The Formation Of Gender Identity Essay Example for Free

The Formation Of Gender Identity Essay The debate over the factors affecting the formation of gender identity has more than a 100-year history, whereas the professional evidence-based level of the debate has been represented since the 1950s. In the Western sociology and psychology, gender identification is composed of a number of aspects, including perception of one’s gender roles, social identity and self-perception in general. The present paper is designed to address the role of biological, social and psychological factors in gender identity-shaping. In fact (Ellison, 2000), human behavior greatly depends upon hormonal secretion, as it is widely known that adrenaline is released when the brain receives a message about certain environmental threats and results in anxious and uneasy behavior, whereas   endorphins are released during exercise and result in a positive inspiration and sociability. Female sex hormones derive from ovaries and include progesterone and estrogens (mainly 17-beta-estradioll), whereas the major male hormone, testosterone, is produced by the testes. These chemicals are responsible for the formation of secondary sex characteristics and determine behaviors, attributed to the specific gender role. Masculinity in terms of gender identity is normally associated with assertiveness, self-control and aggression, provided by testosterone (Ellison, 2000), whereas femininity is conceptualized as compliance to dependence, interest in care about others and comfort creation. Byne and Parsons (1993), the followers of the classic model, indicate in their theoretical research of biological and neurobiological conditioning of   gender identification that a person’s gender is determined during conception, but the fetus begins to develop sex organs only at the 6th week of pregnancy.   Therefore, the developing testes or ovaries might begin hormonal secretion â€Å"off schedule†, which affects the development of the neural network of the brain and results in the person’s inability to accept their biological sex and the sense of gender dysphoria. Dittmann (1990) states that girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, the disease that refers to the overproduction of androgens, are more committed to the masculine roles like violent games, inclination to leadership in peer groups, willingness to increase physical strength, and are more likely to fell to certain degree uncomfortable in their female body, as the scholar notes that a number of teenage girls are unwilling to accept their physical development and differentiation. Similarly, boys with the Turner syndrome that refers to the excessive release of female hormones tend to de-valuate their biological sex (Tiefer, 1992). It needs to be noted that the evolution of sexuality in childhood is associated mostly with sex role games and self-observation:   â€Å"Children this age are very curious about bodies – their own and other peoples. They are trying on roles and behaviors† (Haffner and Needleman, 2001, p.41). At this stage, children experience a gradual transition from unconsciousness to awareness of their sexuality, so Dittmann holds that parents, aware of the child’s hormonal disease, can diplomatically interfere then and assist children in developing a superstructure of gender roles over their biological sex. One of the most interesting approaches to gender identity is biological psychology. On the one hand, Sharpe (2003) writes that the brain structures, which refer to communication (listening and speech) and emotions or empathy are notably better developed in females , whereas the male brain is hard-wired for system construction and perception/analysis of visual information. However, Haffner and Needleman (2001) write that infancy is characterized by the active synaptogenesis, or the strengthening of neural connections, to great extent dependent upon the environment. As the researchers write, â€Å"the development is on the one hand genetically determined, but the formation and pruning of synapses are controlled by the environment† (Haffner and Needleman, 2001, p.46). As a result, parental taboos upon sex role games and the lack of gender-sensitive childrearing (neutral treatment of infants and pre-school boys and girls as sexless) that stabilize the synaptic connections between neurons in the specific brain structures (e.g. the growth of hippocampus in boys playing spatial memory games) might   bring in the future a misperception of one’s biological sex up to the manifestation of androgyny   in the later adolescence (sporadic display of male and female behavioral patterns). Furthermore, it is important to take into consideration the cognitive and moral development of 3-5-year-old children as discussed by Paiget (Haffner and Needleman, 2001) who alleges that this period is characterized by the first sparkles of self-awareness and the reflex-based belief in the relationship between â€Å"naughtiness† and punishment. Hence it is quite easy to cause an imbalance in the child’s sex and gender awareness through imposing excessively stringent moral restrictions upon the child’s behavior. The dominant social psychological approach to gender role taking is Bem’s comprehensive gender schema theory that stresses the meaning of environmental factors. In 1971, I created the Bem Sex Role Inventory to measure how well the person fits into their traditional gender role by characterizing their personality as masculine, feminine, androgynous, or undifferentiated† (Bem, 1981, p. 355). The scholar believes that under the ever-lasting influence of the environment and broader cultural context the person carefully sorts all behaviors into the categories of masculinity and femininity and then employs them with relation to the cultural and social context. However, a substantial gender identity collapse might occur when professional values and desire for equality in career opportunities begin to interfere with gender beliefs; for instance, female leaders and executives recognize they are â€Å"tomboyish† and excessively committed to the masculine behaviors in non-wo rkplace settings (Bem, 1981, p. 356). To sum up, gender identity is rather a social construct than a set of biological, namely hormonal determinants. As a result, increasingly more specialists in neuroscience consent to the fact that the degree of consistency between biological sex and upbringing determine the formation of gender identity in the future (Dittmann, 1990; Haffner and Needleman, 2001) . For instance, the paper has incorporated the article showing the effect of parental guidance and the degree of progress in the cognitive and moral areas on the stability of synaptic connections in young children. Similarly, hormonal secretion is not pre-planned before the birth, but might occur under the specific social and psychological conditions (e.g. girls with anorexia nervosa are rather androgynous in demeanor than feminine and suffer from the deficiency of estrogens). Thus, the environmental factors might reinforce the inborn somatic substrates referring to the aspects of gender identity or result in their alteration, increasing or decreasing the person’s responsiveness to the neural impulses, which drive sex-related behaviors. Reference list Bem, S. (1981). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sex typing. Psychological Review, 88, 354-364. Byne, W. and Parsons, B. (1993). Human Sexual Orientation: the Biologic Theories Reappraised.   Archives of General Psychiatry, 50 (3), 228-239. Dittmann, B. (1990). Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. I: Gender-related behavior and attitudes in female patients and sisters. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 15, 401-420. Ellison, C. (2000). Human Sexual Response. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. Haffner, D. and   Needleman, R. (2001).   Childhood sex play and synaptogenesis. The Family Journal, 11: 39-50. Sharpe, R. (2003). Adult Sexuality. The Family Journal, 11: 420-426. Tiefer, L. (1992). Historical, scientific, clinical and feminist criticisms of â€Å"the Human Sexual Response Cycle† mode. Annual Review of Sex Research, 2: 1-23.

The Primary Care Clinic Essay Example for Free

The Primary Care Clinic Essay A small primary care clinic has 69 employees, representing 9 different clinical professions and 12 other skills. It operates two (2) sites, one (1) of which is bigger and has the departments for medical specialists, diagnostic labs, and patient services. The clinic also contracts for a variety of services, such as repair and maintenance, referral specialists, and advanced diagnostic services. You are the manager. You report to the owners who are four (4) of the family practitioners and their wives. Two of the wives still work at the clinic as registered nurses. Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you: 1.Discuss the key political, economic, and social forces that may have influenced the development of the clinic. 2.Create a comprehensive mission statement and explain what makes it a comprehensive mission statement. 3.Identify three (3) performance measures you would use to measure the clinic’s effectiveness and provide the rationale for each performance measure. 4.Describe how you would approach decisions regarding clinic expansion and annual plan approval. 5.Describe the role of the clinic as a component of the healthcare delivery system in your community. 6.Examine how public healthcare policy has influenced the formation of outpatient clinics in the healthcare system. 7.Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: †¢Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. †¢Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: †¢Examine the political, economic, and social forces that have influenced the organizational foundations of the United States healthcare system †¢Explain how public policy has shaped the development of the U.S. healthcare system. †¢Analyze the critical management issues, purpose, functions, and performance measures of different departments within healthcare organizations. †¢Use technology and information resources to research issues in health services organization management. †¢Write clearly and concisely about health services organization management using proper writing mechanics. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

The Evaluation And Invention Of Social Work Social Work Essay

The Evaluation And Invention Of Social Work Social Work Essay This short study takes up the evaluation and assessment of two social work intervention theories, namely the Task Centred Approach and the Crisis Intervention Method, with special regard to their implications and applications for social work practice. Social workers, in the course of their practice, are often called upon to help people in coping and dealing with different types of difficulties in their lives. Human beings face situations of crisis at one time or the other during their lives (Roberts, 2000, p 11). The crisis theory postulates that the occurrence of crises is normal to life. Such crisis situations can occur suddenly, like family illnesses or a loss of jobs, or be unpredictable, like entering school or growing older (Roberts, 2000, p 11). Individuals attempt to cope with crises with their available mechanisms, but face problems when such mechanisms do not work or when earlier unresolved crises get reactivated. Social workers are often called upon to intervene with individuals and help them in coping with their crises (Roberts, 2000, p 11). The task-centred approach is a progressive and goal-orientated method for social work practice. It constitutes a practice-based approach that is built on research and is being used in a diverse settings and circumstances (Nash, et al, 2005, p 33).  It represents a social work method wherein clients are assisted in carrying out problem reducing tasks within specific time periods. It is structured, problem focused and time-restricted and is being increasingly used in contemporary social service interventions (Nash, et al, 2005, p 33). Crisis intervention is often grouped together with the task centred approach. Malcolm Payne (1991, p 4) sees significant common ground between crises intervention and task centred approaches to social work practice. Both methods focus on problem solving, deal with brief interventions and are related to learning theory. This essay takes up the examination and assessment of these two theories, with especial regard to their communalities, their differences and their relevance for social work practice. Due regard is given to the implications of anti-oppressive practice. 2. Crisis Intervention Theory The crisis theory states that it is important for people to resolve their crises situations and experiences in order to cope with new developments and crises (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). If individuals are unable to resolve their earlier crises, they become more vulnerable to inability to resolve new crises. Individuals who learn new skills to resolve their crises are on the other hand strengthened in coping with future crisis situations (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). Human beings have considerable capacities for handling or dealing with difficult situations. It is only when such difficulties assume significant proportions and people do not have appropriate resources, personal, emotional, social, spiritual or physical, to deal appropriately with stressful circumstances or events that they become involved in crises. Difficult or stressful events do not by themselves result in crisis situations (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). Crises are actually determined by the responses of individuals to specific stres sful circumstances or events and their responses to them. Crises develop only when individuals perceive specific events to be significant and threatening, try to handle such events with their usual coping strategies without success, and are not able to use other alternatives (Aguilera, 1998, p 47). Behavioural and psychological experts perceive crises to be akin to states of psychological disequilibrium. Individuals experiencing crises are likely to experience a range of emotions like feelings of apprehension, anxiety, fear, guilt and helplessness (Nash, et al, 2005, p 37). Other indicators include alterations in eating and sleeping patterns, activity and energy levels and ability to concentrate. People in crises are also commonly known to suffer from depression and withdraw from social intervention (Nash, et al, 2005, p 37). Social work experts argue that whilst the majority of crises run their course or reach some semblance of stability within one or two months, it is necessary for skilled intervention to take place to strengthen the coping mechanisms of individuals. The failure to do so will result in the existence and continuance of crisis associated behaviours, even as the opportunity for change will be forgone (Nash, et al, 2005, p 37). People in crisis often have little by way of solutions and are receptive to external help and assistance (Roberts, 2000, p 19). The provisioning of skilled intervention by social work practitioners during the occurrence of the crises can result in opportunities for individuals experiencing crisis to learn new skills, achieve beneficial behavioural change, and regain stability. Individuals who have been able to successfully cope with crises are strengthened by such experiences and can use their skills in future times of difficulty (Roberts, 2000, p 19). Crisis intervention is essentially a professional response that is limited in terms of time and is used to assist individuals, families, and groups (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 83). Social workers aim to assess the openness of individuals experiencing crises to learning of new skills and mechanisms for coping. They also help individuals in reducing their feelings of helplessness, isolation, and distress and use social resources to help in restoring individuals to their prior functional levels, as soon as practically possible (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 83). Such social work intervention is done through listening, validation, acceptance, normalisation, reassurance, education, advocacy and brokering resources (Nash, et al, 2005, p 38). Crisis intervention can be specifically segregated into 7 stages, namely (a) establishment of communication and development of feelings with individuals that circumstances can become better, (b) assessment of situation, (c) exploration of available strengths and resources, (d) goal setting with the use of such strengths and resources, (e) implementation of plan, teaching of new skills and mobilisation of other support if required, (f) evaluation and adjustment of the plan and (g) follow up and termination of relationship (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 83). It is important for social workers to be skilled in crisis intervention because of the constant demand upon them for helping people in crisis situations (Roberts, 2000, p 19). Social workers are liable to encounter clients with diverse needs, which may in turn require research, strategic planning and the providing of individualised person centred support (Roberts, 2000, p 19). The nature of crisis intervention work also calls for confidentiality and emotional separation in order to deliver services in a professional manner (Roberts, 2000, p 19). 3. Task Centred Approach The task centred approach emerged in response to the slow and inadequate results that were being achieved through traditional casework methods (Reid, 1997, p 134). Traditional casework methods in social work were felt to be of limited use because of their resource intensive nature, their lack of focus, and their ambiguous outcomes, which were difficult to assess and quantify (Reid, 1997, p 134). Reid and Shyne engaged in extensive study in the late 1960s to explore alternate approaches to casework and developed the task centred approach for social work practice, which called for limited but intensely focused intervention periods. The approach was essentially client oriented and required the social worker to act as a facilitator (Reid, 1997, p 134). With the task centred approach helping clients to improve their difficulties quickly, the process was soon adopted for replication and development in the United Kingdom (Reid, 1997, p 134). Studies on the task centred approach revealed that unfocused help, as was provided by the psycho-social approach and the case study method, over long periods, resulted in reduction of hope and self confidence on the part of the client (Nash, et al, 2005, p 42). It also resulted in negative dependency and unnecessary attachments to specific organisations or particular social workers (Nash, et al, 2005, p 42). It was also seen that the setting of time limits for achievement of specific outcomes helped in building expectations of the possibility of rapid change and enhanced participant energy and motivation (Nash, et al, 2005, p 42). Whilst the task centred approach proved to be practically beneficial for clients and also served, reduce and optimise utilisation of limited social work resources, it also facilitated a shift towards the person centred approach, the negation of the assumption of the professional being the only source of expertise, and helped in achievement of greater empowerment and reduction of oppression (Naleppa Reid, 1998, p 63). The task centred approach calls for attention to be paid to social and external issues that affect individuals rather than on perceiving individuals and their psychological histories to be the main cause of their difficulties (Naleppa Reid, 1998, p 63). The task centred approach involves a structured method wherein the social worker firstly assists the service user in articulating the problems in the ways perceived by service users (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 87). The social workers subsequently helps the service user to detail and breakdown the problems, taking care to redefine them wherever necessary and helping the service user to locate important areas for action (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 87). The social worker finally motivates the service user to categorise and prioritise his or her individual problem in line with his or her perceptions (Naleppa Reid, 1998, p 63). The social worker and service user thereafter work in partnership to (a) specify and identify outcomes, (b) agree to contracts and (c) review and assess progress. Social workers who use the task centred approach should be able to positively engage service users and instil trust and confidence (Hepworth, et al, 2002, p 87). Commonalities in Task Centred and Crisis Intervention Approaches Task centred approaches and crisis intervention methods appear to merge well in both theory and practice (Watson, et al, 2002, p 96). Social work research indicates that the use of these methods have proved to be effective with a wide range of clients. Both theories emerged in response to the apparently ineffective outcomes of case work approaches that were grounded in psychodynamic theory (Watson, et al, 2002, p 96). Both methods additionally focus on brief and short term interventions. They are connected to learning theory and based upon problem solving ideas (Watson, et al, 2002, p 96). Both these approaches call upon social workers to engage in participative and joint activity with service users, first to assess and analyse problems and their causes and then take action to deal with such problems (Sandoval, 2002, p 63). The application of these methods thus calls for the use of the person centred theory, the need to place the service user at the centre of the issue and the urgency of viewing the issue from his or her perspective (Sandoval, 2002, p 63). Social workers need to be very good listeners in order to be able to locate the real issues that are troubling service users and thereafter be able to help them with measures to tackle their difficulties (Sandoval, 2002, p 63). Like other social work methods, the task centred approach does have its limitations. It is in the first instance predicated upon the rationality of service users and their willingness to work with social workers (Nash, et al, 2005, p 53). It is also difficult to apply it without appropriate agency support. Despite such limitations the two approaches continue to be very useful, especially because of their instrumentality in increasing empowerment and their integral anti-oppressive approach (Nash, et al, 2005, p 53). The methods increase the abilities of service users through the inculcation of new skills and allow them to deal, not just with their current situations but with future circumstances of difficulty and oppression (Nash, et al, 2005, p 53). Conclusions Social work practice is influenced by many factors that require the taking account of the perspectives of service users, social workers, agencies and society. The approach of individual workers is bound to be influenced by numerous factors that can leave them confused and looking for guidance in their task of assisting service users in difficulties. The task centred approach and the crisis intervention theory provide useful tools to service users to assess the true conditions of service users, participate with them in structured, time bound and joint resolution of problems and empower them to face and overcome oppression. Social workers do however need to understand the implications of these theories and refrain from labeling their actions in all difficult situations to be task centred or critical intervention in nature. The true understanding of the potential and use of these theories will help them significantly in their practice scenarios.

My Brother the Drunk Essay -- Descriptive Essay Examples, Observation

My Brother the Drunk As he walked past me, I glanced up at him timidly. I looked into his eyes, realizing they were exactly like mine. Quickly I shifted my gaze to the floor, not wanting to make eye contact. It wasn't always this awkward between us, but something had changed. My brother stood tall a few feet in front of me. He was almost towering, and I felt myself become very nervous. With his head held high, he walked over to me. He asked how I was doing; I told him that I was fine. My brother flipped his head back in a cocky manner, as if to emphasize his ear-length hair. I secretly rolled my eyes. Making small talk, I asked him how school was going. He replied that it was great and that all his teachers loved him. He also commented on how he might be playing baseball for his college again this year. I smiled and said that that was wonderful. He didn't bother to ask how school was going for me. Feeling strange, I told him that I had to run. We said our goodbyes and he began to leave. As he left, I noticed the way he walked. It wasn't a normal walk. It was a walk that commanded everyone's attention. It was a steady stride. With his shoulders back and head up, I could tell that everyone at the grocery store was watching him. Unfortunately , so could he. As children, my brother and I were very close. Well, as close as a brother and sister can be. We played together all of the time, and he always tucked me into bed at night. Sometimes, when I was scared of the dark, he would take all of my stuffed animals and surround me with them. In elementary school, he was very protective of me. He always made sure that no one was ... ...pick him up. He started to scream and yell at me. "You never do anything for me," he said. I gave the phone to my dad, and he explained to my brother that he would be picking him up. My brother was mad at me for days. Along with an attitude, my brother had developed an ego problem. He would stand at the bathroom mirror, telling himself how gorgeous he looked. Moving his head back and forth, he commented on how he had no bad angles. He started to brag about cheating on his girlfriend. I couldn't stand to be around him anymore. He finally decided to move out a couple of months ago. He didn't even say goodbye to me. My mother told me he was leaving. Since then I can barely talk to him. Things have become so strained between us. I see him here and there, and I wish that things hadn't changed so much. My Brother the Drunk Essay -- Descriptive Essay Examples, Observation My Brother the Drunk As he walked past me, I glanced up at him timidly. I looked into his eyes, realizing they were exactly like mine. Quickly I shifted my gaze to the floor, not wanting to make eye contact. It wasn't always this awkward between us, but something had changed. My brother stood tall a few feet in front of me. He was almost towering, and I felt myself become very nervous. With his head held high, he walked over to me. He asked how I was doing; I told him that I was fine. My brother flipped his head back in a cocky manner, as if to emphasize his ear-length hair. I secretly rolled my eyes. Making small talk, I asked him how school was going. He replied that it was great and that all his teachers loved him. He also commented on how he might be playing baseball for his college again this year. I smiled and said that that was wonderful. He didn't bother to ask how school was going for me. Feeling strange, I told him that I had to run. We said our goodbyes and he began to leave. As he left, I noticed the way he walked. It wasn't a normal walk. It was a walk that commanded everyone's attention. It was a steady stride. With his shoulders back and head up, I could tell that everyone at the grocery store was watching him. Unfortunately , so could he. As children, my brother and I were very close. Well, as close as a brother and sister can be. We played together all of the time, and he always tucked me into bed at night. Sometimes, when I was scared of the dark, he would take all of my stuffed animals and surround me with them. In elementary school, he was very protective of me. He always made sure that no one was ... ...pick him up. He started to scream and yell at me. "You never do anything for me," he said. I gave the phone to my dad, and he explained to my brother that he would be picking him up. My brother was mad at me for days. Along with an attitude, my brother had developed an ego problem. He would stand at the bathroom mirror, telling himself how gorgeous he looked. Moving his head back and forth, he commented on how he had no bad angles. He started to brag about cheating on his girlfriend. I couldn't stand to be around him anymore. He finally decided to move out a couple of months ago. He didn't even say goodbye to me. My mother told me he was leaving. Since then I can barely talk to him. Things have become so strained between us. I see him here and there, and I wish that things hadn't changed so much.

Macbeth - Downfall Of Lady Macbeth :: essays research papers

What do you think brought about the downfall of Lady Macbeth? There were several aspects of Shakespeare’s novel ‘Macbeth’ that led to the downfall of Lady Macbeth. The mentality of Lady Macbeth in the play changes dramatically from the wife a Noble General, to an evil aggressive murderer (brought upon by the witches predictions), and finally a woman who had de-graded to such an extent that she took her own life. We are not told an awful amount about Lady Macbeth at the start of the play [prior to her letter from Macbeth about the witches prophecies I.iv], but I thought that Lady Macbeth seemed: as good of a wife as any nobleman’s or officer’s. We see how a vigorous Lady Macbeth; initially in association with the witches’ predictions, at-tempts to mirror their disturbance of gender in psychological terms by desiring to "unsex" herself in order to carry out such a powerful action [murder], otherwise, being impossible for a woman to carry out (no offence or sexism is intended when I state this). Lady Macbeth continues to be a frightening and vicious figure as she becomes full of evil thoughts. This is evident by the context in which she states that she would sacrifice the life of her own infant, if it were her wish or order to do so: "†¦Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums And dashed the brains out, had I so sworn As you have done this†¦" [I.vii.57-59]. So enraged and overpowered by evil, that her purity and innocence (which is part of a woman) had all but depleted, and consequently she also lost her will to control herself and her sanity (sanity-later on in the deterioration of Lady Macbeth's character). She came to a point where evil pushed her to certain lengths such as committing the heinous act of regicide; killing her loyal and innocent king, king Duncan. At one stage I believed that it was as if she was given the supernatural strength of a warrior or a Knight to commit such an act. Her feminisms had all but been ripped out, being replaced with a heart of stone. She could only have acquired such forces when she wished for them [via evil forces]: "Come, you Spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown (crown-she already pic-tures herself with a crown alofted on her royal

Amazing Grace :: Amazing Grace Essays

Amazing Grace As part of the summer reading assignment this year, I read the book Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol.   In this documentary-style book, he told about the horrible yet completely realistic conditions of the most poor, rundown neighborhoods and districts in New York City.   Kozol wrote the book for the purpose of telling the stories of the children who lived in these parts of the city.   He dedicated his work to those children and it was his goal to inform readers that slums were in fact in existence and the children who resided there did not deserve to live in such a poverty-stricken area.   The question "Why should their childhood be different from others across the country?" arose often and needs to be examined by all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In some ways the stories, accounts and tales of these inner city children were shocking.   I was aware that slums existed, but knew nothing of how they functioned, what living conditions were really like, or how the people there managed to live.   But in no way was I aware that such conditions existed in America, the so called "Land of Opportunity."   It seems it was just the opposite in these ghettos.   There was very little, if any for the people living here.   No chance whatsoever of employment outside the ghetto, or being accepted outside it.   It was their home, they were not supposed to leave it, and when they did they were eyed with hate by other people who did not want to be in their presence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I was also mortified by the extremely high amounts of child deaths in this particular ghetto.   It seemed terrible that so many young children were getting killed, whether it be an accidental death in an elevator shaft, and mistaken shootings, or because of the extremely unhealthy conditions they were living in and the poor treatments that were available at area hospitals.   I cannot even imagine myself in those conditions or anyone for the matter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The stories of people’s bravery in the face of so much adversity affected me the most.   I am amazed by the people who live in these terrible conditions day after day year after year yet still have the drive to go on and encourage others that things will be better and that one day everything will be all right.

Internal and External Conflicts Essay

Materials †¢ Copies of the attached Interior or Exterior Conflicts worksheet †¢ Sticky notes †¢ Short story Lesson 1. 2. Brainstorm with students the types of conflicts or problems they face on a daily basis, and write their responses on the board. Explain to students that there are two types of conflicts that people face every day: †¢ Internal conflict, which takes place in a person’s mind—for example, a struggle to make a decision or overcome a feeling. Internal conflicts are character vs. self. †¢ External conflict, which generally takes place between a person and someone or something else, such as nature, another person or persons, or an event or situation. External conflicts may be character vs. character, character vs. nature, or character vs. society. Tell students that characters in a story face the same types of conflicts, and it is important to identify them in order to understand the story completely. 3. 4. 5. Distribute copies of the â€Å"Interior or Exterior Conflicts† worksheet. Have students classify the conflicts as internal or external conflicts, writing the answers in the left column. Go over the classifications with the class, and allow students to correct their answers as needed. Give students copies of another worksheet showing a different set of interior and exterior conflicts, and have students classify them independently and hand in the completed worksheet for assessment. Have students read a short story from their literature book and as they read, put sticky notes on the text wherever conflict is present. When they have finished, ask students to identify the types of conflict they found in the story. Lead a class discussion of the ways the plot might have been different had internal conflicts been externa l or vice versa. 6. 7. English Enhanced Scope a Interior or Exterior Conflicts Interior or Exterior Conflict You love going to soccer practice every Friday night. However, last week you had to go to dinner with your family instead, and this week a friend has invited you to the movies. At a party, you spent a lot of time talking to a friend from your math class—just chatting. Now another classmate has spread rumors around school about the two of you. For the past month, you have been bullied on the school bus by older middle school guys. They typically call you names and sometimes even poke at you. Finally one day, you get fed up and scream, â€Å"Don’t ever touch me again!† You have a project due on Monday. Even though you have had several weeks to read, by Sunday night you’ve only read half the book. To make things worse, your teacher has stated, â€Å"I have high expectations for this assignment.† Your school has a state level ice-hockey team—for boys. When you and a group of girlfriends want to start a girls’ hockey program, you’re told that, alth ough it’s a nice idea, there just isn’t enough money in the athletic budget. Although your friends say that you’re very attractive, you think just the opposite. You are overly critical about physical appearance. You think someone from your fifth period class is extremely cute! You’ve been trying to work up the nerve to ask him/her out, but you’re just too scared. Your dad is driving you and your friends to a big football game in town. Although you left in plenty of time, he seems to have lost his way. You think you saw the football field a couple of blocks back. When you tell your dad, he says, â€Å"Who’s driving—you or me?†