Assessment and Learners Essay Example for Free

Assessment and Learners Essay Introduction The aim of this report is to identify my roles and responsibilities as a teacher delivering the Level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice (City and Guilds). The course is attended by trainee youth workers aged 18 and over and consists of 20 taught sessions and a work-based placement. The qualification is assessment based, with all Learners producing a portfolio of evidence to support their learning. The portfolios are assessed, checked by an Internal Verifier and samples of the portfolios are checked by an External Verifier to agree the standards of assessment. Responsibilities The role of teacher holds many responsibilities. Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) defines two teaching roles: 1. Associate Teacher, Learning and Skills (ATLS) which is a supportive role 2. Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills (QTLS) which is a full teaching role To become a QTLS the Institute for Learning (IfL) states: â€Å"As a new entrant to teaching in the Learning and Skills Sector, you will have to complete the PTLLS award. It must be completed within one year of initial employment. † (March, S, 2010: 4) It is my responsibility as a teacher to complete this qualification and continuously develop my skills as a professional. As a teacher some of my responsibilities include having knowledge and understanding of the subject, curriculum development and delivery and appropriate initial, formative an summative assessment methods. As a teacher within the Level 2 Certificate in Youth Work Practice I am responsible for the development and delivery of a suitable curriculum to enable Learners to complete the qualification by demonstrating and evidencing their learning. This also includes carrying out initial assessments for all Learners and identifying any needs of the individual or the group. During the development of the curriculum I plan and prepare sessions to meet the learning outcomes of the course, sourcing and developing appropriate resources then delivering sessions and supporting Learners where necessary. Suitable assessment methods and evaluation processes will also be structured into the curriculum to ensure continuous development of the course, the Learners and the teachers. Other responsibilities within my role include: * Appropriate record keeping. This may include Learners details, registration forms, Initial Assessments, registers, portfolio files, results and assessment records, placement details and session plans alongside schemes of work. These records are kept to ensure all Learners’ needs are met and progress is appropriately recorded on Individual Learning Plans which are necessary for certification. Work placement details and Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks also need to be kept to ensure safeguarding and health and safety policies and procedures are followed correctly. Records must be kept in accordance to legislation and also as a matter of best practice and for auditing purposes. * Suitable evaluation. Evaluation of the Learners’ progress is essential to their learning to identify areas for improvement. It is important to evaluate the curriculum, sessions and my own development to ensure my practice is reflective, professional and continuously developing. * Respect. Paramount to my role as a teacher is respect for the Learners and my colleagues, including professional boundaries. This includes maintaining a degree of formality and understanding of the limits of my relationship with the Learners, ensuring these are made clear, preventing the crossing of boundaries. This also includes an awareness of my own limitations within my role and knowing how and where to signpost Learners for further support. Legislation There are many policies and procedures to follow within my own organisation and the qualification awarding body, governing many aspects of my role as teacher. Some of these relate to legislation such as: * The Equality Act (2010) This act promotes equality of opportunity. My practice must be inclusive and take into consideration this legislation to prevent discrimination as guided by mu organisations Equal Opportunities Policy. * The Data Protection Act (1998) This act regulates the processing and storing of information about individuals. My organisation follows appropriate policies and procedures in accordance with this act including storing all Learners’ files in a lockable file in a suitable environment only accessed by authorised staff. * The Copyright Licensing Act (CLA) (1988) Organisations must have a license to copy parts of books and documents. It is vital to ensure this is followed when copying any material to ensure it is done within the limits of the organisation’s licence. * Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974) This is the main piece of legislation covering health and safety in the work place including anyone entering and using the premises. * Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) This Legislation requires all  employers carry out appropriate risk assessments, implement necessary measures, appoint competent staff and arrange suitable information and training around health and safety. My organisation also follows appropriate policies and procedures to ensure both this and the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) are complied with. This includes risk assessments, record keeping, first aid training, incident reporting and safeguarding policies and procedures. As well as legislation and organisation policies and procedures there is a code of practice to be followed by teachers, produced by The Institute for Learning (IfL). This outlines the standards of professional behaviour expected of members working in further education and includes: * Professional integrity regarding all interactions with Learners, colleagues and other professionals. * Show respect to all Learners and colleagues and recognise and value diversity and engage in anti-oppressive practices. * Ensure reasonable care regarding the safety and wellbeing of others where possible and within legislation. * Provide evidence of your own professional development. * Notify the IfL as soon as possible after cautioning or conviction for a criminal offence. * Provide appropriate support during any investigation by the IfL. My own practice also requires me to work within the National Youth Agency code of practice too. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion As a teacher it is essential that my practice ensures the fair treatment of all Learners and that they are allowed equal opportunities to participate and gain the qualification. This may involve adapting sessions including timings, resources, assessment methods and providing additional support where necessary. The Equality Act (2010) bans unfair treatment and aims to achieve equal opportunities within the work place and wider society. The act replaces previous anti-discrimination laws to make legislation simpler and remove inconsistencies and covers nine protected characteristics which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly. The protected characteristics are: 1. Age 2. Disability 3. Gender reassignment (choosing to live as a gender other than that assigned to you at birth, with or without surgery. ) 4. Marriage and civil partnership 5. Pregnancy and maternity 6. Race 7. Religion or belief 8. Gender 9. Sexual orientation The Equality Act identifies ways in which it is unlawful to treat people including: * Direct and indirect discrimination * Harassment * Victimisation * Failing to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities My organisation operates within an equal opportunities policy influenced by this Act which must be followed by all staff and Learners. As well as a commitment to equality within my practise it is important to recognise and value individual differences and the different cultural backgrounds of Learners, colleagues and the wider community. My practice must promote diversity through my behaviour, use of language and appropriate challenging of others to reflect this. Inclusion within teaching ensures that all Learners are able to participate and feel included, removing any barriers to their learning experience. This should include all teaching and learning processes from the planning and delivery stages to evaluation and further planning. Appropriate information should be collected at the Initial Assessment stage to allow necessary adaptations to the teaching programme. This may include providing additional support for Functional Skills or allowing time and space for prayers. Recommendations for professional practice Throughout my teaching practice I will continuously update my skills through training, supervision and self-evaluation to ensure a high standard of professional practice. I will also review all necessary policies and practices to work within legislation and promote best practice. It is also important to maintain suitable contact with governing bodies to stay updates with codes of conduct and changes to legislation. Bibliography Cohen, L, Manion, L and Morrison, K. (2004) A Guide to Teaching Practice, 5th Edition, Suffolk: Routledge Great Britain. Equality Act 2010, London: HMSO March, S. (2010) Preparing to Teach – the first steps: Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

The Theme of War in Fool’s Sanctuary :: Fool’s Sanctuary

The Theme of War in Fool’s Sanctuary One of the themes that Jennifer Johnston deals with in her book Fool’s Sanctuary is war. Within this theme she looks at how people view war, and how war affects different people. In this book Johnston shows the war in a bad light. Miranda, Mr. Martin and Cathal all support the IRA, or believed in a "free" Ireland and all lost something important to them. Andrew and Harry who were fighting against the IRA , and thought that Ireland should not be free had nothing that was very important to them taken away. Although Andrew was basically unable to visit his immediate family again he had not done so in years before, and in this visit where the story takes place he had arguments with his father, Miranda said that he should not have come, and he himself said that he hated Ternon. Cathal is the most rational character at Ternon. Unlike the other characters he sees things for what they are and does not try to hide from the mistakes he does not want to face up to. The main fault in his character lies in the way the he does not always think ahead, or at least not until it is too late. This is shown when he comes back from telling the IRA about Andrew and Harry staying at Ternon and stands outside thinking about whether or not he should tell them what he has done. In the end Cathal owned up to his mistake. As well as showing his strong conscience it also showed that he does not let emotions influence his judgement and values. While standing out in the rain he was Harry comforting Miranda. He could well have taken this as being something more than what it was and let the IRA come and kill Andrew and Harry. Cathal’s conscience is shown to be really strong, and it is the reason that he was able to give up his life. The way that Cathal changed his mind about what was the right thing to do shows the irrationality of the war. Cathal supports the war strongly enough to be a member of the IRA, and it was this loyalty that led him to tell them about Andrew and Harry. When he changed his mind and told Andrew and Harry about what he had done it showed Cathal’s love for people.

Communication in Health Social Care Essay

Communication between care workers and service users is essential for promoting and maximising the rights of users of health and social care services. All patients and users of our service should be kept informed about their treatment. They should be able to talk to you or the workers making decisions about their treatment. It is your responsibility to overcome any problems with communication that may arise, not just in giving users information in a format that they can understand, but also in giving them sufficient opportunity to discuss their situation with the relevant people. The expected level of communication may not always be plausible; for example, some patients do not open up easily or may not be in the mood to have a conversation. Try to understand do not force them to talk. If the service user does not have the capacity to participate in decision making about their treatment, or an emergency situation this might signify that urgent treatment is required. The Health and social care sector is a vast sector and it constitutes of different aspect of care to different types of service users. There are many relevant theories which is applicable in the Health and Social care sector. Abraham Maslow defined some of these theories as humanistic, behaviourist, cognitive and psychodynamic. In this report I will be explaining the humanistic theory of communication and its relevance to communication in health and social care. I will also cover its strengths and weaknesses. Humanistic Theory is achieved whereby you approach an individual positively. In health and social care service users are considered to be vulnerable and the way to approach them should be in a well positively way by using humanistic manner, thoughts, actions, love, respect and dignity by providing the relevant care according to the philosophy of care as per legislation. Strengths of Humanistic Theory Person centred Care Worker is non-intrusive Meets service user as equal in process and not expert Does not label service user Follows care value base Unconditional regard, empathy and genuineness required, qualities many care workers already have. Can be applied to many situations Very positive view Focuses on the short term nature of therapy It provides power to individuals by emphasising free will and the ability to change. The therapy provides great insight into what any experiences have meant to the individual. Weaknesses of Humanistic Theory Short term Service user needs good communication skills Difficult to show effectiveness Care worker has to be non-judgmental of all people which can be hard to maintain It does not pay sufficient attention to unconscious thoughts.

Grace Kelly - Actress and Princess of Monaco

Grace Kelly was a beautiful, classy stage actress who became an Oscar-winning movie star. In five years she starred in 11 motion pictures and, while at the top of her popularity, she left stardom to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. Dates: November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982 Also Known As: Grace Patricia Kelly; Princess Grace of Monaco Growing Up On November 12, 1929, Grace Patricia Kelly was born the daughter of Margaret Katherine (nà ©e Majer) and John Brendan Kelly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kelly’s father was a successful construction company owner and former triple Olympic gold medalist in rowing.  Her mother had been the first coach of womens athletic teams at the University of Pennsylvania. Kelly’s siblings included an older sister, older brother, and a younger sister. Although the family did not come from â€Å"old money,† they were successful in business, athletics, and politics. Grace Kelly grew up in a 17-room brick mansion with plenty of recreational features for active children; plus, she spent summers in her family’s vacation home in Ocean City, Maryland. Unlike the rest of her athletic family, Kelly was introverted and always seemed to be fighting a cold. She enjoyed making up stories and reading, feeling like a misfit in the sporty household. As a child, Kelly was taught by her mother to never publicly show emotions and her father taught her to strive for perfection. After Ravenhill Academy elementary school, Kelly attended the private Stevens School for young matrons, where, to the astonishment of her parents, she excelled in the school’s drama society. Grace Kelly wanted to continue studying drama in college; thus, she applied to Bennington College in Vermont due to their outstanding drama department. With low scores in math, however, Kelly was turned down. Her father was against her second choice, which was to audition for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Kelly’s mother intervened, telling her husband to let Grace go; she was confident their daughter would be home in a week. Grace Kelly Becomes an Actress In 1947, Grace Kelly was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She took off for New York, lived at the Barbizon Hotel for Women, and earned extra money by modeling for the John Robert Powers modeling agency. With her blonde hair, porcelain complexion, blue-green eyes, and 5’8† perfect poise, Grace Kelly became one of the highest-paid models in New York City at the time. After graduation from the Academy in 1949, Kelly appeared in two plays at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and then in her first Broadway play, The Father. Kelly received good reviews for her â€Å"essence of freshness.† She retained an agent, Edith Van Cleve, and began acting in television dramas in 1950, including the Philco Television Playhouse and the Kraft Theatre. Sol C. Siegel, a producer at Twentieth Century Fox, had seen Grace Kelly in The Father and was impressed with her performance. Siegel sent director Henry Hathaway to test Kelly for a small part in the motion picture Fourteen Hours (1951). Kelly passed the reading test and joined the Hollywood cast. Her parents, concerned about her safety, sent Kelly’s younger sister to accompany her to the West Coast. The shooting for Kelly’s part, a cool wife seeking a divorce, only took two days; after which she returned back east. Continuing to act in off-Broadway plays in Ann Arbor and Denver in 1951, Kelly received a call from Hollywood producer Stanley Kramer to play the part of a young Quaker wife in the Western film High Noon. Kelly jumped at the chance to work with the experienced leading man, Gary Cooper. High Noon (1952) went on to win four Academy Awards; however, Grace Kelly was not nominated. Kelly returned to acting on live television dramas and Broadway plays. She took more acting classes in New York with Sanford Meisner to work on her voice. In the autumn of 1952, Grace Kelly tested for the film Mogambo (1953), enticed by it being filmed in Africa and starring legendary film star Clark Gable. After the test, Kelly was offered the part and a seven-year contract at MGM. The film was nominated for two Oscars: Best Actress for Ava Gardner and Best Supporting Actress for Grace Kelly. Neither actress won, but Kelly won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Hitchcock Uncovers Kellys Warmth By the 1950s, director Alfred Hitchcock had made a name for himself in Hollywood making suspenseful motion pictures that featured very cool blondes as his leading ladies. In June 1953, Kelly got a call to meet Hitchcock. After their meeting, Grace Kelly was cast as the female star in Hitchcock’s next motion picture, Dial M for Murder (1954). To rival television in the 50s, Warner Brothers decided the movie would be shot in 3-D, to Hitchcock’s dismay. The cumbersome camera made routine filming difficult and scenes had to be shot over and over, especially the murder scene in which Kelly’s character turns from victim to victor with a pair of scissors. Despite Hitchcock’s irritation over the 3-D frustration, Kelly enjoyed working with him. He had a way of exploiting her cool exterior while unearthing her warm passionate interior. When filming for Dial M for Murder finished, Kelly returned to New York. Soon she was offered two screenplays and had to make up her mind which movie to star in. On the Waterfront (1954) was to be filmed in New York, where Kelly could continue dating her boyfriend, the famous clothing designer Oleg Cassini. The other was another Hitchcock picture, Rear Window (1954), to be filmed in Hollywood. Feeling that she better understood the fashion model character in Rear Window, Kelly opted to go back to Hollywood and work with Hitchcock. Kelly Wins Academy Award and Meets a Prince In 1954, Grace Kelly was handed the script for The Country Girl, a role that was completely different from anything she had played before, that of the wearied wife of an alcoholic. She wanted the part badly, but MGM wanted her to star in Green Fire, a film she felt was full of clichà ©s. Kelly never found enchantment or contentment in Hollywood and wrestled with MGM with firm resolve, threatening to retire. The studio and Kelly compromised and she starred in both movies. Green Fire (1954) was a box-office failure. The Country Girl (1954) was a box-office success and Grace Kelly won the Academy Award for Best Actress. While Grace Kelly turned down multiple motion picture offers, to the studio’s displeasure, audiences revered her everywhere. One film she did not turn down was Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief (1955), filmed on the French Riviera with Cary Grant. Kelly’s boyfriend, Oleg Cassini, followed her to France and when the film finished, she introduced him to her family. They did not hide their disdain for him. He was divorced twice and seemed to be interested in more women than just their daughter, which was true, and the romance ended several months later. In spring 1955, while at the Cannes Film Festival, Grace Kelly was asked to appear in a photo session at the Palace of Monaco with Prince Rainier III. She obliged and met the prince. They chatted lightly while photos were taken. The photos sold magazines worldwide. After being a bridesmaid in her younger sister’s wedding during the summer of 1955, Kelly wanted marriage and a family of her own all the more. Prince Rainier, who was actively seeking a wife, began corresponding with her, finding out that they had a lot in common; they were both uncomfortable celebrities, devout Catholics, and desired a family. Grace Kelly Exits Stardom and Enters Royalty Prince Rainier arrived in the States to woo his future princess during the holidays of 1955 before asking Grace Kelly for her hand in marriage. Kelly’s family was very proud and the official proclamation of the couple’s engagement was made in January 1956, which became front-page international news. To finish her contract, Kelly starred in two final movies: The Swan (1956) and High Society (1956). She then left stardom behind to become a princess. (No one was more melancholy about her leaving Hollywood than Hitchcock for he had her in mind as his leading lady for several more of his movies -- if not all of them.) The royal wedding of 26-year-old Miss Grace Patricia Kelly to 32-year-old His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco was held in Monaco on April 19, 1956. Then began Kelly’s most challenging role of all, fitting into a foreign country while feeling like an unwelcome visitor. She had left the States, her family, friends, and her acting career behind to enter the unknown. She became homesick. Sensing his wife’s unease, the prince began to ask her opinions and include her in state projects, which seemed to improve Kelly’s outlook as well as Monaco’s tourism. Kelly surrendered her former acting desires, settled into life in Monaco, and revitalized the principality as a center for opera, ballet, concerts, plays, flower festivals, and cultural conferences. She also opened the palace for guided tours during the summer when she and the prince were away at their summer home, Roc-Agel in France. The Prince and Princess of Monaco had three children: Princess Caroline, born 1957; Prince Albert, born in 1958; and Princess Stà ©phanie, born in 1965. In addition to motherhood, Princess Grace, as she was known, supervised the renovation of a crumbling medical facility into a first-rate hospital and founded the Princess Grace Foundation in 1964 to help those with special needs. Princess Grace of Monaco became loved and cherished by the people of her adopted homeland. Death of the Princess Princess Grace began suffering from severe headaches and abnormally high blood pressure in 1982. On September 13th of that year, Grace and 17-year-old Stà ©phanie were returning to Monaco from their country home, Roc-Agel, when Grace, who was driving, blacked out for a second. When she came to, she accidentally pressed her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake, driving the car over an embankment. As the women were pulled from the wreckage, it was discovered that Stà ©phanie had sustained minor injuries (a hairline cervical fracture), but Princess Grace was unresponsive. She was placed on mechanical life support at the hospital in Monaco. Doctors concluded that she had suffered a massive stroke, which had caused irreversible brain damage. The day following the accident, Princess Grace’s family made the decision to remove her from the artificial devices that were keeping her heart and lungs going. Grace Kelly died on September 14, 1982, at the age of 52.