Music Education in our Public Schools Essay example

Music Education in our Public Schools Music Education is no doubt a necessity to the students of today. Music plays a major role in everyone’s daily life. Music is listened to while driving in the car, when eating in restaurants, relaxing at home, and even when on hold to a company’s overloaded phone system. Music is everywhere you turn, and it should be one of the main subjects to be studied in our public school systems. Public schools in America need to understand that the funding and continued study of music is just as important as the funding for math or science to produce a well rounded graduate. Public schools in America have the awesome responsibility of producing America’s next generation of productive members of†¦show more content†¦This practice is almost unbelievable considering that the No Child Left behind Act passed by congress in 2001 specifically states, â€Å"Music education is a core academic subject† (NCLB). Music education is not only the study of rhythms and note patterns; music education is the chance to study an art form that is new and different each and every time it is practiced or performed. Musically educated students not only have a better understanding of the fine arts than other students, but have a more critical eye and ear for everything around them. Music education is a gateway for a greater understanding of the world we live in. Not only does music give students a more alert outlook or more critical mind on the word around them, it also gives musicians a better understanding of themselves. It gives them the confidence to know that they have accomplished something beautiful. Also, in sharing that accomplishment with others, in a medium such as a concert or recital, it allows them to open up musically and emotionally to others. This in turn makes a more emotionally healthy person. It has also been proven that students, who have taken music classes in school, not only have an understanding of a subject that other students don ’t, but their test scores in conventional classes, especially math and science, are significantly higher than students who have taken no form of music education. This fact is reaffirmed according to The College Board: High school studentsShow MoreRelated A Personal Philosophy of Music Education Essay1036 Words   |  5 PagesA Personal Philosophy of Music Education Few would argue against the idea that we educate ourselves and our society so that we have adequate means with which to understand and interact with elements of the world around us. Subjects such as mathematics, language, history, and the hard sciences are granted immediate and unquestioned legitimacy in our schools, and with good reason. We encounter each of these elements of our lives on a daily basis. We need to have an understanding of theseRead MoreStop Defending Music Education By Peter Greene851 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"I get that music programs are under intense pressure, that all across America they are sitting hunched over with one nervous eye on a hooded figure stalking the halls with a big budgetary ax†, states Peter Greene. It has become common today to dismiss music’s contribution to the field of education. In the article â€Å"Stop Defending Music Education†, written by Peter Greene, the issue if obvious. What the issue is whether or not public schools should teach music and art, since so many students areRead MoreHigh School And The Neural And Scholastic Benefits Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesGerald Ford said, â€Å"Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.† Music can do so much for the youth of the nation because it encourages group cooperation, independent study, and a way to relax. It has often been debated whether the benefits of music in school are significant enoughRead MoreSample Bibliography : 20 Important Benefits Of Music1035 Words   |  5 PagesAnnotated Bibliography â€Å"20 Important Benefits of Music In Our Schools.† National Association for Music Education, 21 July 2014, www.nafme.org/20-important-benefits-of-music-in-our-schools/. This source is an online article from a credible source: The National Association for Music Education (NAFME). The actual author is unknown. This source presents twenty significant advantages of music in schools. The advantages presented are actual facts due to studies performed. This article is important to myRead More The Importance of Arts Education Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pagesof Arts Education Jane Alexander, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), once said, â€Å"Many children are missing out on something which gives their education context, gives their lives depth and meaning, and prepares them to be the future workforce.† This â€Å"something† that she spoke of is music and art education. Unfortunately, she is entirely correct. We are currently seeing in our country a dramatic cut in arts education curriculum in our public schools due to theRead MoreSocial Change And Public Policy1528 Words   |  7 Pagessociology is an idea interpreted as social change and public policy. This social change is heavily influenced in Laredo, Texas because of the demanding change in urban society. Additionally, this change is operated by Laredo citizen’s concerned with the system of charter and public schools on how classical music has disappeared as a necessity of the learning structure for students. Not only has classical music been completely erased from the school system, it has caused student’s grades to suffer andRead MoreEssay on American Schools Need Music Education1582 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Schools Need Music Education For years, I have studied music. I cannot picture my life without it. In my schooling, I participated in various orchestras and choirs, learning eight different instruments along the way. It was my high school music program that instilled a passion for music inside me. Not only did I enjoy attending my music classes in high school, but I enjoyed all my classes, a fact that many of my peers cannot claim. Learning how to think as a musician hasRead MoreHigh School And The Neural And Scholastic Benefits Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesFord said, â€Å"Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music.† Music can do much more than just affect the morals of young adolescents. It has often been debated whether the benefits of music in school are significan t enough to encourage continued participation in music during highRead MoreThe Purpose Of Public School Education1678 Words   |  7 PagesThe purpose of public school education is to provide students with the tools and skills to continue to higher education, and to help them pursue their goals and dreams in life. It is meant to provide inspiring, positive and culturally affirming experiences that make students excited to learn and succeed. While many students are prepared properly in public schools, this is not true for all. For several students, education is not stimulating, and is dull and boring, or perhaps provides negative andRead MoreEducating Children in the Arts is Good1324 Words   |  5 Pages Goodbye Music, Said the Soul â€Å"Music is exciting. It is thrilling to be sitting in a group of musicians playing the same piece of music. You are part of a great, powerful, vibrant entity. And nothing beats the feeling you get when youve practiced a difficult section over and over and finally get it right. Music is important. It says things your heart cant say any other way, and in a language everyone speaks. Music crosses borders, turns smiles into frowns, and vice versa. These observations are

Current State of the Australian Economy-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Prepare a report on the current state of the Australian economy and compare its performance with state of the economy in August 2016. Answer: Introduction: The objective of this analysis is to gain in depth understanding of the Australian economy in terms of the macroeconomic environment. The analysis will facilitate comparative study of Australian economy for the economic year of 2016 with the year 2017 (Connell 2016). The analysis will be performed with the help of the economic indicators such as economic growth (GDP) of Australia, rate of unemployment, inflation rate and in the areas of trade. The analysis will also lay down the three chief issue faced by the Australian economy consisting of new system of taxation, prevailing rate of wages in Australia and increase in the population. GDP of Australia from 2016-2017: The GDP of a nation can be defined as the aggregate values of the goods and service that is generated inside the territorial boundaries of a nation during a particular time, generally one economy year (Taussig 2013). GDP is usually measured with the help of present price levels (Nominal GDP) along with the real price levels, which is commonly known as Real GDP. The Australian economy enjoys a strong GDP with an average of 1343.6 billion in USD (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). A large part of this contribution is received from the constant rise in the expenditure of the consumers in Australia. Figure 1: Figure Illustrating GDP Growth Rate of Australia from 2016 to 2017 (Source: Tradingeconomics.com 2017) From the above stated graph, it can be defined that the economy of Australia recorded a relatively negative trend in growth in the year October 2016. However, the economy of Australia recovered from a slowing growth to report a growth of GDP by 1.1% in the first quarter of 2017 (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). Following the first quarter of 2017, the GDP growth rate of Australia marginally declined by 0.3% but subsequently gained by 0.8% in the second quarter of June 2017. The rise in the statistics of GDP is largely contributed by the mining industry that specifically stood AUD $29393 million of the GDP during the first quarter of 2017. Another significant factor that contributed to the growth of the GDP of Australia is the increase in the consumption expenditure of the household sector (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). Findings from the report suggest that there is a rise in the spending of discretionary segments that primarily comprised in the areas of natural gas and electricity. The reported increase in the spending of the housing sector stood 0.5% that ultimately contributed to the fall in the rate of domestic savings in Australia by 4.7%. In the current stage, investment only accounts for 0.4% of the growth (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). Besides these elements, there has been a reported instances of increase in the areas of medical and social service with reported changes in the inventory also contributing to the increase in the GDP of Australia as inventories were recorded at AUD $2069 million by the end of the first quarter of 2017. As forecasted by the Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian economy is projected to witness a growth of approximately 3% by the end of the economic year of 2017. A large part of the growth of Australian economy is projected to be arising from the post mining flourishing conditions. Variations in Unemployment rate from 2016 to 2017: Unemployment can be defined as the number of individuals willing to work but are unable to find employment concerning the population of the country (Frank, Bernanke and Lui 2015). The varying dynamics of the Australian Unemployment can be analysed from the below listed graphical representations; Figure 2: Figure Illustrating Rate of Unemployment: Australia from 2016 to 2017 (Source: Tradingeconomics.com, 2017) Findings from the above stated graphical represents states that the economy of Australia has been performing exceptionally well in this segment. Statistical reports suggest that the rate of unemployment has decreased positively from 5.9% in the month of June 2016 to 5.6% by the end of July (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). The growth employment is largely attributed to the changes in the labour market and introductions of new types of work has contributed immensely to the fall in rate of unemployment. In the recent years, reports suggest that there has been a large influx of part time employment in Australian economy that eventually contributed to the increase in the scope of the flexible and mobile employment search in the economy (Sloman, Norris, and Garrett 2013). In spite of the fact that the full-time employment in the economy has declined however to minimise the effect, part-time employment has managed to offset such decline by the end of the first quarter of 2017. In the current year, numerical reports have stated that 239,373new jobs have been created with large part of those figures is attributed towards the part-time employment (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). This influx of part-time employment has simultaneously reduced the rate unemployment in Australia significantly. The policies of taxation undertaken by the Reserve Bank of Australia has increasingly contributed to the labour force participations in the present year of 2017. In spite of the fact that the rate of unemployment has declined, yet there prevails the problem of lower rate of wages. Such lower rate of wages is primarily due to the International Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 together with significant amount of migration of domestic workforces (Case, Fair and Oster 2014). Nevertheless, a comparatively lower rate of unemployment in the current year of 2017 reflects that the policies of the government are correctly implemented to a significant extent to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. Comparison of Inflation rate of Australia from 2016 to 2017: Inflation can be defined as the regular increase in the prices of goods and services in an economy during a particular time that directly leads to decline in the overall purchasing power of the residents of that economy (Gregory and Smith 2016). The rate of inflation is measured by the ABS by taking account of the Consumer Price Index of a nation. Figure 3: Figure Illustrating a Comparison of rate of inflation from 2016 to 2017 (Source: Tradingeconomics.com, 2017) The reported rate of inflation in Australia stood 1.9% by the end of June 2017. The current rate of inflation can be considered to be considerably higher than the previous year of 2016 that stood at 1% (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). The increase in the rate of inflation can be attributed to the decline in the rate of unemployment with subsequent increase in the demand and consumer spending. The increase in the consumer price index is primarily due to the increase in the price of the goods and service and education segment that had direct impact on the inflation (Argy and Nevile 2016). An assertion can be put forward that the standard of the living of the citizens is affected because of the rise in the inflation rate in Australia. Balance of trade of Australia from 2016 to 2017: The balance of trade of a nation is measured by taking in to the considerations the differences between the export and import value of the supplies (Connell 2016). The current balance of trade of Australia at the end of the first quarter of 2017 stood $888 billion. This provides an indication that there is a higher value of import and export carried out by Australia. Figure 4: Figure representing Balance of Trade comparison from 2016 to 2017) (Source: Tradingeconomics.com, 2017) As evident from the above stated graphical representations it can stated that there is huge increase in the areas of both export and import. Due to such increase the balance of trade has considerably increased from 90.2% for the year July 2016 to 103.6 index points in the year July 2017 (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). Current account: The current account comprises of the aggregate sum of the net income from the overseas net transfer (current) and the balance of trade. The sum increased stood $-15.426 million for the year 2016 June to -$9.562 for the period of June 2017. The increase is mainly attributed to the strong trade policies of the government. Net Foreign Debt: Foreign debt can be defined as the amount, which a nation has to repay to the overseas lenders (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). The foreign debt of Australia represents a fall from $1,056,125 million to $990,599 million from the economic year of June 2016 to the year July 2017. The reduction in the foreign debt is largely because of the strong government policies towards international trade relations with other nations. Valuation of dollar: The domestic value of Australian currency in relation to the American Dollar value helps in ascertaining the value of the currency in terms of the exchange rates. Findings from the analysis suggest that the valuation of the currency does not represents large volume of change (Tradingeconomics.com 2017). The value of currency for the year 2016 in September stood 0.75:1 against the USD, which in the subsequent year of September 2017 stood at 0.80:1. This is primarily due to the improved trade relations of Australia with other nations across the world. Three key issue: The projected next twelve months can lead to rise of numerous issues in the Australian economy. Few of the major issues are highlighted below; The adoption of the new system of taxation by the Reserve Bank of Australia is anticipated to lead an impact on the labour market, employment creation and the aggregate productive level of the Australia (Bober 2016). Several findings from the study has highlighted the issue that improper implementation of tax policies might result in increased tax burden on workforce that may deprive the workforce of higher savings. As a result of this, there might be an instances of reduced savings among the domestic households and ultimately result in negative implications on the Australian economy. According to the recent data it is found that the prevailing rate of wages has been considerably low with wages standing 694.90 AUD$/week. Such lower wages might introduces the instances of stagnant economy and rise in the rate of unemployment in Australia. With higher instances of unemployment, the productivity of the Australian domestic industry might fall in the projected twelve months. Increasing pressure of populations with rise in the medical cost are jointly anticipated to contribute in the rise of the consumer price index of Australia in the projected time (Connell 2016). Because of decreasing unemployment and increase in demand the aggregate price level is projected to rise that might result in negative impact on the Australian economy. The rising population has additionally applied increasing pressure on the prices of the houses that might create a problem of housing unaffordability in the Australian economy. Conclusion: On arriving at the conclusion, the above-defined explanation has represented a significant change in the performance of the Australian economy from the year 2016 towards the conclusion of the first half of the year 2017. The Australian economy faces threat from the housing sector with rising population pressure and burden of higher prices can be regarded as the threat to the economy. On the other hand, present policies of taxation and policies of employment creation can be viewed as the positive implications on the labour market. Therefore, it can understood as having a component of economic recovery from the issues faced by Australia in the recent years. An important consideration for the Australian government to rule out the problems of inflation, lower wage rate and increased CPI is through strong monetary and fiscal policies. Reference List: Argy, V.E. and Nevile, J. eds., 2016.Inflation and Unemployment: Theory, Experience and Policy Making. Routledge. Bober, S., 2016.Alternative principles of economics. Routledge. Case, K.E., Fair, R.C. and Oster, S., 2014.Principles of economics. Pearson Higher Ed. Connell, J., 2016.Rural change in Australia: population, economy, environment. Routledge. Frank, R.H., Bernanke, B.S. and LUI, H.K., 2015.Principles of economics. McGraw-Hill Asia. Gregory, R.G. and Smith, R.E., 2016. 15 Unemployment, Inflation and Job Creation Policies in Australia.Inflation and Unemployment: Theory, Experience and Policy Making, p.325. Sloman, J., Norris, K. and Garrett, D., 2013.Principles of economics. Pearson Higher Education AU. Taussig, F.W., 2013.Principles of economics(Vol. 2). Cosimo, Inc.. Tradingeconomics.com. (2017).Australia Balance of Trade | 1900-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast. [online] Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/balance-of-trade [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Tradingeconomics.com. (2017).Australia GDP | 1960-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast | News. [online] Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/gdp [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Tradingeconomics.com. (2017).Australia Inflation Rate | 1951-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast. [online] Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/inflation-cpi [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017]. Tradingeconomics.com. (2017).Australia Unemployment Rate | 1978-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar. [online] Available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/unemployment-rate [Accessed 23 Sep. 2017].

24 Simple Rules That Every Teacher Should Live By

24 Simple Rules That Every Teacher Should Live By One of the best things about teaching is that there is not an exact blueprint for success. In general, no two teachers are alike. Each has their own teaching style and classroom management routines. But while there is no blueprint for teaching, there is a certain code that teachers must live by if they want to be successful. The following list is a general set of rules that every teacher should live by. These rules encompass all facets of teaching, both inside and outside of the classroom.   Rules for Teachers Always do what you believe to be best for your students. They should always be your number one priority. Think, how does this benefit my students? If that question is difficult to answer, you may want to reconsider.Focus on establishing meaningful, cooperative relationships. Building strong relationships with your students, peers, administrators, and parents will ultimately make your job easier.Never bring your personal problems or issues into the classroom. Leave them at home. Your students should never know when something at home is bothering you.Be open and willing to learn at all times. Teaching is a journey that will provide many opportunities to learn. You should strive to improve your teaching each and every day, even when youve been in the classroom for years.Always be fair and consistent. Your students are always watching to make sure you are doing this. You will undermine your own authority if they believe you are playing favorites.Parents are the cornerstone of a great edu cation, and as such, teachers must do their part to engage even the most reluctant parents in the learning process. Provide plenty of opportunities for parents  to become involved  and encourage them to do so. A teacher must never put herself or himself  in a compromising situation. Teachers must always be aware of their situation and never allow themselves to be vulnerable. They must maintain self-control at all times, protecting themselves and their reputation.Respect the decisions of administrators and understand that they have many responsibilities.  Teachers must have a great working relationship with their administrator but respect the fact that their time is valuable.Take the time to get to know your students. Find out what they like to do and include their interests in your lessons. Establish a rapport and connection with them, and you will find that engaging them in your lessons becomes easier.Establish rules, expectations, and procedures beginning on the first day of school.  Hold your students accountable for their actions. You do not have to be a dictator, but you do need to be firm, fair, and consistent. Keep in mind that you are not there to be their friend. Your studen ts need to know that you are in always in charge. Always be willing to listen to others, including your students, and take their feedback into account. You can learn the most when you are willing to take the time to hear what others are saying. Be open-minded and willing to take their advice.Own your mistakes. Teachers are not perfect, and it doesnt help your students to pretend that you are. Instead, set the example by owning your mistakes and showing your students that mistakes can lead to learning opportunities.Work cooperatively with other teachers. Always be willing to take another teacher’s advice. Likewise, share your best practices with other teachers.Find time outside of school to decompress. Every teacher should have some sort of hobby or interest that can help them escape the daily grind of school.  Always be willing to adapt and change. Teaching is always changing. There is always something newer and better to try.  Try to embrace change instead of resisting it.Teachers must be flexible. Some of the best momen ts in teaching are born out of spontaneity. Take advantage of those teachable moments. Be willing to change your plans when another opportunity presents itself. Be your students’ biggest cheerleader. Never tell them that they cannot do something. Help them accomplish their goals by setting them on the correct path and nudging them in the right direction when they go astray.Protect your students at all cost. Always be aware of your surroundings and ensure that your students are safe and secure at all times. Practice safety procedures within your classroom at all times and never allow students to engage in reckless behavior.Take a cue from the boy scouts and always be prepared! Preparation may not necessarily guarantee success, but the lack of preparation will almost certainly ensure failure. Teachers must put in the necessary time to create meaningful lessons that engage students.Have fun! If you enjoy your work, your students will notice and they will have a more enjoyable experience as well.Never purposely embarrass or put down a student in front of their peers. If you need to discipline or correct a student, do so privately in the c onfines of the hallway or after class. As a teacher, you need your students to trust and respect you. Give your students a reason to do this. Go the extra mile when you can. A lot of teachers volunteer their time for things like tutoring struggling students or sponsor a group or activity. These small actions mean a lot to your students.Never fall behind in grading and recording. It can be an overwhelming and almost impossible endeavor to try and catch up. Instead, set a goal to grade and return every paper within a two- to three- day period. This not only makes your job easier but also provides students with more relevant and timely feedback.Always be aware of and adhere to local policies and procedures. If you are not sure about something, it is better to ask and be sure than it is to make a costly mistake. As a teacher, you are responsible for ensuring that your students are following them as well.

Anarchy, emergence of essays

Anarchy, emergence of essays New York Times, on Sunday, November 8, had an article on sentences addressed by a Federal judge to three members of the antigovernment Montana Freemen for conspiracy and fraud; the article stirred my memory and concern about this paper, as well as brought into play many of the dilemmas discussed in the Nature of Politics class. However, I do not wish to analyze this particular article or cult, but the emergence of anarchy. There have been theories and diagnosis of human nature: the Aristotelian, teleo- logical view of the political animal, the Platonic, metaphorical view of the chained caveman, the Hobbian, phobic view of savage life as inevitably short, and many notable others. Regardless of the differences found in these, there is a common denominator found in all. That is, human beings move from the animalistic, passive stage to the civilized stage in order to materialize their potential in full. In this domain, governments serve as expedients or facilitators of an anthropological movement. The mechanism may differ from one type of government to another, but its principal, common function is to lay and protect the foundations for a prosperous humanity. In aiming this, a totalitarian regime, an oligarchy, or even a democracy, resorts to some pattern of hierarchy. It is worth noticing, that no matter what degree of legitimacy one government enjoys, or another lacks, they both eventually assume an hierarchical order which in turn inevitably assures a pragmatic i n e q u a l i t y. History repeatedly proves that beyond theory. Even in Communist Soviet Union where all classes were abolished, as they were accused of being the source of all social misery, even then and there, hierarchy rose with the communist-party-class at its top. In the interstate system as well, although member-states are said to be equally ...

Threat Management Of Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Threat Management Of Terrorism - Essay Example Most of the terror outfits in recent times have an ulterior political motive, and comprises of a very large and complex social network. One of the key measures of counter-terrorism strategies is to disrupt these terror networks by gaining corroborative evidence against its operations and pressing for military and/ or criminal proceedings against the culprits by way of seeking intervention of international bodies such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); International Police for Cooperation against Terrorism (Interpol); and the United Nations counter terrorism activities (Fraser, 2003; Deflem, 2004). This paper on ‘Threat management of terrorism’ discusses the various ways in the issue of global terrorism can be addressed and approached. Risk Calculation It is extremely crucial for decision makers to take calculated risks while undertaking counter-terrorism measures. This is because most of the time, the information collected regarding the terrorist activitie s, may result in poor judgments and hence poor decisions. Although the fact that no amount of planning and preparation on the part of counter-terrorism agencies can foretell or foresee all the terror attacks on a nation, a deterrence strategy based on defensive principles will, nonetheless, contribute significantly in restricting the extent of damage or at the most, prevent the dissipating of scarce national resources (Lebovic, 2007). Risk calculation might not help in completely averting the attack but it does play a key role in quantifying the extent of damage to human life and property and take pre-emptive measures to support and / or contain the aftermath. Today, due to the increasing use of technological aids and computer simulation it has become easier to calculate with accuracy, the degree and extent of damage likely to be caused by a certain act of terror. One of the most critical aspects / aftermath of such attacks is the number of casualties and economic loss. The risk cal culation strategies prove to be highly useful in mitigating the damage through development of counter-terrorism methods, evaluating the risk implications, and implementing crisis management strategies, in the most cost-effective manner possible (Larche, 2008; Dixon, 2007). Furthermore, strategies such as red-teaming and blue-teaming exercises which refer to the process of defining the weaknesses of a system and developing methods to mitigate the resulting vulnerabilities, can be implemented as an effective countermeasure (Carter, 2002). Reducing risk: Reducing the risks associated with terrorist attacks is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects of threat management. Thanks to the ever increasing technological developments, reducing such risks has become easier and cost-effective, over time. One of the key strategies to ensure reducing the terrorism risks is to enhance the level of security. Care must be taken to install effective special protection technology which helps in avertin g and detecting potential risks, particularly at places which are highly vulnerable to terror strikes and prone to such attacks. Some of the most commonly used technological vigilance aids include installing of CCTV cameras in places of high risk, deploying of security guards and metal detectors; using intensive

Children and Families in UK Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Children and Families in UK Policy - Essay Example Secondly, it is a benefit payable to workers via the tax system which leads to increased net income for the concerned. Before 1997, all governments did not deal with family policy explicitly. However, the rest of the Europe highly embraced this. Under New Labour, there has been a tremendous change with regard to family policy. They have adopted the ideas of "social investment" in children. They have also realized that the great changes in family forms and the nature of contributions made by women and men in the families can not be ignored any more (Lewis, 2007). However, family is not an easy territory for these policymakers. Consensus on what a family should look like nowadays remains elusive as politicians find themselves treading on dangerous grounds. They avoid making any judgement regarding sexual morality or intimate relationship forms. Before 1997, the instinct was to look back to the traditional two-parent and married family. This is where the men were to be bread winners while women took care of the home and children. The earliest policy document was titled "Supporting Families." The aim of this approach was to address the changes. They have stopped condemning single mothers as a moral and social problem and a threat. Instead, the major focus has shifted back to that of the 1970s. Labour decided to increase employment rates for these single mothers since they could not provide enough money considering there was only one person providing both care and wages. Labour has been a bit too radical in its mission to address the issues caused by the changing nature of women and men's contribution to families, which is the increase in the increase in women's participation in the labour market. Initially, the UK did not so much concern itself in issues regarding work and family balance, specifically those regarding various types of leave for fathers and mothers and childcare. This has since changed and is now at par with the rest of Europe. Many families now have two incomes since many women also work, although part time in many cases. To respond to this trend, Labour has invested heavily in subsidies for childcare. They have also increased from fourteen weeks to nine months. This is expected to further increase to twelve months by 2010. They have also introduced the right to request flexible working patterns for young children's parents and caretakers of adult dependants. In addition, they have doubled maternity pay. During the initiation of these changes, Labour had a difficult task guarding against becoming a "nanny" state and responding to claims that it was undermining family privacy. The critics particularly did not like Labour to instigate parenthood programmes. Labour has shifted from the false position of the 1980s and early 1990s that parents are the most knowledgeable. It continues to insist on the importance of parental choice in respect to family practices. In particular, the way parents choose to combine care work and employment. However, these family members' interests often conflict. For instance, by men choosing not to do care work, it affects the women's choice to work. This issue of choice more often than not only masks inequality and power in family issues whenever it is applied in family policy. It has been argued that not enough has been done to encourage men to do care work. Giving fathers a "daddy leave" would really help achieve this (NAO,

What is Religion?

What is Religion? Religion is a special form of awareness of the surrounding world, which is based on the belief in the existence of one (or more) of the gods. It includes a set of moral and ethical conduct, which are usually reflected in the sacred texts. Religions emerged in the form of different beliefs, that appeared almost simultaneously with the emergence of mankind. Despite lacking a clear organization like modern religions, it has always played a prominent role in different societies.[1] Even though, we usually see religion as the belief in one or more gods, this is not always the case. In Buddhism, for example, there are no deities. However, like other religions, Buddhism strongly asserts the existence of a spiritual reality, which is separated from everyday life of the material world. Consequently, perhaps, those who, by their own assurances, believe in the existence of the spiritual world should be called religious people. However, this is not necessarily true: religion, at least partially, can be institutionalized gathering in the shadow of their communities of those who join similar or common beliefs. However, the presence of the community is only one side of religion. Among others lay faith personal beliefs and feelings of reverence and veneration; the cult rites and church premises, collective prayer, and so on, norms moral rules and prohibitions, as well as notions of sin and holiness. However, this does not make religion an ideology. Like religion, ideology such as Nazism or communism require their followers absolute loyalty and direct follow of dogma, but do not need gods or special spirituality. Religion is not magic either. Magic fans believe, that certain rituals produce the desired changes in the material world without interfering with what is happening on the part of a deity. Religious people, on the contrary, pray about something, believing that only God is able to help put their prayers into reality. Religion can also be viewed as a cultural phenomenon, characteristic of various human societies with their system of values and fundamental myths. Some religions, such as Christianity or Islam, affirm their universality, and insist on their own exceptionalism and its special position in the world. Nevertheless, even Christianity and Islam can be seen as a product of historical development under certain conditions.   People throughout the ages have tried to answer the question about the essence of religion. Theologians, base the definition on the value of the word religion, that in Latin means connection. It is about the relationship between God and man. One of the Orthodox dogmatic teachings asserted that religion is a contract or union between God and man.[2] But, to agree with this explanation of religion is impossible, as it is impossible to agree with the simplistic interpretation of the fact, that religion is a fraud and a charlatan. Marxism suggests a scientific definition of religion. Exploring the laws of development of human society, the classics of Marxism-Leninism revealed the social essence of religion. We have convincingly shown that religion   is, for example, politics, law, morality, science, art is a form of social consciousness.[3] Each of the forms of social consciousness reflects a certain aspect of the life of society. Politics, for example, reflects the relations between classes, states, nations, morality the moral qualities of people. In other words, peoples consciousness reflects the objective world. However, this may be a reflection of true and false. Religion is a specific form of social consciousness, which always reflect objective reality as false, ugly, distorted. As Engels pointed out, All religion, however, is nothing but the fantastic reflection in mens minds of those external forces which control their daily life, a reflection in which the terrestrial forces assume the form of supernatural forces.[4] This is manifested in the peoples faith in the real existence of God, as well as different kinds of spirits, angels, demons, faith in supernatural connection between the real existing material objects and their properties. The definition of religion also includes representations, a system view of the world, expressed in the so-called holy books containing various myths, regulations and instructions, as well as by word of mouth of the mythical images, visions, paintings, based on a belief in the supernatural. Another element of religion are the sentiments of the faith. Religion can possess not only thoughts but also feelings of people. Theologians argue that man is born with the religious feelings, that is, with a ready ability to communicate with the supernatural, to feel the power of God, to see and feel his actions. Science denies the allegations and says religious ecstasy, fanaticism, and feelings of believers perversion of healthy human psyche that occurs under the influence of religious beliefs. Specificity of religious feelings is that, they are directed at the fictional, supernatural objects, rather than actually existing ones. The third element of religion is actions. Theologians say that the supernatural world cannot be known by human reason, it is necessary to believe in it, despite the arguments of science and reason, reject the existence of God. Therefore centuries elaborated and corresponding patterns of human behavior, customs and traditions passed down from generation to generation, performing religious rites and rituals following different regulations. All these actions are called worshipping.[5] When talking about religion, the existence of specific groups of people clergy should also be considered. Together with the faith, they constitute a special community or religious organization called the Church. For example, the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and so on. The clergy is promoting beliefs and worship. However, the existence of the clergy cannot be regarded as an indispensable element of religion: there are religious organizations, that do not have a permanent priesthood.[6] Thus, religion and belief is what connects the human with the divine world and gives the person a special state of inner warmth, tranquility and confidence because he does not feel alien to the divine forces that surrounds it. He does not feel thrown out in front of the meaninglessness of life. Life becomes meaningful with its purpose to union with God. It becomes clear and positive. We can say, that religion is one of the universal cultural mechanisms of regulation of human activity, it is through the actions of religious system organizes daily life, with the help of the development of doctrine structures the world, that makes us think about the basics and the meaning of our own life. [1] Kucheman, Cark, Religion, Culture, and Religious Socialism, The Journal of Religion, Jul 1972 [2] Holy Bible [3] Bauer, Andrea, The Marxist view: In the beginning was the World, Apr 2006 [4] Engels, Frederick, Anti-Dà ¼hring, Part III: Socialism, Ch. 5, 1877 [5] Wellman, James, Religon, Ideology, and Belief, Oxford Scholarship Online, Sep 2008 [6] Ibid