thing with the nursery teacher who will then advise. I try my hardest to make every parent feel welcome and at value what they tell me especially when it is about the importance of their individual child. It is important to maintain relationships with everyone as not only does it help me provide the best care I can but it also makes the place a very strong place to be as we are helping these children thrive and flourish to take these abilities with them through life. I try to help the setting by being proactive in solving problems as they arise but I will come to my team in times of need. I definitely need to continue to actively learn through my team but also establish a personal style and accept we are all different and all give a different benefit to the team. I started off with little confidence as a parent you never quiet know what boundaries you can cross with other children such as how stern to be when they make bad choices etc. Now I am much more confident and relaxed in my approach but I am always learning, every day I learn something new. I need to communicate and not be afraid to ask my nursery teacher if I misunderstand a task given to me. I made the mistake of setting out an extra activity that didnt help what the nursery teacher had planned as I assumed bowels were left out for it when in fact they were forgotten about and not put away. The nursery teacher was busy and so I tried to use my initiative but it was not a good decision. I should have waited to speak to my tutor and seek advice. This is what I shall do in the future. I tend to learn from my mistakes! Develop strategies to deal with areas of difficulty and challenges encountered in professional practice in early years settings Examples of areas of difficulty and challenges that may arise in the work setting between myself and parents of children include: Parents not collecting their child on time getting later and later Parents with outstanding fees Parents with a complaint e. g. they claim a child has hit their child Speaking to a parent about a concern you have about their child (you feel that the child has specific needs, and you are worried how they may accept/not accept it). Parent has been discriminating against another parent (possibly verbally to the other parents). These issues are not only very sensitive to each individual family but they all require handling with professionalism and respect as a parent myself you need to feel valued and listened to and made aware that the dilema will be dealt with promptly and effectively and in confidence. This is why having full and comprehensive policies and procedures within my setting is important and relevant at these times to follow. When speaking to parents, if they came to me with a concern or complaint I would listen, really listen, even if they start to shout, often they just want to say their piece. Then if they have cause to complain or bring something up I may be able to deal with it there and then by speaking in a professional manner, without making it personal. If I am able to resolve it, I will try, if not I would this to the nursery teacher as she is a very good active listener and always wants the best for our children, parents and team. It is very important to maintain relationships as we would hate to tarnish the settings name we really do enjoy our involvement and helping our children the best way we can. To me it doesnt matter how small the concern is its important for that child and their parents, and I want to assure those parents I take things very seriously in order to resolve issues. When a parent needs addressing for issues such as a concern about their child or fees are owed then the nursery teacher will deal with this matter by forms of letters or arranging a meeting to speak in confidence regarding the above. If a parent has come to me or the nursery teacher with a complaint about another parent I would have to have a quiet word or arrange a meeting to say It has been brought to my attention that you have been speaking about another parent unkindly/discriminatingly. They may interject here and say who said, they are lying? But I would just have to remember to say something such as I am not at liberty to say, but whether it is true or not I must remind you we are an equal opportunity setting who celebrates diversity and cultural beliefs. Remember to explain sensitively and nicely that you are duty bound to make sure all the children and families are treated equally, and you would do the same for their child, if you felt they needed your support. But currently it is the responsibility of the nursery teacher and so I would talk to her about any such issues.