Preschool Teacher Hiring Standards, Policies, and Practices Essay

The early years of children are important because of their unique developmental needs (physical, cognitive, social and emotional). These needs can only be identified and addressed by professionally trained and competent preschool or early childhood teachers. However, attracting and hiring these teachers are serious challenges for school administrators. To look more closely into the problem and help craft a solution, this paper examined the current standards, policies, and practices in hiring preschool teachers in public and private schools in Pasig City based on the recommended hiring standards, policies, and practices in the literature, DepEd, and experts. The study suggests appropriate standards, policies, and practices in hiring teachers that will ensure that children’s unique developmental needs are met and that they shall have gained readiness to proceed to the next educational level. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the Background of the Study Children who undergo preschool education perform better in primary grades (grade 1-3) than those who do not (Branscombe, Castle, Dorsey, Surbeck, and Taylor 2000; Jalongo, Fennimore, Pattnaik, Laverick, Brewster, and Mutuku 2004; Laosa 2005; Soliven, Guerrero, Barsaga, Palma, Canlas, and Garon 1997). & Mutuku. By the time they enter elementary school, they can say the alphabet, write their names, and count numbers one to ten. They adjust better, follow instructions, and interact with their teachers and classmates. Because of thparents realize the benefits in the early schooling of children, preschool student enrollment has been growing in number, which encouraginges a number of investors to set up preschools. Preschool education is mostly managed by private individuals, organizations, and institutions because of insufficient government funding for the enhancement of preschool education (Neri 2001; Soliven et al. 1997). According to the Department of Education (DepEd), tis, there has been an unprecedented growth in the number of preschools both in rural and urban areas in the private sector. The latest directory of private preschools in Metro Manila from the Department of Education (DepEd) shows that there are 1,477 preschools all over the National Capital Region during the school year 2005-2006, and 872 preschools during the school year 2000-2001; thus, there was an increase of 575 preschools. (see table 1). (See Table 1)(See Table 1) he number latest of private schools in Metro Manila grew from 4,788 in school year 2003-2004 to 6664 in the school year 2007-2008, a 72% showing increase. from school year 2000-2001 to school year 2005-2006 (see table 1). Preschool enrollment in private schools rose from 349,574 in school year 2003-2004 to 410,778 in school year 2007-2008, an 85% increase. Many see preschool education as a profitable business, but one that entails high costs if one is to meet certain standards, such as hiring qualified and licensed teachers and paying higher salaries. Quality education also means better teacher-to-student ratio (the ideal is 1:10 or 1:15), a developmentally appropriate curriculum, and quality teaching materials—all of which translate to higher costs. Ms. Vanessa Morales, owner and administrator of Kid’s First Discovery Space preschool in BF Homes, Paranaque, wanted her preschool to be different from preschools run by business people. Her priority is providing quality education on a not-for-profit basis. At Kid’s First, she has knowledgeable and experienced teachers: all her head teachers have master’s degrees in Education or Psychology, major in child development (Manuzon 2006). Due to the growing number of private preschools in Metro Manila, there will be a great demand for preschool teachers who are professionally trained to manage the learning needs of young children. To ensure that For this purposeteachers hired are qualified and competent, , DepEd issued DECS Order No. 107 (1989) outlining the standards in the organization and operation of preschools (see appendix A), which include guidelines on staff requirements. The qualifications of teachers prescribed by DepEd for private schools are: Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Family Life and Child Development or Early Childhood Education or Kindergarten; Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with 18 units in Preschool Education and 54 hours of practicum in preschool classes; Bachelor of Arts/Science degree in a discipline allied to education, arts, nursing, anthropology, with 18 units of preschool education. Upon appointment, the teacher should have at least 6 units of preschool education, and the requirement of 18 units may be gradually implemented as follows: At the end of Year 1 – 9 units; Year 2 – 12 units; Year 3 – 15 units; Year 4 – 18 units. In addition, the sprouting of private preschools are also due to the following: 1) most private schools do not accept grade one pupils if they have not been through kinder and nursery or preschools; b) they are financially viable and a lucrative business; 2c) public schools cannot accommodate all preschool-age children and so parents put them in private preschools; 3e) there is a growing number of preschool student enrollment; 4f) because of the child sduring their early years, 5the Department of Education (DepEd) is not as strict with preschools as with regular grade and high schools; or, 6g) parents are both working and the mother is too busy to give her children their first lessons. 7have become a (Newman 2002). The Due to the mushrooming of preschools grew asthat have been set up forcommercial, business reasons, especially in urban centers, and the government’s insufficient funding towards the enhancement of preschool education, the desired goal of standard quality educati on for young children may not be achieved. This vast, mushrooming, unregulated and still unsurveyed sector maybe violating the right of young children to quality education. Due to the absence of control or regulation, these schools would have unqualified teachers, large classes, and less infrastructure facilities (Newman 2002). Ms. Irene Bernardo, whosingle and now retiredSomeone who prefers to be anony from preschool teaching setismous and who’s up a preschool in her own home after retiring from teaching, stated that some preschool teachers are business or psychology graduates, business or psychology graduates, not education graduates, but business or psychology graduates.. In her case, she has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, magna cum laude, from the Philippine Normal College, ManilaUP, Diliman. For her, it is important for preschool teachers to have a background in education, especially in early childhood development education, which involves a substantial study of the- the psychomotor, affective, psychosocial and cognitive foundations of the childI. Bernardo, m), which will have bearing on the development of the child. which will determine how and what he will be when he grows up. The preschool teacher should also acquire skills and training in educating young children, them. From agesold . (. http://www. sunstar. com. ph/static/ceb/2002/06/13/life/the. mushrooming. of. preschools. html) | | DepEd also issued DECS Form GPR 3-A (revised 2005) to serve as a processing sheet for proposals for opening of new school (see appendix B). It limits the teaching staff requirements for preschool teachers to a Bachelor in Early Childhood Education (BECED); or Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEEd) with 18 units of Early Childhood Education. In public schools, student enrollment grows by 300,000 yearly, and some 10,000 teachers are needed to be hired every year to address the lack of manpower. Out of the 10,000 teachers recommended for hiring annually, 2,500 are intended for government preschools. The hiring of more teachers is needed because President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has issued an order requiring preschool education nationwide by 2010. (News Balita, January 13, 2006). In preparation for the launching of preschool education in public schools, DepEd business peoplebut . Theireesbetter teacherstudent, she not onlyes but also s: a. Furthermore,havesan degree P. Last August 24, 2007, DepEd issued Order No. 57 on August 24, 2007, laying down or the â€Å"Guidelines on Hiring and Deployment of Preschool Teachers† was issued as additional guidelines forin the selection and deployment of public preschool teachers (see appendix CB). Based on the guidelines, a preschool teacher applicant must must pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) to be eligibleconsidered for teaching. Preschool teachers in order to teach should take the LET for elementary teachers. There is no LET yet yet in specific to preschool teachers; prospective preschool teachers take the LET for elementary teachers. , while there is LET specific to secondary or high school teachers. According to Dr. Rogelio Baybayon, Assistant Superintendent of the Pasig Division office of DepEd, the requirements of the LET and the 21 early childhood education (ECE) units (instead of 18 ECE units) d et al. When I telephoned the Pasig DDivision of public schools to inquire on their policies regarding preschool education, and was able to talk to Dr.Rogelio Baybayuin, the officer-in-charge of preschool education,he said that they do not have preschool programseducation like nursery and prep, and what they have is onlythey only have kindergarten level which is being offered by very few public schools. They do not accept 4 year olds, only 5 year olds for kindergarten, and the 6 year olds are automatically Grade 1 even without going through the kindergarten level or preschool education. Since preschool educations is not yet part of the public school educational ladder. The , unlike the elementary and secondary education, it is mostly in the hands of private individual, organizations and institutions, which are operating without proper government regulations see guidelinescoveringsguidelinesthe renewal of toany administrators when they have been found to v some rules Neri (2001) disclosed a. s Based on the DECS Order No. 107, s.1989 or the Standards for the Organization and Operation of Preschools (Kindergarten Level), the required qualifications for preschool teachers are the following: (1) Bachelor of Science Degree with specialization in family life and child development of early childhood education or kindergarten; (2) BS Degree in Elementary education with 18 units in preschools education and 54 hours of practicum in preschool classes; and (3) Bachelor of Arts or BS degree in a discipline allied to education, arts, nursing, anthropology with 18 units of preschool education (Industry Briefs, October 2001). The job requirements based on the DepEd qualificationss for for preschool teachers are also now being enforced for private schoolsteachers.to be able to teach in preschools. s do not include the licensing or certification, of preschool teachers. However, DepEd sare encouraged requires all public school teachers to undergo the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET). .He revealed that there are some private schools which cannot follow these requirements and DepEd is forced to withhold their permit to operate. In any case, even if He also said that the LET for elementary teachers is for general education, and preschool teachers may take it. tTo qualify to teach For the 21 ECE units requirement, Philippine Normal University (PNU) is their reference. ,(pers. com. Dr. R. Baybayon, February 28, 2008). In the recent LET given by the Board of Professional Teachers on September 28, 2008 and conducted in 19 testing centers all over the Philippines, only 17,816 out of 58,471 elementary teacher examineesthere were who passed itThere were o,3who the examination (The Professional Regulation Commission, March 10, 2009). This meansmMan estimated that only 302933% of the examinees are qualified to teach, and are difficulty in the hiring of qualified preschool teachers, mo913,45,56eligible for hiringto hire. Table 2. National Percentage of Passing in the LET | |Teacher-Elementary |Teacher-Secondary | |Year |No. of Examinees |No. of Successful |Percentage of |No. of Examinees |No. of Successful |Percentage of | | | |Examinees |Passing | |Examinees |Passing | |2002 |76,626 |27,060 |35. 32% |65,106 |23,772 |36. 52% | |2003 |75,348 |19,765 |26. 25% |68,992 |18,115 |26. 25% | |2004 |60,614 |16,297 |26. 89% |58,507 |15,860 |27. 11% | |2005 |67,333 |18,517 |27. 50% |61,576 |15,945 |25. 90% | |2006 |59,457 | 17,377 | 29. 23% |53,303 | 17,290 |32. 44% | Former senatorSource: Professional Regulation Commission Licensing of teachers in the private preschools are also being encouraged by the DepEd, an example is the Pasig Catholic College, where their preschool teachers are graduates of early childhood education and are LET passers. The prospect of hiring teachers without credentials may be rampant because of the recent result of the LET. There were few teachers who passed the LET given by the Board of Professional Teachers on August 27, 2006 in 18 testing centers all over the Philippines. It showed that there were only 17,277 elementary public school teachers out of the 59,457 examinees who successfully passed. (Manila Standard Today, October 10, 2006). This is an estimated 33% who are qualified to teach in the public elementary schools and these may not be enough considering the growing number of student enrollment in public elementary schools which accounts to 12,089,365 based on Basic Education Statistics (BES) SY2004-2005. In view of the above, howHow can both private and public schools get teachers who can meet the minimum requirements for teaching in preschools and how can the DepEd ensure that only well-qualified, licensed preschool teachers educators are being hired and will be available in every preschool classroom.? How does the private and public schools cope with the supply and demand of qualified preschool teachers? Student enrollment is increasing and there are not enough qualified teachers to teacher these students. What other options can the government doy take in addressing hiring teachers without credentials? How can the preschoolsy tap sources of potential preschool teachers? has the government . annually . whomis afigure Trequiring nationwide. The combined public and private preschool enrollment increased from 2003 to 2007, from 778, 550831,730 (18. 36%) in school year 2003-2004 to 999,59652,109 (20. 53%) in school year 20076-20087; or 221120,046379 school children were added to the system. More than half of these children (588,81857, 220) were with DepEd’s preschool program in school year 2007-2008 (DepEd Updates, March 22, 20097). Mrs. Mariquita de Guzman, Assistant Principal of San Miguel Elementary School, said that their school has four preschool teachers for their 132 kindergarten students with a teacher to student ratio of 1:48. Miss Letty Flores, preschool teacher of Maybunga Elementary School, said that their school has two preschool teachers for the 90 kindergarten students with a teacher to student ratio of 1:45. All of their preschool teachers were volunteers from the elementary level who have a degree in elementary education (pers. com. Mrs. M. de Guzman and Ms. L. Flores, April 15, 2009). In some private preschools, principals wait until the enrollment has begun before they decide to hire teachers. As a result, teachers hired are not qualified. only a few qualified teachers are available and teacher to student ratio becomes to 1:50 (pers. com. Mrs. Susan Garcia, April 16, 2009). ). To address the teacher shortage in the public schools (including preschools), Education Secretary Jesli Lapus announced that 16,390 new teachers would be hired for the year 2007. (The Manila Times, June 4, 2007). lat thsover This e concern for the hiring of preschool teachers will create more pressuresnot likely abate in the near future because the pressures on that strain the local supply and ddemand for and supply ofof qualified teachers. With the increase in becausewill increase more and more private individuals and institutions will are venturinging into the preschool business education, and the institutionalization of preschool education by 2010, that will require more qualified preschool teachers will be requiredto support DepEd’s effort in institutionalizing preschool education.. . Human capital is the most important resource of any service organization, and the teacher is the most important capital in the educational setting. There are many nonhuman resources that are needed in the schools such as classrooms, computers, and textbooks, but these resources are dependent on competent teachers who will put them into good use. The preschool is a labor-intensive operation where the teacher’s knowledge, skills, abilities, stamina, values, and passion must be carefully managed to achieve its learning objectives (Hearron and Hildebrand 2003). However, in order to achieve its learning objectives, they should hire teachers who possess proper qualifications who can provide learning opportunities that will bring out the best in their students. epartment of ducation, ulture and ports (DECS)A major task of the artment of ucation (DepEd)school administrator is faculty hiring and selecting qualified and committed teachers is a more critical task considering the scarcity of qualified applicants. Teacher qualifications remains to be an issue and with the recent results of the Licensure Examination for Teachers given by the Board of Professional Teachers on August 27, 2006 in 18 testing centers all over the Philippines, there were only 17,277 elementary public school teachers out of 59,457 examinees who successfully passed. (Manila Standard Today, October 10, 2006). This is an estimated 33% who are qualified to teach in the public elementary schools and there may not be enough considering there the growing growing student enrollment in public elementary schools which accounts to 12,089,365 based on Basic Education Statistics (BES) SY2004-2005. However, in the private preschools but they should meet the minimum required in order to the desired qualifications which is:,need to prepare job descriptions that state the criteria like the applicant â€Å"(1) Bachelor of Science Degree with specialization in family life and child development of early childhood education or kindergarten; (2) BS Degree in Elementary education with 18 units in preschools education and 54 hours of practicum in preschool classes; (3) Bachelor of Arts or BS degree in discipline allied to education, arts, nursing, anthropology with 18 units of preschool education† (Industry Briefs, October 2001). Hiring the right faculty is building the future. It is essential that utmost care and attention be given to hiring standards and policies and that execution be done with creativity and patience, since the hiring process is tedious and time-consuming, thus there should be no shortcuts. As the philosopher Spinoza observed at the end of his great work, The Ethics, â€Å"†¦all things worthwhile are difficult as they are rare† (A Re-Examination of Faculty Hiring Processes and Procedures, Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, Adopted Fall 2000). The term â€Å"faculty† is defined as a branch of teaching or learning in an educational institution; something in which one is trained or qualified; the members of a profession; or the teaching and administrative staff and those members of the administration having the academic rank in an education institution (Merriam Webster 1991). The faculty is composed of all persons appointed for the instruction of students. In a preschool, the faculty or teachers are persons directly involved in handling children. They play a major role in the education of the children since they help in the formation and development of the students especially in their early years. They are responsible for providing environment conducive to learning conditions where children are given opportunities to interact. Thus, the faculty or preschool teachers significantly contribute to humanity and to the nation towards prosperity by providing learning opportunities that will bring out the best in their students. Hiring is engaging the services or labor in exchange for payment (Lexicon Webster 1978. ). Hiring involves the following steps: advertising, recruiting; screening; interviewing; teaching demo, selecting and final interview. Recruitment is defined as establishing a pool of potentially acceptable applicants (Lipham and Heoh, 1974 p. 236). The first step is usually to post (advertise) the job position usually in bulletin boards of universities, professional organizations, advertise in local newspapers and teacher based magazines. Once the school recruitment officer has received the letters of applications, the rest of the hiring process is accomplished. Faculty hiring is the recruitment and selection of teachers for teaching positions. It involves the following steps: advertising, recruiting; screening; interviewing; teaching demo; selecting and final interview. Faculty hiring is a major task of the administrative or leadership group of the school and selecting the right teacher is a more critical task considering the very few qualified applicants to choose from. Administrators need to prepare job descriptions that state the minimum as well as desired qualifications of a preschool teacher, these are: (1) Bachelor of Science Degree with specialization in family life and child development of early childhood education or kindergarten; (2) BS Degree in Elementary education with 18 units in preschools education and 54 hours of practicum in preschool classes; (3) Bachelor of Arts or BS degree in discipline allied to education, arts, nursing, anthropology with 18 units of preschool education. † (Neri October 2001) â€Å"The teachers we need are immersed in discipline, informed professional inquiry and action that results in raising the bar and closing the gap by engaging all students in learning† (Fullan 2003). The preschool administrator or principal is usually the one in charge of recruiting the right teachers to fill in teaching positions clearly defined and understood by the selectors, i. e. there is a good and clear job description. The competencies to perform the job successfully are explicit, i. e. the job criteria or person specification have been prepared and are known by the selectors. There is a planned provision for the assessment of all the required competencies, i. e.the technical assessment stages have been clearly conceived and scheduled. There is a clear policy on how the final decisions are to be arrived at and the final stage procedure ensures that all of the evidence of earlier stages is accumulated and considered before making a judgment† (Kydd 1997). Although it can be time-consuming, principals must actively recruit good teachers to their schools. They usually do this by: (1) visiting teacher education classes to find promising new teachers; (2) providing practicum to student teachers and later hire the good ones; (3) talking to teachers and other principals to find quality experienced teachers who might be looking for new positions. Hiring policies and practices should be carefully crafted so fairness and equity are reflected to avoid legal complaints in the future. Applicants should be notified whether they were accepted or denied and the reasons why they were not accepted. â€Å"Hiring the right faculty is building the future because teachers play a major role in the education of children; they help in the formation and development of children, some of whom will become future leaders of tomorrow. But the right faculty may not mean hiring having a certification or licensure, but one who has a strong commitment to the care and education of young children. There is no wiser or more enduring investment than in the care and education of young children. worthwhile The Research Problem. DDue to the number mushrooming being put up and the government’s move to institutionalizeeize preschool education by year 2010, in Metro Manila and in the provinces without control or regulation, hiring would is in all probabilitymay be increasingly be intenserampant. DepEd’s hiring guidelines for preschool teachers prescribe only the minimum qualifications;;, but there are no clear-cut guidelines on the screening and hiring process for preschool teachers. these schools tend to hire preschool teachers who are not qualified. There is a need to carefully managed preschools to ensure that the intellectual development and values formation of childrenThus, there is a need forere should be specific and customized procedures for  screening applicants and hiring areistowardforqualified preschool teachers who are trained to address the unique learning and developmental needs of preschoolers. (Berk 2005; Branscombe et al. 2000; Brewer 2004; Essa 2003; Estes 2004; Machado and Meyer-Botnarescue 2001). However, Taguiwalo (2005) reported that recruitment is the number one weakness of the Philippine basic education. and eEvery year for the past five years, public schools recruited around 10,000 to 15,000 teachers from a pool of 100,000 new graduates. ,Yet the schools do not always get the best qualified teachers, as evidenced by the poor student achievement test results. they Results of the National Elementary Achievement Test (NEAT) in SY 2005-2006 reflected that only 29 percent or 38 of 131 competencies/skills were demonstrated by children. The problem of poor quality of education has been traced to a number of factors which include lack of teacher competencies and poor manpower planning (UNESCO and National Statistical Coordination Board 2009). How can DepEd ensure that only qualified and competent preschool teachers will handle every preschool class? HHoH will be assured hiring of professionally well prepared preschool teachers who are committed to caring and educating young children.. Preschool teacher hiring will not be easy considering the scarcity of qualified teachers. ow then can then school administrators ensure that they that they hire qualified and competent preschool teachers who can How can they tap available sources of prospective preschool teachers present? To seek answerss to the research problem, se questions, â€Å"The government, through the Department of Education (DepED), should come up with clear-cut policies on the operation of these schools offering pre-school education to children aged three to six years old,† Chipeco added. (http://www. congress. gov. ph/press/details. php? pressid=931) DepEd should also develop measures seeking not only to regulate and oversee the pre-schools, but also to develop preschool teachers hiring guidelines. DepEd should conduct investigation and close down preschools that do not use the guidelines. thus early childhood education is regarded as their top priority. â€Å"Childhood should be carefully defined in all nations as a highly distinct period of human growth and development that deserves careful educational, social, and political attention and intervention. † (Jalongo, et al 2004) However, Nolido (2006) said . While the government is not yet capable of putting preschool education in the educational ladder, we would like to expand it to reach more five year-old kids particularly in the depressed areas of the country. .. Jalongo, et al 2004et al, page 23number Educational prog for the world’s youngest citizen teachers who are ,m ? Will there be enough preschool teachers who will teach this growing number of student enrollmentissues in the Philippine basic and (LET) (NAT) private preschools hire applicantsare not education graduates or licensed? private . To seek answers to these questions, I will e researcheris Another issue which is very timely is the campaign of the Department of Education to institutionalize preschool education in public schools. Nolido said preschool education is not yet part of the educational ladder. Institutionalizing it requires a huge budget to the basic education system. â€Å"While the government is not yet capable of putting preschool education in the educational ladder, we would like to expand its coverage to reach more five year-old kids particularly in the depressed areas of the country,† Nolido said. and also the current issues in the Philippine educational systemthe Thus the objective of thisresearch willof the study revieweds and compareds the currentGrowing demand for preschool teacher applicants can be attested to the increasing number of student enrollments and the mushrooming of preschools in the metropolis. Drive along any neighborhood and you will likely pass by one, whether it is a small home-based play school or a more structured organization in a bigger edifice. The latest directory of private preschools in Metro Manila from the Department of Education shows that there are (872) preschools all over the capital region alone. Of this total, (217) are exclusively preschools only, defined here as catering to either the one-year-old to 6-year-old age bracket or the kindergarten level which may also include levels preparatory to kindergarten (e. g. nursery, etc. The remaining (55) schools offer elementary education up to 6th grade, in addition to the preschool curriculum. Quezon City has the most number of preschools with 275, followed by Manila with 112. Proximity to residence is criterion parents often consider when choosing schools for their children, however there are many other factors to bear in mind in deciding which school is best† (Neri 2001). Public and private preschools resort to hiring teachers to fill in the demand for teaching positions. The Department of Education has recommended guidelines for hiring preschool teachers, which the public preschools should implement while the private preschools are encouraged to use. Thus, the main research problem of this study is to compare standards, policies, and practices (SPPs) in hiring preschool teachers in preschool andpublic schools with those of privateprivate schools in Pasig City ,and , then compareds each group’s SPPs with offering preschool education with the standards, policies and practices in hiring teachers in private preschools in Pasig City the recommended SPPs in hiring preschool teachers based on related literature, DepEd requirements, and the views of experts on preschools. point out the gaps or discrepancies between the mandated and actual faculty hiring standards, policies and practices of public and private preschools in Pasig City. Secondly, I would like to understand the nature and causes of the gaps, and thirdly, I would like to understand why such gaps have been permitted to exist until the present. Purposess of the Study create awareness among the policymakers, DepEd officials, private preschool owners, and preschool principals The purpose of the study soughtoughtis to (1) investigate the SPPstandards in for hiring preschool teachers in selected public and private schools in Pasig City; (2)and pinpoint commonalities and differences in their current hiring SPPs; and, (3) find out how they measure up to what is recommended in the scientific literature, at DepEd, and by experts. Thus, this study has drawn upwilldetermine whether standards are in line with preschool learning capabilities and requirement for primary grades. s appropriate hiring SPPs for both public and private preschools that can serve ases benchmarks for hiring preschool teachers to ensure that the goal of getting the best qualified preschool teachers is met. Theensure that both public and private schools offering preschool education in Pasig City are able to hire the most qualified and competent preschool teachers and that ensure that there are standards, policies and practices in hiring preschool teachers in public and private schools in Pasig City. is that they together withmajority if not alleto review and reexamine their preschool teaching hiring standards, policies and practices. This assist in the hiring of preschool teacherswill enfrom a wider market and whose qualifications meet the preschool learning competencies. Research Questions In order to answer the research problem, the following research questions were looked intoarewere: †¢ What are the recommended faculty hiring SPPsstandards, policies, and practices for preschool teachers based on related literature, DepEd guidelines, and the views of experts and administrators? †¢ What are the reported and/or actual hiring SPPsfaculty hiring standards, policies, and practices for preschool teachers in both of public and private schools in Pasig City offering ECE? †¢ How do the reported and/or actual faculty hiring SPPstandards, policies.

How does Shakespeare in his final act of Much Ado About Nothing Essay

Question) How does Shakespeare in his final act of the play put all the pieces of the puzzle together revealing every character’s true nature? Answer) The church scene has taken place and the watch has officially unearthed the truth. Act 4 has set the mood for the denouement of the play, where all the pieces of the puzzle are put together and the true nature of the play being a sunny comedy is preserved. Act 5 which is the final act of the play begins with a furious exchange of word between Leonato and Antonio on one side and Don Pedro and Claudio on the other. Don Pedro and Claudio are informed about Hero’s death but they fail to show any sign of remorse. Benedick enters and challenges Claudio to a duel. The situation seems to be getting more complicated just when Dogberry enters along with Borachio and Conrad bound by the watch. Borachio informs Don Pedro of the truth as he says, ‘what your wisdom could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light.’ Don Pedro and Claudio seek repentance as Leonato asks Claudio to ‘Hang an epitaph upon Hero’s tomb and since he could not be Leonato’s soon-in-law’, Leonato asks him to be his nephew by marrying Antonio’s daughter. The play progresses and the audience for the first time witnesses a somewhat romantic dialogue between Benedick and Beatrice. Claudio, as promised by him, sings to Hero’s grave as he says, ‘Pardon goddess of the night those that slew thy virgin knight.’ The play now moves into its final scene where Hero is brought in front of Claudio and Claudio readily accepts her. Also, Benedick asks for Beatrice’s hand in marriage. The news of Don John being caught comes in. The characters however are in a jolly mood and thus postpone Don John’s predicament and start to revel. With this the play ends on a happy note. However, the final act is one of revelation. Not only does it put all the pieces of the play together but also exposes the true nature of the characters as well. To start with Hero is technically brought back to life both literally and metaphorically (as the false accusations are lifted). Her sanctity is preserved. However, she again appears to be a mere puppet of the patriarchal society as she readily agrees to marry Claudio and doesn’t even question her father. Claudio has lost respect in the eyes of the audience and his reputation takes one final hit as he appears to be a superficial human. He readily agrees to marry Leonato’s daughter, thus showing that he as a person doesn’t believe in true love. However, when he sees Hero, there is again a complete volte-face in his behaviour and seems to have fallen in love with Hero again. However, it is needless to say that this love is superficial as that is all that Claudio is capable of. Don Pedro who has remained quite all this while and has not put the powers vested in him to good use also somewhat redeems himself by repenting at Hero’s grave. Don Pedro is a mature and discerning character. However, during the play, the circumstances surrounding him cause him to take irrational decisions. However, in the final act he is quick to understand the situation when Benedick informs him that Don John has fled Messina and when he sees Borachio and Conrad bound by the watch. Leonato, a victim of self-deception like Claudio, thinks of himself as someone very righteous but doesn’t appear so in the church scene when it is most needed. Leonato also makes an unreasonable decision of ‘giving away’ his daughter to Claudio, the very man who had openly slandered her. The norms of the patriarchal society are so deeply ingrained in him that he fails to be a sensible character. This is seen especially when he easily forgives Don Pedro and Claudio but holds Margaret responsible as he says, ‘So are(innocent) the prince and Claudio who accused her upon the error that you heard debated. But Margaret was in some fault for this.’ The merry war also comes to an end as Beatrice and Benedick decide to marry each other however not without a final war of wits as both claim to love each other only to the extent that is reasonable. Their love is passionate and is deep-rooted unlike the courtly love of Claudio and Hero. This couple appears to be the stars of the play as they are probably the only characters who manage to maintain a good reputation in the eyes of the audience though initially both appear to be very garrulous in their demeanour. Don John along with his villains is help prisoner and their villainy is also brought to light. The minor characters also make short appearances in this act. Dogberry manages to pull off another set of malapropisms and entertains the audience with slapstick humour. The image of Dogberry being a bumbling idiot remains constant. The play comes to an end putting all the suspense and deceptions to rest. Though the play is a sunny comedy, there still remains contention over how happy the ending truly is considering that Hero has been asked to remarry Claudio. Also, the friendship between Benedick and Claudio has taken a turn for the worse. Clearly Don Pedro is also somewhat depressed as he is the only person who remains a bachelor and had earlier showed some sparks of attraction towards Beatrice. However, these our minor issues which are resolvable. The major issues have been resolved and the characters have also matured over the course of the play. Thus, it can be conclusively said that the play ends on a merry note. Act 5 serves as a well organised denouement as all the pieces of the puzzle are put together and the true nature of every character is revealed.

History of dance Essay

How could you leave your country? The place you grew up in, how could you leave your loved ones in a place so bad you had to flee it yourself? The production of ‘Look the other way’ choreographed by Cadi McCarthy is clearly emotionally attached to the performers. Look the other way describes how people had to leave their home and become refugees, their fear and hatred needing the encouragement to move forward. The mixture of contemporary and hip hop really drives you into the performance and makes dancers, public and even you feel like a part of the attraction. The choreographer clearly displays the variety of talent and emotive skills that all of the dancers consist of. The different interrogations of each dancer themselves are astonishing, having a wide range from the strength and intensity movements by Peter Fares to the smooth, soft and meaningful movements danced by Yillin Kong. The artistic use of props and lighting gives the texture of the movements on the performers and their facial expressions gave an overwhelming feeling inside; it’s a wakeup call to seeing how lucky we are as a country. This was a very effective way to get the audience’s attention. Having to look the other way when all you feel is hopelessness is a very difficult thing to do. The characters make you feel as if they are portraying their country, getting away from the outrageousness and the terror. Sharing their side of the horrific stories. All distributing the same emotions betrayal and being forced to look the other way. The choreographer immersed herself into the stories of the young people who had overcome the sacrifice of fleeing their country to have freedom in Australia. Cadi McCarthy clearly and successfully got her intent to the target audience (young students) expressing the dreadful descriptions by educating us through contemporary and hip hop dance. There are seven characters (not including the two boys who are still learning English) in the performance, each with different difficulties and reports to share with the world. They all show tolerance and ignorance to not give up and not give in. The movements and space used in this choreography by Cadi McCarthy entitles the effects and emotions she wants the audience to feel. Each performer had their own special techniques which was used to their advantage. Movements such as slowly walking, shaking, and closed shapes, sharp turns, counter balancing and falling, these are indications of being pushed around. The fast, muscular movements were intimidating and in each other’s personal space. The most significant peace was the Riot (Fight scene) which was done in a group, but danced in duets. Showing the mob mentality, strength and power, giving the truthful facts that no matter how many times you’re pushed down, you shall thrive to get back up again, keep moving forward. The costumes seemed rushed and not restricted which gave them freedom to move the clothing looking very unfavourable. Using very natural colours such as black, skin colour, white, and a flowered dress worn by Yillin showing the audience that they were in a rush, all they had was the clothing on their backs. The lighting effects by Andrew Portwine was dim and organic to set the mood, the angles of the light reflected off the dancers faces to give texture, dark gloomy looks. The overall costumes and lighting was more than successful and gave the illusion to hardship for the audience. Tristen Parr and Matt Cornell did exceptional work on the soundtrack. The music had been made from scratch so it was an original peace. In the performance the music was recorded and instrumental throughout. You could feel the classical vibrations as if atmospherical, representing the extreme adversity and struggles (Production2; Sacrifice, where videos are used to tell us about true stories). There were sections of the performance where the sound was live, like the word monologues where each dancer talks about accountings explaining what it was like to be a refugee (Peter Fares holding Yillin Kong on his shoulder while telling the story of his parents from Israel, Lebanon, and Syria to Australia). The most memorable and major feature of the props used was the ‘Opening boards’ (Designed by Laura Boynes and Tristan Parr) where the characters drag themselves across the stage and stand up onto a rocking board, representing the uncertainty to travel, external and internal fear of leaving their loved ones, the experience’s to come. Using the boards as a boat and steps revealing their long journey to find freedom, using the rocking motion traveling the entire emotional ride with the characters. The boards drew the audience’s attention straight away to the restlessness and fear. The backdrop of four walls that were recycled substances designed by Monique Wajon (makeshift of materials found in refugee camps). These props communicated to the audience giving meaning and belief to the dance. The Buzz Dance Theatre has accomplished in reproducing all viewpoints of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers. Every possible aspect of contemporary and hip hop dance was put into this performance to accomplish the priorities and achievements of triumphing to the top. Each dancer attributes to the story in individual ways choreographed by Cadi McCarthy. I personally found that every phase used for this special performance including characters, music, costumes, choreography, set and props all worked exceptionally well together to produce a stimulating and significant enactment. Although a little dark I was defiantly motivated at the end of the performance.

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 31

Personal Statement Example ol that would build my dreams and inspirations with my mind building games capabilities, and my talents to bring out the psych and inspiration in my fellow students (Green and LeKita 2). In my high school years, I relentlessly though, and contemplated the school that would suit my preferences, capabilities to a much higher understanding standard. When I visited the school, I saw that this is exactly the school; I have been looking forward to complete my studies. I like the challenges and the faculty and I hope to fulfill my inspirational dreams (Green and LeKita 22). I like the drive that I see around and I want to be an alumni of it and the school a part of my success. Inspirationally to try and be the unsurpassed as I love challenging people, who are better than me and beat them (Richards, 37). I crave competitive environments that are inspirational, and that is why I chose to work with the board game staff to increase my knowledge and skill. Am engrossed in pursuing my degree in this campus because I love the demand for skill that this campus requires, and I believe that it is in my capabilities to provide such skill (Richards, 37). I am going to educate myself for the whole academic period. I have confidence in being successful in my career of study in this

A Comparison between China and South Korea Essay

A Comparison between China and South Korea - Essay Example Brief Description According to Anders (99), the economic prosperity of a nation is evident when among other factors, its GDP is relatively higher, and the standard of living in that particular country is measurably enhanced. China, a country that ranks second economically after the United States, has been on a radical socioeconomic transformation thanks to its social and political policies that have evidently favored much of its success. South Korea, similarly, has hit the headlines with robust prosperity-oriented strategies that were designed to drive its short and long-term development goals. The differences and similarities are quite salient and deeply harrowing them would account for why the two nations exist on their respective edges. Justification for the Focus on Socioeconomic Issue While the GDP of a country may be casually attributed to the hardworking and obedient citizens, there is so much to it than what is merely understood (Ramirez 228). China, for example, with an extremely high population needs interplay of a myriad of factors to develop and sustain its economic growth trajectory. There is a direct relationship between the socioeconomic organization and prosperity of a nation and its development (Mazerolle 307). Focusing on this issue, therefore, illuminates the whole image of that which constitutes a nation’s development strategy. Empirically, it is made possible to know why South Korea or China is/or is not succeeding in its economic endeavors. Differences and Similarities (Preliminary)

Difference between B2B and B2C Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Difference between B2B and B2C Marketing - Essay Example The relationship shared by a company with external clients, whether general consumers or other businesses, is a vital aspect and requires careful strategic planning. B2B marketing and B2C marketing have therefore evolved into important areas of study in marketing. The current paper aims at understanding the differences existing between the two marketing models. The research has been carried out in respect of the B2B and B2C marketing strategies existing in the airline industry in reference to Qantas airlines (Basole and Rouse, 2008). While marketing products to other businesses, preference is given to the logic of the product. Time and cost saving are the most important features which are highlighted. B2B marketing involves careful strategic analysis of the different organizational processes. The need for seeking an in-depth knowledge regarding a firm’s operations, supply chain, value chain and overall resource management process is higher in the B2B marketing process (Vargo a nd Lusch, 2008). Relations with suppliers are also seen to hold an important place in such a marketing approach. In contrast to such marketing strategies, B2C marketing strategies center upon attracting consumers by highlighting the benefits and the uses of the product. Consumers are seen to remain more focused on the features and uses of a product (Vargo and Lusch, 2008). Price and quality are also important factors which should be considered while marketing products to the consumers. There are also fundamental differences in the manner in which the products and services are presented in B2B and B2C marketing. In B2B marketing, products are presented using consultative sales techniques.

What is the relevance of Marxism to critical theory Give examples of Essay

What is the relevance of Marxism to critical theory Give examples of practices - Essay Example According to Marxism, to understand the dialectical of history individuals should focus on the human agents which exist within relatively enduring social structures of which the agent reproduce or alter through their various actions. Moreover, it argues that the dialectical view of the society challenges the empiricist approaches used in the study of principles governing human and social life. In a much wider perspective, Marxism works to define politics in an expansive manner since politics is seen as struggle over the shaping of the kind of world we live and the identity of people we are (Rabaka, 2009). On the other hand, capitalism can be defined as a form of social life which is based on historically specific class relations between the class of people owning capital and those acting as wage laborers. In as much capitalism is considered to be productive but in away disabling, exploitative and undemocratic to those areas or sectors where it is being applied. Marxism further argues that capitalist accumulation is what drives major capitalist countries into colonial expansionism, creating the potential for inter-imperialist rivalry on a global scale. In making explanations for politics, Marxism and critical theory examines in details the structures of global capitalism and the ideologies and agents situated within the specific structures. It places emphasis on the capital driven nature of the state‘s action in the global capitalist systems and the need for states to maintain control of oil in order to maintain global capitalism in the world. An example is that from a Marxist c ritical theory, the war on terror should be understood in the context of ideology of economic security (Kellner, 1989). According to Karl Marx, socialist and dialectical theories Marxism, critical theory examines fictitious works as a manifestation of the societal foundations which plays a key role in their establishment (Pawling, 2013). Marxist views elements of

Training and Development Relate to Human Resource Essay

Training and Development Relate to Human Resource - Essay Example Formal mentoring can also be subject to monitoring by Human Resource managers and others within an organization to make sure objectives are met. Informal mentoring is more of a natural relationship that develops between two individuals with mutual respect, who become involved in the relationship on a purely voluntary basis. Such mentoring is more common and usually more flexible in nature. There is a lack of outside influence and structure, with participants defining the skills and behaviors taught, within their own time frame. There has been much information gathered from mentored involved in such relationships, though not as much from mentors. Manda Rosser (2005) identifies characteristics of mentoring relationships in her study of CEOs a mentors who have been previously mentored. First, most of them recognize the value of such relationships, as many described such relationships as helpful to their current positions and professional skills. Second, most identify mentoring relations hips as long-lasting, often over periods of several decades. Even when the mentoring has negative results, those studied admit that the mentoring relationships Mentoring and Apprenticeship Training HRM420 Term Paper 2 are valuable learning tools. One executive talks about his own mentoring relationship as one in which he was hurt and taken advantage of. Because of the experience, he mentors with an attitude of fairness and giving. Another executive describes mentoring as â€Å"perhaps even one of the most important things that can occur in developing others. Mentoring is giving of yourself. There is no expectation of return†(Rosser, 2005, p.547).

Health Administarion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Health Administarion - Essay Example The lowest level of the hierarchy, physiological needs, should be the first to be met by an individual. An organization should ensure that employees have access to adequate shelter, food, and clothing. When the physiological needs have been adequately satisfied, safety of individuals will be the next on the priorities. In the case where an individual is residing within the organization’s premises, the management should ensure that they are secure, both financial and physically. Financial security will imply management undertaking strategic measures to ensure they invest in activities that will secure their future financial obligations (Miller and McBrewster 86). The need for belonging is an interpersonal need. Individuals need to be loved and have a cordial relationship with their families and friends. The organization should provide their employees time to intermingle with their family members. Human beings need to feel a sense of acceptance and belonging in the society. The fourth need is self esteem. Individuals need to have s stable self-esteem and self-respect in the society. As such, the management should issue measures that will necessitate competency, mastery, freedom and independence, and self-confidence. Instigating these measures to its employees, the management will ensure that self-esteem needs are realized. Finally, the topmost level in the hierarchy is self-actualization. Individuals strive to achieve these needs. This level will be achieved when the other needs such as physiological, safety, belonging, and self esteem are

Culture and disease Essay Example for Free

Culture and disease Essay Diabetes is a common chronic disease whereby blood glucose or sugar levels in the blood are too high. Glucose mainly comes from foods that are consumed and by the help of insulin hormone they can get into the body cells to provide energy. Diabetes is classified into two types whereby in type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce insulin whereby with type two the body does not make insulin or use it well in the body. Therefore, when body lacks enough insulin to convert sugar into energy, the sugars stay in the blood and this leads to the disease condition of diabetes. The two common types of diabetes are type 1 and type II diabetes. The condition mainly affects the old people due to lack of exercise and poor eating habits. Within the Italian community, the most common condition presented is diabetes mellitus but unlike other places in Italy it affects children between the ages of 0-14. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreases is not capable of producing enough insulin which is meant for converting sugar into energy. When the cells are not responding well to the insulin which is produced a disease condition can arise. This leads to lack of absorption of glucose into the cell of the body and therefore high levels of glucose are found in blood. The disease manifest itself in different symptoms such as frequent urination, leathery weigh loss, hunger and excessive thirst. The disease can be controlled by exercising regularly and eating well balanced diet and avoiding a lot of sugary meals. Condition can be treated by administration of insulin so as to convert the excess sugar in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the body cell. This condition in severe state it can cause renal failure, heart disease, blindness, and stroke or limb amputation. There is quite a high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy which is about 3-4% of its population and it increases with age. Most of them have type II which is diabetes mellitus and it occurs mainly at the onset of adulthood. Agent or causative agent of diabetes mellitus in Italy and elsewhere are not known since the disease occurs when the body can not produce insulin properly. Type I mainly occurs in young people whereby islet of langerharn cells stops producing insulin completely. In the report by John (2002), diabetes can also arise as a result of auto immune problem whereby the body turns against its own cells thus damaging them and rendering important processes to take place. Type II mainly affects the old people but it’s also gaining roots in younger generation due to lifestyle i. e. As a result of poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. In this type, the body is unable to utilize insulin in converting blood glucose levels to energy. Other causes of diabetes includes:- Obesity- This mainly occurs as a result of metabolic syndrome. It occurs as a result of extra energy. Diabetes can also be caused by excessive chronic stress due to excessive utilization of thoughts. Therefore, the best way to overcome all these causes is by living a healthy lifestyle exercising regularly and being cautious on what you are eating. Diabetes mellitus can also result due to hereditary factor whereby the disease is passed through the generation on families. It can also result due to the environmental factors of the surrounding. In genetic diabetes, these individuals have a common genetic marker Type I can occur as a result of vital infection or other microorganism which damages the islet of langerharns cells in the pancreas. Type II is mainly associated with old age, obesity and genetic factors. Italian population is said to be more vulnerable to diabetes than the rest of the European countries. This is much contributed by their lifestyle and the diet they utilize. One thing in Italy is that almost half of its population are said to be overweight and they are clinically tested and proved to be obese. Obese is one of the factors that caused diabetes. Their stare of obese prevents them from working and living normal life due to the bulkiness of their bodies. Failure to work and live normal life hindered them from obtaining financial help from state to help them fight the condition. There state of obesity is also contributed by their diet since they mainly consume fatty foods which are rich in carbohydrates and therefore they end up accumulating a lot of energy which is not utilized in their bodies leading to obesity (James, Kelly, 2007) [PR] There are quite a number of environmental factors which contributes to diabetes. One major environmental cause of diabetes is persistence organic pollution in the environment and insulin resistance. Around 1940, Italian was quite persistent in the use of DDP pesticide which was quite dangerous to crops for consumption and also human. Even after it was banned it remained in the environment causing more harm to human. They slowly biodegrade and finally enter into the food chain which is finally consumed by human. Therefore, high levels of persistence organic pollutants cause types II diabetes. Environmental contaminant which mainly causes diabetes acts through estrogen receptors which results to disruption of endocrine by the chemicals which are incorporated in pollutants. Due to the industrial activities of Italy these pollutants are quite many within the environment and have resulted to diabetes type II since they hinder utilization of insulin by the cells. The mode of transmission of diabetes underlies some of difference in concordance rate. In Italy one of the major transmission modes is through genetic transmission which is mainly from substantial differences in preference rate of the disease which is mostly present in the same ethnic group and to those people who are under similar environmental burden. Apart from genetic transmission, diabetes can posses the mode of inherited transmission. This is also genetically connected whereby phenotype and pathophysiological levels indicates that genetic compounds are likely to be heterogeneous. Different mode of transmission of diabetes can be evidenced in discrete families and it can act as an overall mode of inheritance. Therefore, diabetes is mainly transmitted through genetic since it’s a hereditary disorder and can be passed from one generation to another within the same family (altha, Edgren, 2007) [PR]. There are quite a number of control methods which are used to control diabetes in Italy. These modes of control can be used to minimize the risk of infection in most prone areas of Italy. The first main control measure is by ensuring that the right diet is consumed foods with high energy context should be avoided such as consumption of a lot of carbohydrates in diet, sugary things, snacks fatty foods, potatoes and other meals which have a lot of energy. These foods can lead to obesity which is one of the major causes of diabetes. Therefore if they are avoided the risk of one being obese is reduced which consequently reduce the prevalence rate of acquiring diabetes. Another control measure which needs to be taken into account and which is less practiced in Italy is exercising regularly. Regular exercise helps to burn excess fats and energy which makes one’s body physically fit. In Italy due to most of the people being overweight they do not exercise regularly and this makes their bodies to retain a lot of energy and therefore they become prone to infection. Regular exercise therefore can be used as a control measure in preventing diabetes among the Italians. Exercising healthy lifestyles is also another thing that can help in the control of diabetes this is mostly encouraged in those families who have a life history of diabetes since by doing so they minimize the risks of inheriting disease from their relatives. Government of Italy can also come in to ensure that the danger posed to its citizens of acquitting diabetes as a result of harmful environmental effects like the use of DDP. Therefore, government should ban the use of such chemicals which are harmful to human life and also to ecosystem at large. The main treatment methods used for curing and maintaining diabetes at minimum are change in diet, administration of oral medicine, and in other cases daily injection or insulin or Byetta are mainly used to improve insulin concentration in the blood so that it can convert excess glucose in the blood to energy so that it can be utilized by the cells. Apart from these medicines in most of the routine hospitals in Italy they use acarbose and metform which are known to reduce the disease prevalence in the country by increasing the levels of insulin in the blood. They also use sulfonylurea and combination of different drugs in treating diabetes. These form of treatment resulted to different complication among those who were treated. These complications ranged from mild to severe complications such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and nephropathy and obstatic arteriopathy of lower limbs. This showed that the medication had vast adverse effect on the health of patient which did not cure the disease but brought about more complication to patients. In determining the social and cultural influences of diabetes in Italy, anthropological methodology was employed which signified that:- They came up with ways of breaking the social network providing support of young people and this contrasted greatly with the ideas of health cares that held conferences, meeting and social support networks. Diabetes patients were excluded at any age without minding about their development they were categorized by age and not individual ability and preference. People were encouraged to take care of themselves at an early age which ensured that they were separated from the family and peer. According to Italian population, they considered the type of treatment offered inconvenient and mostly since it was associated with so many side effects to most of the patient who treatment was administered to and acted well on a very small percentage of patients. Therefore, patients in Italy do not believe that there is effective medication for diabetes and hence they opt for just natural ways of curing the diseases i. e. by use of diet exercising. Therefore since statistics shows that there is quite high prevalence rate of diabetes in Italy as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise. The country need to come up with ways of minimizing this incidence rate since their treatment methods are not quite effective and they end up causing move harm to patients. Reference: Altha Robert, Edgren Ken R, (2007), The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, (vol 5) Jacqueline L. Longe Ed 3 Detroit, Gale on line update. Anne Dornhorst Gary Frost, Robert Mosses, (2003), Nutritional Management of Diabetes Mellitus, New York: John Willey and Son. James Enger, Kelly, (July-August 2007), Dangerous diabetes obesity connections on How to reduce your Risks now, ‘’vibrant life’’: 6-11.

Problem Identification and Definition of Marketing research plan

Problem Identification and Definition of Marketing research plan Introduction A marketing research plan is the document containing the information regarding the potential market. It outlines specific actions to be taken to attract potential buyers to buy products or services. It is developed as an overall part of a business plan to accomplish the objectives of the organisation (Bradley 2007). This paper will discuss the development of a marketing research plan for entry into the business of a coffee shop and the different methods to develop the plan. It will also discuss different modes of marketing research and the research instrument used to develop the plan. Problem Identification and Definition The first stage is to develop a clear and precise understanding of the research problem, to permit effective conduct of the research process. It is very important to analyse the problems to conduct the research effectively. In this scenario, a veteran market researcher wants to enter into the business of operating a coffee shop and the problem is to identify the potential market and to find the appropriate outlet and product mix for the products and services of the business. The determination of product line and the price to be charged for the product is the identified problem. At the same time, the business is also facing problems with the positioning of the shop in the relevant market. Research Objectives The objectives for this marketing research process are to find an appropriate market and potential customers for the coffee shop by identifying the buying behaviour and habits of the prospective customers. Research Approach A research approach is an important part of the marketing research plan that helps to find relevant data and information and helps to convert information and data into numeric form so that it is easy to develop the marketing plan (Jackson 2008). There are basically two types of research approaches: qualitative and quantitative, which can be used to collect data and gather relevant information. Qualitative research approach: Under a qualitative research approach, the information is gathered in qualitative terms to effectively answer the questions. In this research approach, an in-depth analysis of peoples attitudes and behaviour can be analysed to know their preferences. This approach also helps to understand the complexity of the prospective customers very well so that relevant information can be gathered (Hair Money 2011). The most important thing about this research is that there is no fixed way or theory how best to gather information for the specific problem. It generally uses a small number of respondents. Quantitative research approach: On the other hand, in quantitative research, the data and information is generally transformed into numeric form to answer the research questions. Using this approach, the information is gathered in a holistic view to answer the research questions (Gliner Morgan 2000). All the people in the group are invited to answer the questions for a specific problem. This approach generally tends from general to specific to answer the objectives of the case problem. In this case, quantitative research approach would be more appropriate to find the solution as it would be more effective in analysing customers behaviour regarding the coffee shop business. It would also help in getting relevant information case through the data available and questionnaire. It will also help the researcher to decide the product line as well as its pricing structure. Research Design In this stage, a model is created to conduct the marketing research. An effective research design helps in answering the problems related to the case. The descriptive way of conducting the marketing research is being considered (Creswell 2003). The research design which will be used here is of a descriptive research design, so that solutions to the issues can be obtained. The effectiveness of the research design alone can determine the success of the marketing research process that ultimately affects the quality of the marketing research plan as well. The descriptive design of the research plan will help to provide an in-depth analysis of the situation through effectively analysing individual responses. It will also help to make the research process fast and accurate (Bynner Stribley 2010). At the same time, it brings smoothness to the information gathering and analysis as it answers the case problems effectively. In most cases, it has been seen that due to lack of effective research design the researcher is not able to find relevant answers to problems. The descriptive research design will help to find current users of coffee as well as help to analyse the future demand of the product. As the design is the most time-consuming stage, it needs to be developed carefully. The design will help the researcher to prepare an effective questionnaire for the research process (Maxwell 2005). This questionnaire will help the researcher to find appropriate market, product line and price. For the success of any research process, it is important to choose appropriate respondents, to maximise the chance of achieving a valid outcome. Data Collection Data collection is one of the most important stages in a marketing research process. Different activities, such as data gathering online and questionnaires, will be used to answer the case problems effectively. (Zundel Vignali 2003). Following are some of the ways through which data can be collected. Online data: The online data available can help to gather information on which markets hold the most promise for a new coffee shop. Although Michael doesnt want to use the internet for this research, to answer the first question it will prove to be relevant. The number of coffee chains in a particular area, the increase in the number of percentage of coffee shops and the revenue of competitors can be collected to analyse which markets are most promising. Online survey: The researcher also has the option of conducting an online survey to find appropriate markets and customers for the proposed coffee shop. It is less costly and much preferred in todays world, where people dont have much time to respond in person. The online survey will also help the researcher to get several ideas from the respondents regarding the opening of the coffee shop (Becerra Korgaonkar 2011). It also has additional benefits, such as having quick responses that can help the researcher to get relevant information rapidly and thus to start business as soon as possible. It is also believed that respondents in online surveys respond more honestly in comparison with other means of data collection and surveys. This source of information generation would be the most effective for the researcher to get relevant information. Questionnaire: The questionnaire will help the researcher to collect relevant information. It is one of the most critical aspects of the research and a good questionnaire must meet the two basic criteria of accuracy and relevance. It should be carefully designed to ensure the answers are relevant: thus, how the questions are framed, the sequence of questions and pretesting of questions (Zikmund Babin, 2007). Research Instrument There are various research instruments available to be used for this research to find appropriate solutions to the problems. The use of effective research instruments is very important to determine the success of the marketing research plan. The effective use of the research instrument will help to analyse the situations effectively. To get a solution for the problems, the researcher can use a questionnaire (Gama 2011). This is an effective instrument to find solutions to the issues raised. It will help the researcher to find appropriate markets and customers for the coffee shop. Following is the description of how this instrument can help the researcher to find the appropriate market Questionnaire: A questionnaire is the most common research instruments used to find solutions to research questions. It is a set of questions through which the respondents preferences and taste are determined by the researcher. It will help the researcher to get relevant information. It is very important to prepare effective questions, so that appropriate information can be generated from respondents. Here, the effectiveness of the questionnaire will help the researcher to find the right market as well as potential customers (Katono 2011). The wording, form and ordering of questions really matters a lot in an effective questionnaire as these factors determine the success of the questionnaire. It should also be considered, while determining what questions should be included, that each question should focus on the problems described in the present case. Research measures are an important part of a research question that help to solve the research questions effectively. The measure items for research question 1 are as follows. High density of customers: The high density of potential customers would be effective in finding the most promising market for a coffee shop, as the maximum amount of users will ensure the success for the new coffee shop (Herzog 2010). Maximum coffee users: The number of users who consume coffee is another measure item for the question one. The maximum amount of coffee users will ensure maximum business. Low competition: Low competition is another important measure item for this research question, as it will ensure the opportunity for growth of this coffee shop in the particular market. The first key research question and the measure items are listed below. 1) What markets in the USA hold the most promise for a new coffee shop? Please specify the city you belong to †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Where do you drink your coffee the most? Starbucks Coffee Bean Tea Leaf Local barista Other (Please specify) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ How often do you drink coffee outside? Every day Once in 2-3 days Weekly Fortnightly Other (Please specify) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The following are the measure items for research question 2. Central location: A centrally located place would be more appropriate to attract the maximum number of customers for the coffee shop, as people would be willing to go there because it would be within ready access by the customers. Shopping mall: A shopping mall can also be one of the best places for the coffee shop as the number of people visiting malls will enhance its popularity. The second key research question and the measure items are as follows. 2) What type of location is best for a coffee shop? 1. Where do you usually have/pick up your coffee? Shopping Mall City Centre Close to workplace Petrol station Train/bus station 2. When do you most often buy coffee? On the way to work Morning break Lunch time Evening 3. Which type of coffee shop do you prefer? Sit-down coffee shop Drive-thru The following are the measure items for research question 3. Coffee quality: The quality of the coffee helps in making a coffee shop popular in a specific market. It will help to increase customer base for the shop, as most people prefer quality in everything (Herzog 2010). Price: Price is another important aspect that determines popularity of the coffee shop in the market. The researcher can have competitive prices in comparison to its competitors to make the coffee shop popular among the users. Service: Service is another important aspect that determines success of a business. If the services provided by the coffee shop are not up to the level of its competitors, it will not be able to attract customers. The third key research question and the measure items are listed below. 3) What is it that makes a coffee shop popular? Which is the most important factor while choosing a coffee shop? Price Quality Service What do you generally purchase at the coffee shop? Only coffee Snack Toastie Snack and coffee combo Snack and toastie combo Other (Please specify) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ What kind of service do you prefer? Self-service Table service Take-away The following are the measure items for research question 4. Taste: The taste of the coffee determines the preferences of the users of coffee. Quality: Quality again becomes the reason for the preferences of one product over the other (Miller Strang 2010). Habit: Habit is another important aspect that determines the preferences of Americans regarding the use of coffee. It is in the habit of people to prefer a particular type of coffee. The fourth key research question and the measure items are listed below. 4) What coffee do Americans prefer? Which type of coffee do you prefer? Flat Cappuccino Mocha Black Espresso Other (Please specify) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Which of the following coffees do you prefer? Hot Cold Iced Would you prefer to buy any other type of beverages (other than coffee)? Yes, please specify†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. No Sample Plan and Size Sample size is an important step in the marketing research process that determines the success of the marketing research plan. In quantitative research, a large sample size is taken to get solution to the problems (Cacic Markovina 2011). Here, a large sample size of respondents will be taken to derive the effective outcome of the problems. Many people often visit the coffee shop and mostly take tea instead of coffee (Usui 2011). Taking their response in a small sample size can affect the outcome of the case and the researcher would be unable to determine the exact market for the coffee shop as well as the potential customers for the shop. At the same time, the large sample size will help to effectively manage the responses of the people to derive a positive outcome. The large sample size will also help in minimising the sample errors associated with small sample sizes. Further, it will help to minimise non-responses in a small sample size (Grossberg 2011). In this case, it is very important to get relevant information regarding coffee users, so that it can capitalize on the information. This is only possible when a large number of customers are being asked about their likes and dislikes. At the same time, it will also require extensive analysis of potential customers to choose an appropriate place for the coffee shop. Data Structuring and Analysis In this stage, the data and information collected will be analysed to derive a positive outcome. It is important as it helps to arrange data in a systematic way. It will help in identifying the specific group of people using coffee. Data structuring helps to analyse the data properly so that effective results can be derived from the data and information gathered (Alexander Rhodes 2011). The ways through which data structuring can be followed to help a researcher to derive a positive outcome include the following. Data mining: Data mining is the process of analysing the data from different perspectives to derive exact information. In data mining, data is analysed from different angles to find appropriate markets and customers for its coffee shop. Here, mining the data would be effective to get relevant information regarding potential customers (Fichet 2011). The data gathered through collection will effectively help to analyse relevant information regarding customer tastes and preferences. Data mining will further help the researcher to establish a strong customer base for his coffee shop, considering customer tastes and preferences and to give guidance on product positioning and fixing prices. Data clustering: Data clustering is the process of separating the data gathered into different groups according to their needs and preferences. Data that has some similarities are kept in a group to help the researcher to analyse it effectively. Here, the data gathered for the coffee shop will be separated based on prospective customers tastes and preferences, so that a researcher can readily derive the necessary information (Mehlhorn Sanders 2008). Data cluster helps to get information regarding not only the number of customers consuming coffee but also helps to find other relevant information regarding those potential customers. Perpetual Mapping: Perpetual mapping is an effective tool that analyses the market conditions and the buyers buying behaviour. It also helps to analyse the complexity among competitors in the market. It is an important tool for the data structuring as it provides complete market knowledge regarding any particular issue or problem. In this case, perpetual mapping would be most effective to analyse the data, as it will provide information regarding the competitors in the market (Alexander Rhodes 2011). Perpetual mapping helps to analyse strategies regarding competitors and provides insight how to satisfy the customers through analysing their buying behaviour. Statistical graph: The researcher also has the option to make a statistical graph to analyse the data gathered. These graphs would effectively analyse the data to enable the researcher to find suitable place for his business. The design of the graph is based on the amount of data and frequency of the questionnaires used for getting relevant information. These statistical graphs will help the researcher to find relevant information regarding potential customers (Mehlhorn Sanders 2008). There are different types of graphs that can be used by the researcher to analyse the data like pictograph, pie chart, map chart, bar graph etc. Report Generation and Presentation With this stage, the whole process of marketing research process is summarised and its conclusions included in a brief document. The result derived with the data and information gathered during this process is analysed to answer the research questions associated with the case study. Effective documentation of the whole process gives an overall idea about the possible solutions of problems (Belk 2006). Important elements of the research process are included in this section to help the researcher to find an appropriate market. It will help the researcher to make effective decisions on the basis of the marketing research process. In this case, the documentation of the process will help researcher to find out his potential market and customers for the coffee shop, as well as help him to position the coffee shop in the best market. The researcher will be able to find answers to questions raised with the help of effective report generation and presentation (Gliner Morgan 2000). The report will include the number of potential customers, their consumption habits, the numbers and types of competitor etc. Thus, it is important to have effective and relevant presentation of research finding to help the researcher to find appropriate markets and potential customers for the coffee shop. Conclusion From the above discussion, a marketing research plan is very important for the success of a business. It provides an overview of the whole market condition to find appropriate markets and customers for its business. The effective analysis of the marketing research process is an important part of the marketing research plan that helps businesses to get established in a particular market. In this case, the marketing research plan may help the researcher to find appropriate market and customers for his coffee shop. The plan may effectively help him to find solutions to the issues regarding the location and preferences for the style of coffee shop.

Pride, Gender, and Inaction in Antigone

Pride, Gender, and Inaction in Antigone Pride, Gender, and Inaction in Antigone The central theme of Sophocles play â€Å"Antigone† is the dilemma that one faces, in adhering to ones own conclusion or to abide by the existing laws of the land. The play highlights the fact that men have been bestowed with independent thinking, and have been blessed with the capacity to analyze situations; Man must therefore consult his mental faculties and think rationally before making a judgment. Therefore, the four major themes of the play Antigone are Pride, Gender, Individual versus State; Conscience versus Law; Divine Law versus Human Law, and Inaction. There is no question that pride, in Antigone, is a trait loathed by the gods, one that is punishable without mercy. Sophocles describes the type of pride that allows men to create laws that substitute for divine principles. When Creon creates a law because he believes it is divine will, it is the ultimate display of punishable pride, for no man can ever form a law that is equivalent to or greater than divine right. Consequently, when Tiresias comes with the news that Creon will be punished, Creon realizes that he has made an awful mistake, and yet still refuses to admit it. Creon bends to the prophets message only because he wants to save his life, not because he knows hes gone too far. As a result, Creon must suffer the loss of his family. Individual versus State, Conscience versus Law, and Divine Law versus Human Law are three major conflicts in Antigone that are closely intertwined. Antigone and her principles pair with the first entity in each conflict, while Creon and his standards line up with the second. Antigone is a risk to the status quo; she invokes divine law as justification for her actions, but is implicit in her position on faith. She sacrifices her life out of devotion to principles higher than human law. Creons position is an understandable one, for example, in the stir of war, and with his reign so new, Creon has to set an example by showing his citizens that his power is supreme. On the other hand, Creons need to triumph over Antigone seems to be tremendously personal. The order of the state is not only at stake after Creons mistake, his sense of self as king is also in peril after his detrimental mistake. Antigones sex has profound effects on the significance of her actions. Creon himself says that the need to conquer her is vital because she is a woman. By refusing to be submissive, Antigone defies one of the basic rules of her society. Ismene is Antigones foil because she is intimidated by the rule of men, she believes that women should be subservient to men. Ismene says that men are stronger, and for that reason must be obeyed. In due course, we see that she has naively bought into the problematic concepts that Creon adopted. When Creon realizes he may be incorrect, he changes his argument, he claims that if he was wrong, he couldnt confess that he was beat by a woman, for that would upset divine law more than reneging on his principles would. It is this original fabrication that Sophocles play seeks to correct, primarily through the retribution the Gods inflict on Creon as a result of his insensitive and sexist thinking. When faced with prejudice, Antigone and Ismene react quite differently. Ismene is not so much frightened of injustice as she is terrified of her own downfall, she cannot bear to incur the fury of men for fear of being damned to the same fate as the rest of her family. After witnessing her father and brothers death, she thinks that the best course of action is to obey. In the case of Ismene, it seems inaction is unified with fear, she then willingly offers to die next to Antigone, at which point we recognize that she is not so much inactive as she is uncertain of her position as a woman. Accordingly, while Ismene is characterized primarily by doubt, Antigone is one who plunges ahead purely on self-confidence and her firm convictions about right and wrong. In the end, its because of these fundamental differences in philosophy that they cannot die as one. In the end, it is apparent that Antigone has received the best reward. Upon her death, she is reunited with her loved ones, her mother, her father, her brothers and even her affianced, Haemon. The fact that Haemon takes his life after Antigones death solidifies the idea that the gods truly are rewarding Antigone. While her family members are already present in the afterlife, her death robbed her of her adored spouse to be and â€Å"Denied [her] part in the wedding songs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but this rejection is undone upon the death of Haemon. Creon and Ismene, with their narcissistic intentions, are both left alone and are eventually punished for their self-serving actions. While both Creon and Ismene experience the loss of family and must live out their lives in isolation, Creons punishment is fueled by the fact that his community loses admiration for him and soon after, his empire is taken over by a second war, leaving his life in complete ruin. Works Cited Sophocles. â€Å"Antigone.† Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, Robert Funk. 8th Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 2007. 738-773.

Essay --

OPERATION JUST CAUSE Introduction On December 20, 1989 the United States military launched a full scale invasion of Panama, code named Operation Just Cause. Operation Just Cause was also known as Operation Blue Spoon but was later changed for political reasons. This invasion occurred during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. The goal of Operation Just Cause was to capture General Manuel Antonio Noriega who was the commander of the Panama Defense Forces (PDF). Noriega was wanted for drug trafficking, money laundering and other illegal activities. At the time, President Bush wanted to put an end to drug trafficking. By capturing Noriega, the amount of drugs coming into the United States from South America would be reduced. â€Å"Just Cause was extraordinarily complex, involving the deployment of thousands of personnel and equipment† from across multiple military instillations and branches. Within the first twenty-four hours, over two dozen objectives were to be been secured.1 These victories would place the U .S. in a position to continue influencing operations for the remainder of the invasion. Planning and preparation helped U.S. forces minimize casualties and excessive collateral damage during the invasion. â€Å"Within seventy-two hours of the outbreak of hostilities, all major combat operations ended† and shifted the role of American forces from that of â€Å"war fighters to that of peacekeepers†. The success of the operation was the result of well thought out objectives, detailed planning, excellent leadership, and dedicated training.2 The operation lasted only a few weeks and concluded on January 31, 1990. History President George Bush defended the invasion with a number of reasons as to why the U.S. military was sent into Panama ... ...an agencies were given little warning about their upcoming role in supporting the post combat mission. With the lack of warning and proper time to prepare, the transition from military to civilian operations became very complex in the time following Operation Just Cause. 17 This led to improvements made in the planning process where several military and civilian governmental organizations now come together to discuss upcoming operations and how the post process will be carried out by all parties. Working together allows for multiple ideas to be brought forth and all strengths and weaknesses can be taken into account. Civilian agencies such as the State Department, Justice Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development must be given the necessary time to plan for post combat phases so that their assistance is of a great value to the military. 18

Shakespeares As You Like It - The Transformation of Rosalind :: Shakespeare As You Like It Essays

As You Like It: The Transformation of Rosalind Many characters undergo a change in William Shakespeare’s play, As You Like It. Duke Senior goes from being a member of a court to being a member of a forest. Orlando changes from a bitter younger brother to a love-sick young man. But the most obvious transformation undergone, is done by Rosalind. Her change from woman to man, not only alters her mood, candor, and gender, but allows her to be the master of ceremonies. Celia and Rosalind are fairly happy in the court of Celia’s father, Duke Frederick. However, much to her surprise, the Duke banishes Rosalind from his court. Celia, not allowing her beloved cousin to "go it alone", decides to accompany her to where ever she may roam. They decide to search out Rosalind’s father, Duke Senior, in the forest of Arden. Before they depart, Rosalind decides that for both her and Celia’s safety, she will dress herself as a man, saying, "Were it not better, Because that I am more than common tall, That I did suit me all points like a man? A gallant curtal ax upon my thigh, A boar spear in my hand, and- in my hear Lie there what hidden woman’s fear there will- We’ll have a swashing and a martial outside, As many other mannish cowards have That do outface it with their semblances. (1:3 ll. 112-120) At first glance, this transformation is a mere change of clothes and the addition of weapons, but it goes much deeper. To Rosalind, the taking on of a man’s appearance requires certain things. She believes that while dressed as a man, she cannot bring shame to the image of a man. A good example of this is in Act 2, Scene 4, where she says, "I could find in my heart to disgrace my man’s/ apparel and to cry like a woman; but I must comfort/ the weaker

Brief Therapy

Personally, this â€Å"solution-based or solution-focused brief therapy† is appealing to me simply because it is brief (The.. , 2003). See I have the tendency to become impatient in anything that calls for counseling (The.. , 2003). Since brief therapy has the power to address my dilemma in less than five counseling sessions, I am very grateful for it (The.. , 2003).I also appreciate greatly the fact that â€Å"instead of solving problems, it builds solutions† which makes the change that occurred to be consistent and most likely to last (The..  , 2003).Brief therapy also addresses a wide range of dilemmas including the following: 1) anxiety; 2) depression; 3) mental health-related problems; 4) oppression experiences; 5) pain; 6) problems in sleeping; 7) work-related dilemmas; 8) relationship problems (including differences with children, with spouse, and with close friends); 9) stress; 10) substance abuse (including drugs and alcohol); 11) etc (The.. , 2003).What make s it more remarkable is that it may also be experienced by the economically challenged individuals who cannot afford the traditional and expensive counseling (The.. , 2003). It is good that there is a psychological therapy or counseling that may be offered free to those who do not have the capacity to pay but needed to solve a certain dilemma through â€Å"brief therapy† (The.. , 2003). Personal Experience I tried ‘brief therapy’ when I had terrible problems with my relationship with my partner.Here, I was taught to communicate better or effectively, I was inspired to trust and to establish a gratifying relationship (The.. , 2003). In addition to that, I was taught to address, manage, and settle conflict (The.. , 2003). My specific problem has been addressed in just a few counseling sessions and that particular dilemma never became a problem again (The.. , 2003). Reference The Brief Therapy Practice. (2003). Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Retrieved October 6, 20 07 from http://www. brieftherapy. org. uk/

Dante’s Allegory of Love in the Divine Comedy

The Meaning of Love through the works of Dante Lighter Devon Strand-Brown â€Å"O all ye whose intellects are sound, Look now and see the meaning that is hidden Beneath the veil that covers my strange verses:† (Inferno 9:61) Dante Lighter is indisputably the most famous Italian poet in history. His seminal work, The Divine Comedy still inspires 700 years after its writing, and has not yet yielded all of its secrets, though it is one of the most widely studied works ever to be written. The name â€Å"Dante† and that of The Divine Comedy are known the world over, but what of the man Dante? What of the allegory beneath his verses?The history of the Divine Poet, his life, his love and the mysteries of his great achievements are known to relatively few, compared to the number of people who have read the Comedy. My purpose here to open those doors to you, to give a taste of the lessons and mysteries of Dent's work, to give a glimpse of a man, famous in his time and forevermor e, and to recount the greatest tale of Love ever told. His definition of love may be the most potent and intricate definition ever described, told through four separate levels of allegory, culminating in the rise of the universal goal of Love itself.The Man â€Å"In that book which is my memory, On the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, Appear the words, ‘Here begins a new life'. † (Volta) Dante was born in 1265, though the month is not known. His given name was Du- ranted Delhi Lighter, Dante being a shortened version which he himself, and subsequent -?2-? writers and translators would adopt. His family name Lighter comes form the Latin word ‘aligner', which can be translated to â€Å"winged. † Though it came from his father, it was originally passed from a mother, Algeria Loudhailer -? wife of Guidance Elise', founder of Florence -? to her son.Thus Dante can trace his lineage directly back to he founders of his beloved Florenc e. The root meaning of Durance (and Dante) is more obvious, enduring, as names were of the most importance in those days. Dante would be happy to know that he has far surpassed the destiny of an enduring name. His father was a man of finance, buying and selling property as well as lending money, something Dante later disapproved of and which found its way into his Inferno. His mother was also from a well respected Florentine family, the Bait. Her father Durance (whom Dante was named after) was a Judge at the time.Much of the Poet's history we can find in the Comedy because although it is the story of his enlightenment, it also tells the tale of his past. We see this with his mother, whom we find in the circle of violence in Inferno, for she committed suicide while Dante was still very young, somewhere between 1270 and 1275. After his mother's death, his father soon remarried and had two more children. It seems Dante had a good relationship with these siblings as he refers affectiona tely to a sister who visits him while he is sick in â€Å"La Vita Nova. These references require that I move ahead, to describe the works of Dante for it is especially through them that we learn so much of the man. I shall discuss The Divine Comedy at greater length in a future section. But as an overview it is the tale of Dent's Journey through Inferno, rising up through Purgatory, then finally moving through Paradise, guided -?3-? by his beloved Beatrice, with his pilgrimage ending with the vision of God. The other work that I shall mention often is â€Å"la Vita Nova†, The New Life, which is a compilation of poems, sonnets and stories from throughout his life.It particularly focuses on his love for Beatrice which pervaded his life from the age of nine until he died at fifty-six. At this time Florence was a burgeoning hub of trade and culture, becoming one f the richest and most powerful cities in Italy, and even in Eastern Europe. However the city was divided along many l ines; there was a split between the populace and the gentry, yet also among the gentry. The largest of these rifts was that between the Gullah, whom Dante supported, and the Gibberellins.Once the Gibberellins were expelled from Florence another divide occurred; Between the Black Gullets, those who supported the Papacy, and the white Gullets, who wished for more autonomy from Rome. With the support of Pope Boniface the Black Gullets took control of Florence, destroying many White Gullah homes and exiling Dante. If he were ever to return to his beloved Florence to â€Å"worship at his baptismal fount† he would suffer death by burning. Following his exile, Dante wandered from city to city. Reigniting his intellectual spirit in Bologna and moving as far field as Paris.Finally he settled in Raven, a small city not far from Florence. It is during this time that it is believed that be began his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. It was completed Just prior to his death, sometime betwee n 1318 and 1321. The final Canto of Paradise was said to be lost for months following Dent's death, until in a dream, one of Dent's sons saw his father ho showed his where the final pages were hidden. His son, Pitter, searched for the pages and found them Just where -?4-? his father had indicated, and so, Just as a dream had begun the Comedy, a dream completed it.The Divine Comedy tells the tale of the Poet, Dante, and his Journey down into Inferno, up mount Purgatory and into Paradise where â€Å"the Love that moved the sun and the other stars† is finally revealed to him. It is divided into three canticles, Inferno, Purgatorial and Paradise. Each canticle is then further divided into 33 cantos, similar to chapters, except for Inferno which has a single introductory canto bringing he total to 100. Each canto is further split into three line sections, each line with a precise 11 syllables.This story fictively occurs in the year 1300 and Dante is faithful to this date, only inc luding people who had died before 1300 in any level of the Comedy , though often referencing those who are still living. Inferno, the first volume, is by far the most famous and widely read of the three. It begins: â€Å"Midway upon the Journey of our life. † Simply this first line gives premise to the Comedy being both a literal Journey through the levels of the earth but also a curative voyage through the life of a person, in this case Dante, though it can be expanded to include a more universal version of life.Through inferno Dante is guided by another great poet, Virgil, who, because he is a virtuous infidel has been confined to neutrality, the first level of hell. But who has been tasked by Beatrice to guide Dante down through Hell and up Mount Purgatory. Their Journey through Hell takes them down through all nine levels, on each level pausing to watch the punishment of the shades and sometimes speak to them, talking of their crimes or of the goings on of the living worl d. Finally in the lowest -?5-? bevel -?Judea, reserved for the traitors-? gravity reverses and they climb back out of the pit of inferno to once more observe the stars.At the base of Mount Purgatory seven As are inscribed on Dent's forehead. Each standing for Peculate or sin in Latin. As they pass through each of the seven levels of purgatory, each P is purged from his forehead. For Purgatory is not a place of perpetuity as many believe; it is a place of purging sins as its name suggests. Virgil continues as his guide and offers advice and answers to his questions along the way. However on questions of faith he defers to Beatrice, asking Dante to await her for his answer. At the peak of Purgatory is the Garden of Eden, earthly paradise.Here in paradise Dante is in awe of the heavens above him, while Virgil is reserved and distant. Dante turns away from his guide to gaze at four bright stars above him and when he looks back Virgil is gone. In his place stands Beatrice. From the Garde ns of Eden Beatrice leads Dante into Paradise, the nine circles of heaven. In each of these circles Dante speaks with different figures, Roman Emperors, Saints and Apostles prominent among them. And Just as Virgil taught Dante of life and the plight of souls in Inferno and Purgatory, so Beatrice teaches him of divinity, irate and all the levels of beatitude.One of the people he meets is his great great grand-father Guidance, who tasks him to compose a poem which â€Å"puts aside all falsehood. † He agrees, and is also tested by the apostles Peter, James and John before his can enter the Empyrean, the highest level of Heaven. It is here in the amphitheater of the Empyrean that Dent's Journey reaches is culmination with his rapturous vision of God. -?6_ â€Å"But my own wings were not enough for this, Had it not been that then my mind there smote A flash of lightning, wherein came its wish. (Paradise 33:139) Dante and Love But now was turning my desire and will, Even as a whee l that equally moved, The Love that moves the sun and the other stars. † (Paradise 33:142) Perhaps it is a sad testament to the human race, that the greatest love stories are those of unrequited love. Mark Antonym and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Dante and his Beatrice. Dante first glimpsed Beatrice at the age of nine. Of that sight he says, â€Å"At that moment, I say most truly that the spirit of life, hath its dwelling in the secretes chamber of the heart† (Nova).He goes on, describing her as a deity, as something other than a worldly woman. From that moment onward his life was drastically changed. â€Å"l say that, from that time forward, Love quite governed my soul† (Nova). His love was torrential, yet when he saw her he kept it in check. For nine years after that first sight they never spoke. He would watch her in her family's small church of Santa Margarita, sitting some ten feet behind her, imagining her as an image of perfection, but never speaking. It i s difficult to imagine such love with so little contact.He was enamored with her but also with his imagination of her. It was not until nine years later to the day,that a word was exchanged between hem. While passing in the street, Beatrice â€Å"by her unspeakable courtesy' greeted him. He -?7-? remembers she was dressed all in white, unlike the red he first saw her in, white being the color of virginity and divinity. In each of his earthly visions of her, she is described using images and words normally reserved for Christ or God himself. Dante was taken by the sound of her voice: â€Å"For she doth make my veins and pulses tremble. He went directly home and fell asleep and dreamed that Love came to him. Throughout the Vita Nova, Love comes to Dante, taking a different human form each mime, and speaks to him, offering advice and admonitions. Love appears to him multiple times and each time represents a shift in Dent's interactions with Beatrice. Dante makes the mistakes of many lovers as he is so overcome by Beatrice. In an attempt to hide the true object of his love, he begins to use what he calls a â€Å"screen- lady,† a woman toward whom he outwardly directs his attentions so as to divert attention from Beatrice.This obviously backfires and Beatrice, as they pass again in the street, withholds her greeting. Dante is grief-stricken and, following another vision of love decides to write directly to her. These poems and sonnets received praise in Florence, and were read around the city in small poetry readings, increasing Dent's stature as a great writer even in his time. However life for Dante soon takes another enormous turn, with the death of Be- iatric. She is said to have died in June, 1290, a date with â€Å"the perfect number nine† having been completed â€Å"nine times† according to the Syrian Calendar. (Lewis).Dante is so overcome that he cannot put words to the event. After compiling the Volta Nova he resolves not to write of Beatrice again, until he can â€Å"say of her what was never said of any other -?8-? Oman. † It is from this wish that springs the greatest tribute to human love ever created, La Comedic. In Dent's Journey Beatrice is his primary guide. Though Virgil guides him through two levels of the afterlife, it is Beatrice who sent Virgil to assist Dante and Beatrice whom he follows through paradise and Beatrice who teaches him the most of love. She acts as a personal representation of Christ.We can see this in many aspects of Dent's description of her -? her appearance, the events around her and her relation to the number nine. The number nine can be seen as a reference to the divinity of he holy trinity, and it is used in reference to Beatrice to reinforce her power as Dent's connection to the divine. In the ninth canto of both Inferno and Purgatory Dante enters the city of Dish and then the Gates of Purgatory -? the two most significant entrances in their respective canticles. Yet i n Paradise, in the ninth canto, Dante passes from the circles of Venus unto the level of the sun.This may seem insignificant yet it signifies the passage from earth to heaven. It is not until the level of the sun that all earthly woes and pains are stripped away. This ninth canto is significant as it also demonstrates the divinity of the number, yet interestingly it also illustrates the divinity of love as it is in this canto that Dante meets three great lovers; a mistress, a bishop and a harlot. Not exactly the lovers you would expect, but these references, as well as their relations to nine and their positions in paradise, serve to highlight the significance of human love in order to ascend further into heaven.This is Beatrice role, as she serves both as the object of human love and the transcendent divine guide. Other parallels between Beatrice and Christ can also be drawn-? one being her -?9-? appearance in heaven, she is proceeded by Giovanni Primeval, as Christ was similarly p roceeded by John the Baptist. Here we can see Dent's literary playfulness with â€Å"Giovanni† as a feminine version of John and Primeval as an anagram meaning â€Å"Prima Vera† which literally translates to â€Å"will come first. † Beatrice also descends to Inferno to summon Virgil as Christ did to bring salvation to humanity, Virgil will be Dent's personal salvation.Dante even recognizes this in Paradise 30:80 saying â€Å"Who deigned for my salvation to leave your footprints in Hell. † Lansing also points out a parallel between the names of Christ and Beatrice: The reference to her nickname, â€Å"Vice,† in Paradise is a way which must evoke the abbreviations of Christ in manuscripts: â€Å"Be† (beat, â€Å"blessed†) and â€Å"ice† (ICC=less Crisis=Jesus Christ. )† Despite her obvious divinity, Beatrice is also a physical woman, as we see in the Volta Nova, who inspires love and desire in Dante.Thus she fills both role s, as the method of divine salvation and also as the guide to human love. Both of which together create natural love, something I will go into greater detail about at a later point. Dante strives, however, to remove any sexual attraction to Beatrice both for the deader and for himself. And for the most part he is successful. By removing her erotic nature in his writing, he reclaims some power from her. As we see in the Vita Nova, she holds great power over him; she has the power to send him into fits of worry or anguish, simply with a laugh or refused look.In De-redirecting her, we see Dent's attempt to retain his own power over human love, while relinquishing his power over natural love, allow-? 10 -? inning her to guide and teach him of its natural flow. As both the Comedy and the Nova are little more than an homage to Beatrice, it is interesting to see that Dante toeholds this one form of power from her, that of sexual power. It could very well be that he is attempting to protect either himself or Beatrice from the sin of lust, yet we also find a seductress and a harlot in heaven, who further inform Dante on love.It may also be the case that Dante is protecting himself from the worldly effects of Beatrice. The vast majority of his writings about her are of his perception, his fantasy of her. Their physical contact was negligible and by removing the sexual discourse between them, the Beatrice of Dent's pages is fully from inside the Poet. The Beatrice we know is Dent's fantasy, a character within his own character. It is her spirit, not her body, that guides Dante. Dante may also shrug off this worldly influence because he has a further lord, one to whom he answers whole-heartedly, and for whom Beatrice is the perfect guide.That lord speaks to him in the third chapter of the Vita Nova saying â€Å"I am your lord. † That lord is Love. Allegory The term allegory literally means the â€Å"hidden meaning†, it derives from Greek â€Å"al- SIS† (other) and â€Å"Georgia† (speaking), â€Å"other speaking. † The Divine Comedy is rife with it. Each canto is filled with political moral and divine statements. Allegory takes four forms in The Divine Comedy modeled after biblical exegesis (interpretation of biblical style); Literal (historical), Allegorical (Typographical) , Moral and Angelical. These four forms follow the interpretation of scripture in the Middle Ages.In scripture, the historical meaning is -? 11 what is described as fact. It encompasses the people, places and events represented and shows them historically as things that have occurred. The second meaning (the Allegorical/ Typographical) is that of personification and representation, a person may represent a sin or a virtue. The moral meaning in the scripture is literally represented by Christ. â€Å"So far as the things done in Christ, or so far as the things which signify Christ, are types of what we ought to do, there is the moral sense. † (Aquinas).The final meaning, the angelical is the hardest to pin down. This is because it is the broadest of the terms; it is the meaning which expands outwards and offers what the writer or reader considers an â€Å"eternal† meaning. The angelical represents the realm of the Gods, thus making it eternal, â€Å"But so far as they signify what relates to eternal glory, there is the angelical sense. † (Aquinas) Neither the bible nor The Divine Comedy possess all four of these elements at all times however. Writing is often adorned with â€Å"historical buttresses and adornments†, events that hold no further meaning than the literal.Different verses and cantos hold some of these meanings, some are personified in particular figures, others can only be found by evaluating the entire trajectory of the Comedy. These four meanings overlap, come and go, are sometimes clearly visible and some are lost forever in the annals of time. Other than the historical, the allego rical (typological) is the most prevalent form of meaning throughout the Comedy. Because all allegory is dependent on interpretation, the meanings put forth here are those that I deem to be correct, although there are likely other interpretations or even contrary views.As Dante followed many of the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, the following is the most prevalent definition for the typographical (allegorical) meaning in -? 12 -? the Comedy: â€Å"Whereas in every other science things are signified by words, this science has the property that the things signified by the words have themselves also signification† (Aquinas). This is the definition Dante would have followed in instructing his own allegory. Dante borrows heavily from Thomas Aquinas and Aquinas' Theological for his moor- al theory and view of God, theology and use of allegory.As far as the view of God, Thomas Aquinas believed that there are two apices of any object or subject (their existence and their essence), exce pt for God. Aquinas preaches God as simplicity. God is simply essence, for his/her/its existence is its essence. This essence to Dante is Love; all other objects are not independent of love and thus God, who is the representation of pure love, is the only individual being in existence. â€Å"God is identical tit Just one in- divisible thing, but that one thing has different effects and appearances† (Stump).Dante also enumerates the importance of each level of meaning, saying in his work Conviction, â€Å"l shall always first discourse upon the literal meaning of each cannoned, and after that I shall discourse upon its allegory, that is, the hidden truth; and I shall sometimes incidentally touch upon the other senses (angelical), as the place and the time make appropriate. † This leads us to believe that the historical (literal) meaning is the most important, followed by the allegorical. The angelical seems to e a natural uprising of this discourse of both the literal a nd the allegorical.The moral finds its way into the literal meanings as well, since Christ is synonymous with morality, and the bible and Beatrice are taken as fact. Throughout the Comedy, Beatrice and her compatriots teach Dante many -? 13 -? things, most of these may be interpreted as the moral allegory. What must also be understood is that the literal meaning will always be present, and for the most part the allegorical will be also. But that Allegory will take one or more of its three forms, typographical/allegorical, moral or angelical. He gives an example of this four-fold allegory in a letter sent to Gangrened of Verona.The Allegory of Love â€Å"Love, which pardons no beloved from loving, took me so strongly with delight in him That, as you see, it still abandons me not†¦ † (Nova) As we begin to look at the many meanings of love in The Divine Comedy, the three literal forms we shall examine are 1) love as an emotion, 2) love as Beatrice, and 3) Love as a figure a nd as God. First let us examine Dent's belief of love. For Dante, love was the driving force of the universe. It causes souls to rise to heaven or fall into hell. It literally set the stars in motion. All sinners and all saints had their actions based in love, for better or for worse.Love causes all movement in the universe, whether for the sinners to ascend because of love for God or for the blessed to descend in order to save a soul. Just as Beatrice descends to bring Dante to the Empyrean, it also causes the angels to move in their circles around God, thus creating the movement of the heavens. However, love also has a darker side. According to Dante, love is also the root of sin. He takes this view from William Perusals' analysis of the Sustaining Sins; Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony and Lust. These sins can be divided into three cat- Georges according to love; insufficient, disordered and excessive.Insufficient love takes the form of sloth, disordered love manifest s in pride, new and wrath (as these three are misguidedly directed at an external object), and love in excess creates avarice, gluttony and lust. These are all forms of what Virgil distinguishes for Dante as rational love, separate from natural love which I shall discuss at greater length later. Rational love takes many forms, both positive and negative. If unbalanced or per- averted, it is the basis of all sin, but it is also that which leads Dante towards natural eve. Dent's earthly love for Beatrice could be described as courtly love, a popular subject of the times. Courtly love can be defined as desire and longing for someone, and personal suffering by loving this person† (Du France). This definition as we can see applies perfectly to Dent's relations to Beatrice. It is this earthly relationship that begins Dante on his path to salvation and enlightenment, thus it is this form of rational love that sets Dante on his path. At the beginning of The Divine Comedy, the Pilgrim believes this love for Beatrice is pure and correct. Yet through his discussions tit Francesca De Riming, and then Virgin's discourse on love in purgatory, Dante begins to doubt his assertion.Finally upon his meeting with Beatrice in Paradise he repents for the earthly love he paid her and accepts the purity of natural love, the love that will guide him through paradise unto the Empyrean. Natural love was considered by Dante to be the love of and for God. It is the pure force which motivates the universe and binds it together. It is the purest form of this love that Dante is striving for throughout the Comedy. Through hell and purgatory, he is strip-? 15-? inning away the sins and tarnishing of sin, and in paradise he is being prepared, level by level, by Beatrice, for the experience of Pure Love.Virgil, who has not entered heaven and has thus not experienced natural love, can only describe to Dante human love and the perverted shapes it takes in sin. The constant motion of natural love is moving toward a goal; that goal is the attainment of the realization of place and of perfection for every object and creature in the world. â€Å"As the specific capacity of anything is actualities by being exercised, the nature of that thing is progressively completed or perfected, according to Aquinas† (Stump). It is by loving and being love that this process is perpetuated and thus moves closer and closer to a perfect equilibrium.This ultimate beatitude is inconceivable to the human mind, however, and thus we give it a humanly understandable form, that of God. Yet Dante is very careful not to name God as the center of the Empyrean; the highest level of heaven is occupied by Love. Virgil describes how love takes three stages to develop. The process begins with awareness of another object or person. This perception is offered to the soul to Judge whether this object is beautiful and shall bring happiness. If it is deemed good, then eve develops and takes the form of an inclination or attraction toward that object.Until love develops, the force driving this process is human will and it is thus that love can be misguided, as the will can make mistakes and lead an individual toward sin. If we take love as the attractive force that moves the universe, then the ultimate goal of life is also love, but love in equilibrium. This is why perverted, insufficient and excessive love are sins, for it is balanced love, natural love that we are striving toward. We cannot, however, achieve union with natural love simply by following others'