What Ideas Would You Bring To Classroom?

What Ideas Would You Bring To Classroom? To make the learning of vocabulary more interesting, a variety of activities can be conducted. Students can have a board race in class, to practice the language use. The class is divided into two groups. The board is divided into two parts. One student from each group goes to the board. The teacher gives them a sentence to write. For example: write the word in the middle of the board, and the prefix and suffix at the right and left hand side of the root word. Students are to race to the board to indicate whether the word has a prefix or suffix. All students are allowed to help the person at the board but they are not allowed to refer to any books or reference materials. No points will be awarded if any one of the teams uses a book or any reference materials. This enables the students to review a lot of material and identifies common problem areas. Furthermore, it fosters cooperation and unifies the students as a group. The next activity is the dictagloss. The dictagloss has originally been devised as a technique for learning vocabulary in a foreign language. It is also a useful technique to encourage students to work together to extract meaning from complex text. The dictagloss is a very useful activity that helps students to use language in order to learn. Students will have to listen to a text being read and reconstruct it. As students can also construct written summaries, a dictagloss also requires the students to consciously focus on their knowledge of the content and the relationship between ideas and words. Another activity is the use of a short text. A selected short text is read to the class at normal pace. The students listen for meaning. The text is read again and as it is being read, students are to jot down key words and phrases. Working in small groups the students pool their words and phrases and attempt to reconstruct the text from their shared resources. Their version should contain the main ideas of the text and approximate the language choices of the passage. Each group of students produces their own reconstructed version, aiming at grammatical accuracy and textual cohesion but not at replicating the original text. Each group presents their finished version to the class and each text is analysed and compared and the students should then refine their own texts in the light of the shared scrutiny and discussion. Next, a library can be set up within the classroom. The library can be graded. This encourage the student to read as they can have access to library books easily. Through reading, students pick up new words and thus widen their vocabulary. The student who read the most number of books will be rewarded. To make learning of vocabulary more enjoyable, students can also act out or have a pantomime where they are given cards with instructions like Open the parcel noiselessly, or Walk across the room cautiously, and perform the actions without speaking. The other students will try to guess the word or expression that the student is pantomiming. Each time, a student guess correctly, points will be awarded. To teach synonyms and antonyms, the teacher hands out a list of words to each student. There should be two columns next to each word, label the heading of each column, synonym and antonym. The teacher then read out the synonyms and antonyms of those words. The students have to write these words next to the word they are the same or the opposite of. It can be presented as such:- At the end of the lesson, the teacher goes through the lists with the class using a board. When reading a passage, students can be taught different meanings of familiar vocabulary so long as the words are not out of context, recognizing definitions, guessing cause and effect, opposite or contrasting words or phrases, focus on Subject-Verb-Order, where students guess what the general sense of the word it is. If it is a noun, specify whether it is a person, place, thing, abstract idea. If it is a verb, state whether it is an action, or a feeling or emotion.. If it is an adjective, state what the adjective is describing- Good or bad, Size, Colour, Shape or Emotion? To enable students to learn vocabulary in a fun way, a game called Password can be introduced. In this game, the class is divided into two teams. One person from each team sits in a chair in front of the class. Those two people receive a card with a vocabulary card. The first person gives a one-word clue to his/her team. If no one from the team can guess, the second person gives a clue to his/her team. This alternates back and forth until someone from one of the team guesses the word, or until a specified number of clues has been given. Points will be given to each team with the correct answer. The winning team will be awarded. Bibliography: http://eca.state.gov/forum/vols/vol42/no2/p16.htm http://www.collaborativelearning.org/howearthwasformed.pdf http://www.learnenglish.de/Teachers/synonymantonym.html The TESOL textbook Using what you have read in this introduction to TESOL and your own knowledge, what do you consider to be the blocks which may prevent language learning? One block of language learning is language learning style, as students learn differently from others. Getting to know the students learning style will help to match the kind of activities carried out in class to ensure effective learning. Teachers can also be more versatile and adopt a variety of teaching styles to suit the different learnings styles of the students. Fossilization and false learners can hinder the student from learning the new language. Fossilization often means that certain aspects of the language were learned incompletely or incorrectly, such as grammatical features like conjugating verbs in the wrong fashion or using the wrong vocabulary, in such a manner that they cannot be unlearned and replaced with correct usage. Fossilization may also consist of a sort of subconscious clinging to aspects of the learners mother tongue, for instance, with syntax and phonology. This may reflect an inability to similarly unlearn characteristics of a mother language for the purpose of learning another; the native language so deeply hardwired into the brain that its paradigms cannot be replaced when attempting to learn a new and foreign language. Another block to language learning is language prejudice. Stereotypes and cultural bias, the teachers accent are factors that may affect the learning of the language. For example, foreign accents are everywhere and are here to stay; nevertheless, accented English, for example, is looked down upon, generally quite sternly. In addition, within what is refer to as a language, certain ways of speaking that language (AAE, for example) meet with great prejudice, social and racial in nature. Thus, all language teachers must work to overcome language prejudice, as it generally serves as a mask over class and racial prejudice should be tolerated too. One of the biggest challenge ESL teachers face is that one ESL class may consist of students from many nations, even if, for example, they are all Spanish-speaking countries. The cultures of Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Columbia, and Mexico , for instance, are very much different, so teachers should not assume that students who share a common native language will share similar cultural backgrounds. Even students from different regions of the same country will have different cultural beliefs and traditions that should be honored and preserved. Being more conscious of the different cultures will help to make a better teacher. Extensive research has already been done in the area of native language interference on the target language. Dulay et al (1982) define interference as the automatic transfer, due to habit, of the surface structure of the first language onto the surface of the target language. Lott (1983: 256) defines interference as errors in the learners use of the foreign language that can be traced back to the mother tongue. Ellis (1997: 51) refers to interference as transfer, which he says is the influence that the learners L1 exerts over the acquisition of an L2. He argues that transfer is governed by learners perceptions about what is transferable and by their stage of development in L2 learning. In learning a target language, learners construct their own interim rules (Selinker, 1971, Seligar, 1988 and Ellis, 1997) with the use of their L1 knowledge, but only when they believe it will help them in the learning task or when they have become sufficiently proficient in the L2 for transfer to be possible. Other factors that may prevent language learning is being overly self-conscious about their use of language, and a fear of being misunderstood. Not having enough exposure within the class and outside will also prevent language learning, as students will not have enough opportunities to use the language. Generally, the difficulties adults face include the following: 1. Self conscious 2. no respect for teacher 3. fossilized errors 4. personal issues / politics 5. intrusions 6. different levels / abilities However, the difficulties teachers face include 1. lack of interest 2. time management 3. body language 4. Teacher Talk Time 5. ensuring participation Bibliography http://hufs.davidboesch.com/GSE_YLDownloads/Reid.Joy.LearningStylePreferenesESLLearners.pdf http://www.brighthub.com/education/languages/articles/63102.aspx http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/interviews_W-ONeil.php http://www.yourdictionary.com/esl/ESL_Classroom-and-Cultural_Sensitivity.html http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/English_as_an_additional_language_-_Difficulties_for_learners/id/5023415 It seems reasonable to suggest that the motivation that students bring to class is the biggest single factor affecting their success. Comment (500-750 words) Students of all ages, all around the world, are learning to speak English. Some students want to learn English because it is on the curriculum in school, but for others, it reflects a kind of choice. Like an instrument, students may learn it for a practical purpose. They may have moved into a target-language community and they need to operate successfully within the community. Students could also learn English for a Specific Purpose, where they may need to learn the language for legal purposes, business, tourism, banking or nursing. For those who are studying at an English speaking University, they may need to take English for Academic Purposes. Some learn English as it will be useful for travel. A variety of factors can create a desire to learn. Perhaps the learners love the subject, some are motivated for a practical reason, like being able to acquire a skill or knowledge. The desire to achieve some goal is the bedrock of motivation and if it is strong enough, provokes a decision to act. For an adult, it may involve enrolling in an English class. This kind of motivation which comes from outside the classroom and may be influenced by a number of external factors such as the attitude of society, family and peers, to the subject in question, is referred to as extrinsic motivation, that is, the motivation that is generated outside the classroom. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is the kind of motivation that is generated by what happens inside the classroom; this could be the teachers methods, the activities that students can take part in, or their perception of success or failure. Students may be both extrinsically and intrinsically motivated. However, the danger of being extrinsically motivated is that it is harder to sustain than intrinsic. As the subject gets harder, students may give up or get bored with it. As adult learners, they may have a wider range of life experiences to draw on, both as individuals and as learners, than younger students do. They are more discipline, and have a clear understanding of why they are learning things, and can sustain their motivation. However, they come with a lot of previous learning experience which can hamper their progress. Students who had negative learning experiences in the past may be nervous of new learning. Students used to failure may be consciously or subconsciously prepared for failure. The task of the teacher would be to sustain their motivation. This could be done through the activities the teachers ask the students to take part in, will, excite their curiosity or provoke their participation help them to stay interested in the subject. The teacher needs to select an appropriate level of challenge so that things are neither too difficult nor too easy. Appropriate teacher qualities need to be displayed so that students can have confidence in their abilities. Students feedback is important as it shows how students feel about the learning process. Students need to feel that the teacher really cares about them; if students feel supported and valued, they are more likely to be motivated to learn. Encourage the students to make decisions in class over the choice of activities. This make the students feel they have some influence over what is happening, rather than always being told exactly what to do. In this way, they are often more motivated to take part in the lesso n. Nevertheless, however much the teacher does to foster the motivation of the student, we can only offer our support and assistance by word and deed. Real motivation comes from within each student themselves. Without motivation, the students are unlikely to succeed. Bibliography: How to Teach English by Jeremy Harmer. Knowing a language is not just a matter of having grammatical competenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ We have seen that we also need to add to communicative competence that is the understanding of what language is appropriate within certain situations The Practice of Language Teaching Harmer. Is there any place for teaching grammar in a formal manner? Give reasons for you answer and include a formal discussion of what you mean by a formal manner. One of the main reasons that people need to pick up a language is for the purpose of communication. Lessons hence ought to facilitate language use where it is not just bits and pieces of vocabulary slotted in, but also involves language functions such as inviting, agreeing and disagreeing, suggesting and so on which students need to learn using a variety of language components. As teachers of communication, we have to facilitate the communication built in by personalized and imaginative exercises where the student can use the structure for himself. (Harmer). Teaching grammar in the formal manner refers to teaching grammar by translating grammar, where students would look at the word, dictionary and change it into their own language; in other words, using meta-language. Another method of teaching grammar is the direct approach forming sentences around new words. For example, students are given 10 sentences in aà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (achieving grammatical competence?). Grammar translation still has relevance today, though it is not practiced in the same way. Nevertheless, most language learners translate in their heads in very much the same way by comparing it to their mother tongue. However, a total concentration on grammar translation stops students from getting the kind of natural language input that will help them acquire language and it fails to give them opportunities to activate their own language knowledge. Translation and mindless repetition of grammatical structure that is taught in formal grammar will be avoided as students need to k now not only the correct grammar, but also where and how to use it. Audiolingualism capitalized on the suggestion that if we describe the grammatical patterns of English, we have students repeat and learn them. Grammatical structures were presented in simple situations which exemplified their usage. Crucially too, the structures were hence graded so that students learnt the easy ones first before moving onto things that were more complex. Audiolingualism argued that learning is the result of habit formation, where performing the correct response to a stimulus means that a reward is given; constant repetition of this reward makes the automatic response.Audio-linguak classes hence made extensive use of drilling in which students produced the same grammatical pattern, but were prompted to use the different words within the grammatical pattern, in the hope that they would acquire good language habits. Nevertheless, audiolingualism does not expose students to real or realistic language, and were therefore unlike to produce natural sounding language themse lves. Language is not just patterns of grammar with vocabulary items slotted in, but also involves language functions such as inviting, agreeing and disagreeing, suggesting which students should learn how to perform using a variety of language components. Students also need to know about the appropriacy of the when talking and writing to people in terms of the kind of language they use (formal, informal, tentative, technical). Hence communicative competence is not just about the language but also about language use. The second principle of Communicative Language Teaching in gaining communicative competence is that so long as the students get enough exposure to language and opportunities for language use the language learning will take care of itself. As a result, has been teaching students to communicate real messages, and not just grammatically controlled language. Giving students different kinds of language, pointing them towards aspects of style and appropriacy, and above all giving th em opportunities to try out real language within the classroom humanized what had sometimes been rigidly controlled. Another approach to teaching English, which Berlitz adopts is the Lexical approach, which teaches learners to be fluent in the language in a short 6 months. The last method used today in teaching grammar is characterized as postmodern; where there is a return to grammar and blended learning. Learning to communicate alone might not be sufficient in effectively conveying themselves, as spoken grammar differs from written grammar, and some phrases appear in spoken English that we would not necessarily write; spoken grammar moreover is more informal than written grammar. Nevertheless, classroom technique is important to good effective communication, and for the right application of grammar for students to convey themselves meaningfully.

Issues in Art Therapy with Children Essay

Art therapy is the therapeutic use of making art within a professional relationship, and the process involved in making art is healing and life-enhancing. In the early 1980s, the American Art Therapy Association (Levick, 1983, as cited in Newcomer, 1993) regarded art therapy as an opportunity for nonverbal expression and communication with the belief that the creative process of art is a means of reconciling emotional conflicts and of fostering self-awareness. The association later expanded their definition to read: â€Å"Art Therapy is a human service profession that utilizes art media, images, the creative art process and patient/client responses to the created products as reflections of an individual’s development, abilities, personality, interests, concerns and conflicts. Art experiences can provide an alternative to verbal forms of assessment and treatment† (American Art Therapy Association Newsletter, 1998). Kaplan (2000) reviewed the findings of other neuroscientists who noted that graphic representation is a complex activity, involving areas of the brain associated with language. For example, Restak (1994) reported that more brain neurons are devoted to vision than the other senses. Kaplan suggests that studio art can facilitate problem-solving abilities, stimulate pleasure and self-esteem, and provide opportunities for successful functioning in children and adults with cognitive impairments. Malchiodi (2003) cites studies by scientists who found that drawing involves complex interactions between many parts of the brain, and notes that science will be central to understanding how art therapy works and why it is a powerful therapeutic modality. Riley (2003) observed that offering opportunities to create art to depressed adolescents as a means of communication that can be enjoyed and controlled provides a lens for viewing their perceptions through their own images, as well as a vehicle for treatment and a way to address resistance. In addition, she finds drawingless confrontational, less familiar, and less judgmental than talk, and that adolescent depression is often masked. Teenagers may also be angry or aggressive, as opposed to the lassitude characteristic of depressed adults, and art-making can serve to relieve painful self-deprecation. Wadeson (1980) noted that drawings by patients experiencing depression showed less color, less affect, and less effort than the drawings of nondepressed individuals. In addition, they showed more empty space and more depressive affect, such as drawing about harming others. Silver & Ellison (1995) described the behavior and history of a 16-year-old who had been arrested and incarcerated for stabbing another youth with a pencil. His history included a volatile temper and it was feared that he might harm others. His father had disappeared and his mother had been killed in a gang-related incident. During his stay in the facility, he was placed on suicide watch, and then was disciplined for angry acting-out. Three weeks after his release, he committed suicide. Advantages of Art Therapy vs. Traditional Verbal Therapy for Children Many studies performed by therapist-researchers have been chosen to focus on art therapy in particular because of the expressive arts benefit of allowing children a nonverbal outlet for their feelings. However, because art therapy is a relatively new modality, there is a minimal amount of research that has been conducted to support its efficacy or usefulness. Therefore, traditionally there has been less acceptance of it as a viable treatment option. Due to this belief, it is important to point out the many advantages of conducting art therapy to treat a wide spectrum of mental illnesses, from severe disorders such as schizophrenia to mild behavioral disorders. There are many therapeutic advantages to this particular type of therapy. Pre-adolescent children often have difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings verbally. Children’s linguistic and cognitive skills are not fully developed, which limits their verbal expression. Because art therapy involves nonverbal communication, it is useful with this age population whose developmental limitations prevent the level of participation often required in verbal therapy (Newcomer, 1993). Instead of words, the image created by the child is the symbolic representation of a feeling, event, wish, etc. This form of preverbal expression and preverbal thinking does not require translation because it is depicted in image form. For children who are not able to make the translation, art is used as a vehicle for expression rather than words (Newcomer, 1993). Another advantage of art therapy is that the image produced can serve as a catalyst for verbal expression. This image then provides the child with structure and a foundation in an attempt to explain or describe the production (Newcomer, 1993). Many children suffer from low self-esteem and low self-confidence. When a child participates in art therapy activities and can master the materials and projects, it provides an opportunity for the child to increase self-esteem and self-confidence. Many of the participants in the present study suffer from a poor self-image and low self-esteem and confidence. Children, particularly in violent neighborhoods, often feel a lack of control over the unpredictable and unstable environment in which they are living. Therefore, it is important to gain mastery of a task, which helps build a feeling of control. Art projects can serve to do this. Art therapy is advantageous to traditional talk therapy in that it helps to provide a socially acceptable opportunity for expression and is relatively nonthreatening, whereas verbal therapy can carry a stigma. Many individuals, both children and adults, suffer from the stigma of being in therapy. Reducing or eliminating this negative stigma can serve to enhance the therapy (Newcomer, 1993). Art therapy provides a forum where children are able to freely express emotion when discussing their artwork without fear of violating social norms. Another benefit of art therapy is the social component that can be worked into the session if providing group art therapy. By working on group projects and sharing materials, it helps develop interpersonal relationships and fosters cooperation (Newcomer, 1993). At the Lake School’s Insight Through Art Program, all children in the groups share materials and at times engage in group projects. Another advantage of art therapy that has been noted is the decrease in energy level that occurs during the creative process (Newcomer, 1993). Individuals in art therapy are still stimulated as in talk therapy, but in a different way that provides greater relaxation. Many of the children at the Lake School are hyperactive, anxious, and overly excited. Working on an art project provides structure, containment, and limit setting that helps to calm children down. Art can also have the reverse effect on depressed, introverted children. Art and art-making can help stimulate these individuals and increase participation in therapy and decrease inhibition. A disadvantage of verbal therapy is that when working verbally, individuals can stop and filter thoughts and feelings (Wadeson, 1980). It is easier to control and tame your words then your art. This editing can slow down the therapeutic process. Harriet Wadeson lists objectification as another advantage. This term is based on the premise that art expression can form a bridge. Objectification is the notion that â€Å"feelings or ideas are at first externalized in an object (picture or sculpture). The art object allows the individual, while separating from the feelings, to recognize their existence† (Wadeson, 1980, p. 10). Hopefully, the individual can then come to own his or her feelings and integrate them into the self. When in art therapy, the individual is left with a tangible object that can be taken with him or her after the therapy has ended (Wadeson, 1980). In verbal therapy, there are no tangible products. The object(s) is symbolic of the work done in treatment and can also serve as a reminder of skills learned. The person then has a reminder of work done, which is especially beneficial for children. The picture or sculpture is not subject to distortions of memory. An additional advantage of having a tangible product is that it is easier to recall and notice emerging patterns. A therapist and the client can derive a sense of ongoing development that occurs in the therapeutic process. The art object provides documentation that is a direct statement by the patient, not filtered by the therapist (Wadeson, 1980). A final noted advantage is that art taps into primary process thinking and allows the child to process the event without the censorship or inhibitions of secondary process thinking. Literature Review of Art Therapy Research Art therapy programs, unlike traditional doctoral programs in psychology, have not emphasized empirical research. Students studying art therapy enter the field because they tend to be more interested in the clinical work rather than in conducting research. Many programs, though this began changing in the 1980s, do not offer the foundational courses in research design. Given this focus, the field of art therapy lacks the research studies that utilize quantifiable data. Therefore, much of the research regarding the efficacy of art therapy has been case studies. Many prolific writers in the field have written about the lack of art therapy research (McNiff, 1998a, Rosal, 1998; Malchiodi, 1995). â€Å"As a relatively new discipline we have yet to ‘advance’ to the stage where professional researchers separate the process of investigation from the ‘the practice of the craft† (McNiff, 1998a, p. 86). Many art therapists struggle with the more traditionally acceptable research procedures. Creative research methods seem to lend themselves better to studying this unique field because in enables the researcher a better opportunity to provide evidence regarding the process of therapeutic change. To show the changes that occur after the course of art therapy, many practitioner-researchers try to let the artistic products speak for themselves, coupled with a description of how the client moved through the process and experience of art therapy. â€Å"The practice of art therapy generates a desire to ‘show’ data on the part of both participants and therapists. The presentation of imagery is a natural extension of the therapeutic process and a primary feature of artistic activity† (McNiff, 1998b, p. 93). To date, it was difficult to find studies that investigated behavioral changes occurring after the introduction of a school-based group art-therapy program. However, there is research that addresses other changes art therapy can bring about. Rosal, McCulloch-Vislisel, and Neece (1997) conducted an art therapy pilot study in an urban high school with ninth-grade students. The program goal was to improve attitudes about school, relationships, and life; decrease the number of failing grades; and keep students from dropping out of school. Results of this study indicated that the art therapy, in conjunction with the English curriculum, had a positive effect on the subjects. The investigators found that the participants stayed in school, failed a very small number of courses, and improved their attitude about school, family, and self. Another study, conducted by Jasenke Roje (1995), utilized art therapy with latency age children who were victims of the 1994 Los Angeles earthquake. Roje found art therapy to be an effective and successful treatment modality in the recovery of earthquake trauma. â€Å"It enabled children to express internal processes which they had no verbal awareness of and it facilitated working through the defenses in order to identify underlying conflicts which hindered recovery† (Roje, 1995, p. 243). Rosal (1993) investigated the use of art therapy to modify the locus of control and adaptive classroom behavior of children with behavior disorders. Subjects were fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students living in a poor urban area in a large city. Most of the children came from unstable families. All subjects were identified as having behavioral difficulties at school and poor peer relationships. Results of this study were not statistically significant, however, Rosal noted change in the subjects. One of the measures Rosal utilized was The Children’s Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Locus of Control (CNS-D3) measure. She found that although there were no statistically significant results, both experimental groups made greater moves toward the norm of the CNS-IE than the control groups. A second measure used in this study was the Conners Teacher Rating Scale (TRS). Results indicated that the two art therapy treatment conditions showed significant differences in changes of diagnosis on the TRS. Both art therapy treatment conditions were more effective than the control group in helping the behavior disordered students improve. Seventy-five percent of the subjects in one of the treatment conditions showed an improved diagnosis on the TRS and 67% showed improved diagnosis in the other treatment condition. The third and final measure that Rosal used in this study was a personal construct drawing interview (PCDI) that was developed specifically for this study to measure changes in self-perception. The students in both art therapy treatment conditions showed an increase in positive attitudes, whereas no major change was noted in the control group. In conclusion, Rosal’s study suggests that art therapy may be an effective modality in helping children with behavior disorders increase levels of control. Pleasant-Metcalf and Rosal (1997) utilized a single-case study research design in a school setting to study the effectiveness of individual art therapy with a 12-year-old girl whose academic performance declined following the divorce of her parents. Evidence in this pilot study suggests that school-based art therapy was effective in helping increase academic performance. This study adds to the growing body of literature supporting the notion that art therapy is an important school-based service and can positively impact academic performance. Avidar (1995) explored through two case studies how art therapy can address treatment needs of children who experience pervasive trauma. The subjects in Avidar’s study, much like the ones in the current study, reside in a violent inner-city housing project in a major metropolitan city. Avidar found that art therapy proves to address the psychological needs of individuals who experience chronic trauma. â€Å"[Art therapy] provides distance, expression, mastery, control, and above all, safety and trust† (Avidar, 1995, p. 16). Omizo and Omizo (1989) used art activities with minority children aged 8 to 11 to help improve self-esteem. It is well documented that poor self-esteem, feelings of incompetence, worthlessness, hopelessness, powerlessness, and feelings of inadequacy contribute to delinquency, substance abuse, unemployment, unrealized potential, poor achievement, and involvement with crime (Roundtree, 1979 and Shaplen, 1982, as cited in Omizo & Omizo, 1989). As in Omizo and Omizo’s study, the children in the current study face the aforementioned feelings and problems. Children in the Omizo study were assigned to an experimental group or a control group and were pre- and post-tested using The Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory for Children (SEI) to measure self-esteem. Results on the post-test indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control group. The minority children who participated in group counseling that utilized art activities had significantly higher social peer-related and academics/school-related self-esteem. Application of Art Therapy in Counseling Children Historically, therapy has been provided in private offices, hospitals, and community clinics. Traditionally, schools have been viewed narrowly as places to educate. Now that we have entered the 21st century, an expanded notion of the function of the school needs to be considered. Schools are not just the place where students learn academic material; schools also shape students’ psychological well-being, especially in poor urban neighborhoods where there are few resources available to families. Schools are the primary institutions where children gather, and as such, they provide an excellent setting in which to deliver effective services to children in need. Individuals and families may not be able to obtain services if they are required to go to an office-based treatment setting. School-based services can provide a solution to the problem of children not being independently mobile and having to rely on a family member, guardian, or some other adult to take them to therapy. Schools are â€Å"where the children are. We have to take the service to them, rather than expect them to come to us† (McNiff, 1997). This is especially the case when working with disadvantaged, at-risk children. There are a multitude of factors that may lead to a lack of participation in treatment. It is often not a lack of desire or motivation for treatment, but rather a confounding situation. Disadvantaged families usually do not have a reliable source of transportation. Therefore, it makes it very difficult to make a scheduled session that possibly is miles away, outside of their community. Another problem with children receiving services outside of the school is that they have to rely on an adult to get them there. Parents in poor urban settings are often disenfranchised by the system and may lack the motivation to get their child to treatment. In addition, there may be crises that arise and other children whose parents or guardians are caring for that make it difficult to get to scheduled appointments. However, with school-based interventions, if the child attends class, he or she is able to receive treatment without relying on an adult to provide transportation. The school is therefore a more effective place to reach children more consistently. The earlier the intervention, the more likely it is that one can eradicate and reshape unhealthy behaviors among children. The longer the behavior continues, the more difficult it is to extinguish. By meeting the needs of children in a school setting, there is a greater chance of targeting and changing negative behaviors at an early stage. There are numerous advantages to school-based treatments when compared to more traditional settings. There is a push for briefer treatments in which the patient takes a more active role in the therapeutic process. In addition, there is no longer the belief that one type of treatment is appropriate for all presenting problems. Art therapy in the public schools is an alternative approach to a variety of problems, one that is both active and brief. The therapy takes place when school is in session; therefore, the school calendar dictates treatment to only be a certain length of time. Another advantage is that the therapist, by being in the school, is part of the school system and climate and has an opportunity to â€Å"gauge the general social climate that is impinging on the child† (Nicol, 1979, p. 83). The therapist can witness the child interacting with peers and teachers and identify problematic social relationships and social skills that are causing difficulties for the child. Providing treatment in a familiar environment is linked to clients remaining in treatment. The school is a very familiar environment for children, thus increasing the chances that the child will remain in treatment. A final advantage of the school-based setting is the collaboration that can occur amongst professionals (Nicol, 1979). Teachers do not receive the necessary training on how to handle children with behavioral problems. The school-based therapist can serve as a resource for the teachers and school staff, providing consultations and in-school workshops. Given the central role that schools play in the lives of children, we need to expand upon this by not only educating children on subjects of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also help to foster positive self-esteem and emotional and cognitive growth. In addition, schools also should help children build interpersonal relationship skills and help students to develop positive behaviors. By broadening the definition and role the school plays beyond academic success, children will have a greater chance of success and a larger set of skills necessary to make it in the outside world. Most of the literature on art therapy in schools represents work that is taking place in specialized settings, not urban public schools. â€Å"The severity of problems that children bring into school settings is rising dramatically. Violence, sexual abuse, suicide, substance abuse, poverty, and the decay of family and community structures are just some of the numerous issues affecting children today† (Essex, Frostig, & Hertz, 1996, p. 182). Children bring these problems into the classroom and schools are left with the responsibility to handle these grave situations. When a child is in distress, it interferes with the child’s ability to learn. In 1990, a decision by the Supreme Court of New Jersey emphasized the critical need for public school support of these issues. There have been several other legislative initiatives that focus on the benefits of creative art therapies to help individuals who do not respond to more traditional therapies. â€Å"The Senate and House Report (No. 96-712, May 18, 1980) on the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 gave special attention to the creative arts therapies in the treatment of persons who required mental health services but who did not respond to traditional therapeutic modalities† (Bush, 1997b, p. 10). Janet Bush (1997a) introduced the first comprehensive art therapy program in a public school in Dade County, Florida during the 1979-1980 school year which still exists today. Other art therapy programs have been started in the United States, but they are not as extensive as Dade County and have developed differently. Initially, the goal of the pilot program in Dade County was to provide art therapy for students with physical, emotional, educational, and psychological problems â€Å"to ameliorate a variety of unacceptable behaviors and to help the students learn by improving students’ insights, attitudes, and skills† (Bush, 1997a, p. 9). Eventually, the program narrowed its focus to only include students with emotional problems. While obtaining her graduate degree in art therapy, Bush recognized how students’ problems were directly and indirectly affecting their educational goals. By introducing art therapy in the school, she hoped to assist the children in problem resolution by providing tools to foster self-expression and emotional and cognitive growth. In 1999, the Bade County school district employed 20 Mi-time art therapists to work in 28 public schools. (Minato, 1999, p. 59). As the art therapy program grew and developed, other professionals (psychologists, social workers, family therapists, and teachers) joined the treatment team. At first, the program combined art education along with art therapy. This was due to the fact that the original funding for the program came from the art education department. In 1995, the program shifted away from art education and started focusing entirely on clinical art therapy objectives with severely emotionally disturbed children (Bush, 1997a). The activities the school art therapists provided were very comprehensive. They included: consultation, assessment, intervention, professional training and development, research, program planning, and evaluation (Bush, 1997b). Although the Dade County school-based art therapy program has been a success, its success has been measured by observation and experiences of the therapists. This program, along with most school-based art therapy programs, lacks the documentation to support empirical research. The Dade County program has continued to prosper since its commencement in 1979, but empirical research supporting it is minimal (Bush, 1997b). Art therapy in schools, however, has not taken root. It is time for controlled research and documentation on the application of art therapy in schools. Relevant outcome criteria on the effectiveness of art therapy in treating students and the effects of participation on a school’s team should be reported. (Bush, 1997a, p. 13) The Dade County art therapy program is a model program, which can serve to inspire future development of similar school-based art therapy programs. Art therapy in a school-based setting can provide at-risk children with an outlet to work through obstacles that are hindering their educational, emotional, and social growth. Conclusion Behavioral science research has focused on the psychological, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems that children exposed to chronic stress and violence face. Research in this area has become increasingly prolific as the rates of violence and risk of exposure increases. This is especially true in large urban cities where the prevalence rate of urban youth exposed to violence and chronic stress is rapidly increasing. There are many factors in the lives of impoverished African-American children that lead to chronic stress. Rutter (1978) identified six significant familial stressors that increased the probability of behavioral disorders among children. They are: (a) the father having an unskilled/semiskilled job, (b) overcrowding in the home or a large family size, (c) the mother suffering from depression or a neurotic disorder, (d) the child having ever been â€Å"in care,† (e) the father having been convicted of any offense against the law, and (f) marital discord (Rutter, 1978). Other researchers examined multiple stressors on school-aged children’s psychological functioning: parental conflict, maternal depression, overcrowding, and family income. Shaw and Emery found that â€Å"cumulative family stressors predicted clinically-elevated child behavior problems and below-average ratings of children’s IQ and perceived social competence† (1988, p. 204). The research suggests there is a significant relationship between exposure to chronic stress, crime, and violence and behavioral, psychological, and academic problems. It is necessary to then take the next step and focus on ways in which to ameliorate these negative effects. Traditionally, psychological services of art therapy have been provided in hospitals, community mental health centers, and private offices. There are, however, numerous factors that impede the ability of at-risk children from getting these needed services that are often provided outside their community. School-based interventions in art therapy can provide one solution to this problem. School-based therapeutic interventions have been effective in helping children to deal with the emotional repercussions of living with multiple stressors. By addressing common problems in a novel way, school-based art therapy therapy opens the doors to many children who otherwise would not receive the needed therapeutic help. The children are in their schools everyday, so why not bring the service to them. Outcome literature supports the notion that school-based intervention programs in art therapy can yield to positive outcomes in the lives of children. References Art therapy: Definition of profession. (1998, Summer). American Art Therapy Association Newsletter, 31, 3. Avidar, A. (1995). Art therapy and pervasive trauma: Working with children in violent communities. Pratt Institute Creative Arts Therapy Review, 16, 10-16. Bush, J. (1997a). The development of school art therapy in Dade County public schools: Implications for future change. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 14(l 9-14. Bush, J. (1997b). The handbook of school art therapy. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. Essex, M. , Frostig, K. , & Hertz, J. (1996). In the service of children: Art and expressive therapies in public schools. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 73(2), 181-190. Malchiodi, C. A. (1995). Does a lack of art therapy research hold us back? Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 12(4), 218-219. Malchiodi, C. A. (2003). Art therapy and the brain. In C. A. Malchiodi (Ed. ), Handbook of art therapy. New York: Guilford Press. pp. 16-24 McNiff, S. (1997). Art therapy: A spectrum of partnerships. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 24, 37-44. McNiff, S. (1998a). Enlarging the vision of art therapy research. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 15(2), 86-92. McNiff, S. (1998b). Art-based research. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd. Kaplan, F. F. (2000). Art, science, and art therapy. London: Jessica Kingsley. Minato, Laura. (1999). Book Review. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 26(1), 59-60. Nader, K. , & Pynoos, R. S. (1991). Play and drawing techniques as tools for interviewing traumatized children. In C. E. Schaefer, K. Gitlin, & A. Sandgrund (Eds. ), Play diagnosis and assessment (pp. 375-389). New York: Wiley. Newcomer, P. (1993). Art, Music, and Dance Therapy. In P. Newcomer (Ed. ), Understanding and teaching emotionally disturbed adolescents (pp. 515-553). Austin, TX: Pro-ed. Nicol, AR. (1979). Psychotherapy and the school. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 20, 81-86. Omizo, M. M. , & Omizo, S. A. (1989). Art Activities to improve self-esteem among native Hawaiian children. Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 27(3), 167- 176. Pleasant-Metcalf, A. M. , & Rosal. M. L. (1997). The use of art therapy to improve academic performance. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 14(1), 23-29. Restak, R. M. (1994). The modular brain. New York: Scribner. Riley, S. (2003). Using art therapy to address adolescent depression. In C. Malchiodi (Ed.), Handbook of art therapy. New York: Guilford Press. Roje, J. (1995). LA ’94 earthquake in the eyes of children: Art therapy with elementary school children who were victims of disaster. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 12(4), 237-243. Rosal, M. L. (1998). Research thoughts: Learning from the literature and from experience. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 15(1), 47-50. Rosal, M. L. , McCulloch-Vislisel, S. , & Neece, S. (1997). Keeping students in school: An art therapy program to benefit ninth-grade students. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 14(1), 30-36. Rutter, M. (1978). Family, area, and school influences in the genesis of conduct disorder. In L. A. Hersov & D. Schaffer (Eds. ), Aggression and anti-social behavior in childhood and adolescence (pp. 95-114) Oxford: Pergamon Press. Silver, R. , and Ellison, J. (1995). Identifying and assessing self-images in drawings by delinquent adolescents. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 22, 339-352. Wadeson, H. (1980). Art psychotherapy. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Argumentative Essay On Abortion - 771 Words

Abortion is one of the biggest controversial debates in society. Abortion is the termination of a human pregnancy. It can lead to many complications for a lot of people. It can also have long term effects emotionally on the mother, father, and family after the abortion is complete. It is very common today because many young women get pregnant at such a young age and believe that they are not capable of having a child. Abortion has always been a common debate usually based on beliefs of individuals. The debate of whether abortion should be legal or illegal is an argument that is popular among many people to this day, and this is all around the world, for various reasons. One reason the debate on abortion continues to this day is because of†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.† Jeremiah 1:5. Other religions question abortion and say that if abortion isn’t killing than what is it? For people that are for abortion give reasons such as rape, not financially stable, and child abuse. Women that are raped immediately want to abort the child while others believe that it was God’s intended plan for the baby to have life. Others argue that it’s not right or healthy for the mother to go through with having the child. Politician, Fine Gael says that, Its also not healthy for the child who would eventually find out they were the product of rape which is about violence and force, that is bound to lead to all sort of psychological issues.† Women who want to abort, struggle with the decision of doing so because she might not be able to afford a child. She may want to abort because she knows that the child may be abused after being born. Instead of jumping to all of these conclusions, the women should have a sufficient plan for the baby. Overall, there are many reasons that this is an ongoing debate all around the world. We all have different opinions on the topic and choose to keep it that way. There are a ton of reasons why people are for and why people are against abortion. It goes back and forth all the time. As of right now it is still legal in the United States. This is a topic that has various types ofShow MoreRelatedAbortion Argumentative Essay : Abortion934 Words   |  4 PagesJensen English April 29, 2014 Abortion Argumentative Essay On average about 41.6 million unborn children are aborted every year. Abortion is killing an unborn baby and it should be illegal. Abortion is wrong because it supports irresponsibility by parents. It gives the unborn children no choice or opportunity at life. In addition, instead of abortion, parents could put up the child for adoption, benefiting people that cannot have children of their own. 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A Question Of Animal Testing - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 869 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: Animal Testing Essay Bill Of Right Essay Did you like this example? One day you came across a farm with pigs, cows, sheep, goats, chicken, and other farm animals having a wonderful time on a nice sunny day, but moments later a farmer came across with an axe, a stick, a shotgun, and a knife out of nowhere. He sets up a line for animals to come in and moments later he began hitting, abusing, and torching those poor animals because hes unsatisfied with the animals not producing enough resources for him to make a lot of money out of. This is called animals abuse, animals abuse is when an animal is being neglect or treated cruelty, is the infliction by omission or by commission by humans or suffering or harm upon any non-human.. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Question Of Animal Testing" essay for you Create order Luckily, theres people who disagrees with animal abuse and has come up with a situation and that is to make a bill for all animals to have rights and have freedom which is called Animals Bill of Rights. The Animal Bill of Rights is a bill that people who disagree with animals abuse and wants to protect animals from cruelty and abuse by humans behavior, by passing this bill (Sign the Petition, 1). However, this bill has not yet pass because theyre some people who disagree with animals having rights because it will affect our lives. By that decision the bill hasnt yet became a bill, and we need to do something about it. I agree that animals should have the Bill of Rights to be pass and it will provide benefits for animals and for humans too. The Animals Bill of Right will bring animals to be free from exploitation, cruelty, and abuse to an end (Animals Bill of Rights, Article 1). In 2002, Congress moved to amend the AWA to exclude birds, rats, and mice from the Acts protections following successful litigation against the government by the Animal Legal Defense Fund that would have required the Act to be interpreted to include them. Together these 3 species excluded from the Acts protections are estimated to comprise over 90 percent of all used in research (Rats, Mice and Birds Excluded from Animal Welfare Act, 1). This is great to hear because its unfair for animals like birds, mice, and rats to suffer from pain and other symptom because scientist is doing a lack of care towards those animals by ejected them diseases, infections, viruses, and other things to test out what will happen to them. By supporting Animal Bill of Rights, we can stop animals from being experimenting with subjects that arent safe for animals nor hum ans. The Animal Bill of Rights will give the right of farmed animals to an environment that satisfies their basic physical needs and live free without cruelty and being abuse (Animals Bill of Rights, Article 5). In polling, 94% of Americans agree that animals raised for food deserve to live free from abuse and cruelty. Yet the majority of the nearly 10 billion farm animals raised each year in the U.S. suffer in conditions that consumers would not accept if they could see them. Most of our meat, milk and eggs come from industrial farms where efficiency trumps welfare†and animals are paying the price (Farm Animal Welfare, 1).   This tells us that the entire U.S.A population agrees that farm animals need the right to live without cruelty and if people where to see how farmers treat their animals people wont consider buying their food products. With most of the population agreeing with this, we would agree that animals should have their Bill of Rights to be established and end cruelty for farm animals to have freedom. Animals will have the benefits of having a healthy diet, protective shelter, and adequate medical care (Animals Bill of Rights, Article 3). Currently, 45 states and the District of Columbia have felony level animal cruelty provision, usually for aggravated cruelty or animal fighting or both. The remaining 5 states treat such crimes as misdemeanors, for example in Louisiana aggravated cruelty leading to death of an animals can lead to a fine $25,000 or imprisonment for a period of 10 years (Animal Bill of Rights, Article 3. Par.1).   This shows that all 50 states have penalties for animal cruelty and majority of them can agree that Animals do deserve to have the Bill of Rights established for them. All states agree that animals have rights and if they were to be mistreated like humans and will suffer the consequence depending in what state he/ her is in. Animals deserve respect because they are unharmful animals that do nothing to hurt against humans, so why hurt them. In conclusion, animal testing should be eliminated because it violates animals rights, it causes pain and suffering to the all animals. Humans cant give reasons for making life better for themselves by torturing, abusing, and executing hundreds and thousands of animals per year just to perform experiments or test products. Animals should be treated with respect and worthy, and not be treated poorly there just like humans they have children to provide food for them, they have the same life experience as humans, and they feel emotional too. After all, humans are just like animals too and that why we need to support Animals Bill of Rights.