Reflections of a Pencil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Reflections of a Pencil - Essay Example Teaching is likened to a pencil†¦. funny though, the thought of me being stick thin with a rubber head!...but seriously, like a pencil, everything I do leaves a mark†¦an impression that can be read and emulated by my students. It is important for me to build their trust in me as establish a relationship with them more than just being their teacher. Engaging them in conversations outside the academic subject matter we share during class time and focusing on their own interests would make them feel that I am truly interested in them as persons and not just in the school performance they can give out as students. One example is attending their extra-curricular events. Reaching out to their parents would definitely be beneficial not only to them but also to me. I would get a peep into their home lives and a more holistic view of my students, so I could more appropriately customize my teaching to them. Maintaining good and regular communication with parents gives me a lifeline of support in understanding my students better. Being a good role model not only to the students I teach but to everyone else is a tall order for a fallible creature like me, but that is what is called for as a teacher. Especially to my students, I am to embody what is true and good, a wellspring of values virtues wherefrom the youth can drink to sustain them in the building a good character. Thinking about such a noble task, makes me realize just how far I am from that ideal. Like everyone else, I am still a work in progress and very prone to commit mistakes. I lose my cool, I tend to favor some students over the others, and I don’t do a thorough lesson plan. These mistakes I could correct and rectify just like the pencil as I have become when my trusty rubber head comes in to erase my failures to provide me with a clean slate that can help me start a-fresh.   

Assessment Strategies Essay Example for Free

Assessment Strategies Essay There are two types of Assessment strategies: 1.)Formative Assessment 2.)Summative Assessment Formative Assessment is carried out at regular intervals in every teaching session so that you can monitor progress, and check that the learners are on target and are achieving the intended learning outcomes and make changes if necessary. Summative Assessment takes place at the end of a session or course and is used to assess the learning outcomes are achieved and if there were any difficulties or problems. A lesson plan prepares a lot of importance and benefits both the teacher and the learner, as a teacher it keeps you on track to accomplish the aims and objectives in a logical order. A good teacher communicates their passion for the subject they are delivering to their learners in an interesting, clear and concise manner. Not all students learn in a conventional way and as a teacher you may have to adapt as necessary to ensure learning outcomes are met. This will include different styles of teaching to engage the learner and finding the most effective way of getting the subject across to the class e.g. student participation, class activities, role playing, modelling and questioning. This will continue to motivate, engage, stimulate and promote participation in the class. The assessment stage of teaching is away of making sure as a teacher that the learner has gained the required skills and knowledge needed for them to gain the relevant qualification. Methods of assessment include written exam questions, observation, group questioning and witness testimonies. Evaluation is an essential part of their teaching cycle and is a process that ensured continious improvement in your teaching. You can achieve this by carrying out regular reviews, listening to feedback and evaluations from the learners, employers and training providers by completing the questionnaires, discussions, suggestion boxes and self-assessment audits.

Research Assignment on Data File Structure

Research Assignment on Data File Structure Raghavendra Tyagi TOPIC OF ASSIGNMENT The letters in English language, make up words. While no word is less or more than another, one could view a word that appears before another in the dictionary is less than that word, and a word that appears afterwards is more. By this definition, identical words are the same. Parsing a file is when you read a file to collect information from the file. In this assignment, you will parse a file, and put all of the words in a Binary Search Tree. You will use the Binary Search Tree to collect data about the number of times a word was found in the file. The first word you encounter will be the root. If the next word is greater, put it to the right. If it is less, put it to the left. It is possible that the tree you make will be very sparse. Assume all words in the file are lower case or covert them to lower case. After you have loaded the file into your Binary Search Tree, the program should display the in-order, pre-order post-order traversal of the Binary Search Tree. The user should be given the chance to type a word. The computer should say the number of times the word was found in the file (zero or more). BINARY SEARCH TREE INTRODUCTION: In  computer science, a binary search tree (BST), sometimes also called an ordered or sorted binary tree, is a  node-based  binary tree  data structure which has the following properties The left  sub tree  of a node contains only nodes with keys less than the nodes key. The right sub tree of a node contains only nodes with keys greater than the nodes key. The left and right sub tree each must also be a binary search tree. There must be no duplicate nodes ADVANTAGE: The major advantage of binary search trees over other  data structures  is that the related sorting Algorithm and  search algorithms  such as  in-order traversal  can be very efficient. BINARY SEARCH TREE (PROPERTY): Letxbe a node in a binary search tree. Ifyis a node in the left sub tree ofx, theny. key x. key. OPERATIONS: Operations, such asfind, on a binary search tree require comparisons between nodes. These comparisons are made with calls to a comparator, which is a  subroutine  that computes the total order (linear order) on any two keys. This comparator can be explicitly or implicitly defined, depending on the language in which the binary search tree was implemented. SEARCHING: Searching a binary search tree for a specific key can be a  recursive  or an  iterative  process. We begin by examining the  root node. If the tree isnull, the key we are searching for does not exist in the tree. Otherwise, if the key equals that of the root, the search is successful and we return the node. If the key is less than that of the root, we search the left sub tree. Similarly, if the key is greater than that of the root, we search the right sub tree. This process is repeated until the key is found or the remaining sub tree is null. If the searched key is not found before a null sub tree is reached, then the item must not be present in the tree. INSERTION: Insertion begins as a search would begin; if the key is not equal to that of the root, we search the left or right sub trees as before. Eventually, we will reach an external node and add the new key-value pair (here encoded as a record new Node) as its right or left child, depending on the nodes key. In other words, we examine the root and recursively insert the new node to the left sub tree if its key is less than that of the root, or the right sub tree if its key is greater than or equal to the root. DELETION: There are three possible cases to consider: Deleting a leaf (node with no children):Deleting a leaf is easy, as we can simply remove it from the tree. Deleting a node with one child:Remove the node and replace it with its child. Deleting a node with two children:Call the node to be deletedN. Do not deleteN. Instead, choose either its  in-order  successor node or its in-order predecessor node,R. Replace the value ofNwith the value ofR, then deleteR. BST FIGURE: Preorder traversal sequence: F, B, A, D, C, E, G, I, H (Root, left, right) In order traversal sequence: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I (left, root, right) Post order traversal sequence: A, C, E, D, B, H, I, G, (left, right, root) ASSIGNMENT CODE #include #include struct treeNode { char data[10]; struct treeNode *left, *right; }; struct treeNode *root = NULL; struct treeNode* createNode(char data) { struct treeNode *newNode; newNode = (struct treeNode*)malloc(sizeof(struct treeNode)); newNode->data = data; newNode->left = NULL; newNode->right = NULL; return(newNode); } void insertion(struct treeNode **node, char data) { if (*node == NULL) { *node = createNode(data); } else if (data data) { insertion((*node)->left, data); } else if (data > (*node)->data) { insertion((*node)->right, data); } } void deletion(struct treeNode **node, struct treeNode **parent, char data) { struct treeNode *tmpNode, *tmpParent; if (*node == NULL) return; if ((*node)->data == data) { if (!(*node)->left !(*node)->right) { if (parent) { if ((*parent)->left == *node) (*parent)->left = NULL; else (*parent)->right = NULL; free(*node); } else { free(*node); } } else if (!(*node)->right (*node)->left) { tmpNode = *node; (*parent)->right = (*node)->left; free(tmpNode); *node = (*parent)->right; } else if ((*node)->right !(*node)->left) { tmpNode = *node; (*parent)->left = (*node)->right; free(tmpNode); (*node) = (*parent)->left; } else if (!(*node)->right->left) { tmpNode = *node; (*node)->right->left = (*node)->left; (*parent)->left = (*node)->right; free(tmpNode); *node = (*parent)->left; } else { tmpNode = (*node)->right; while (tmpNode->left) { tmpParent = tmpNode; tmpNode = tmpNode->left; } tmpParent->left = tmpNode->right; tmpNode->left = (*node)->left; tmpNode->right =(*node)->right; free(*node); *node = tmpNode; } } else if (data data) { deletion((*node)->left, node, data); } else if (data > (*node)->data) { deletion((*node)->right, node, data); } } void findElement(struct treeNode *node, chardata) { if (!node) return; else if (data data) { findElement(node->left, data); } else if (data > node->data) { findElement(node->right, data); } else printf(data found: %sn, node->data); return; } void traverse(struct treeNode *node) { if (node != NULL) { traverse(node->left); printf(%3d, node->data); traverse(node->right); } return; } int main() { char data; int ch; while (1) { printf(1. Insertion in Binary Search Treen); printf(2. Deletion in Binary Search Treen); printf(3. Search Element in Binary Search Treen); printf(4. Inorder traversaln5. Exitn); printf(Enter your choice:); scanf(%d, ch); switch (ch) { case 1: while (1) { printf(Enter your data:); scanf(%s, data); insertion(root, data); printf(Continue Insertion(0/1):); scanf(%d, ch); if (!ch) break; } break; case 2: printf(Enter your data:); scanf(%s, data); deletion(root, NULL, data); break; case 3: printf(Enter value for data:); scanf(%s, data); findElement(root, data); break; case 4: printf(Inorder Traversal:n); traverse(root); printf(n); break; case 5: exit(0); default: printf(uve entered wrong optionn); break; } } return 0; } [[emailprotected] ~]$vi t.c [[emailprotected] ~]$gcc t.c [[emailprotected] ~]$./a.out OUTPUT: 1. Insertion in Binary Search Tree 2. Deletion in Binary Search Tree 3. Search Element in Binary Search Tree 4. Inorder traversal 5. Exit Enter your choice:1 Enter your data: aim Continue Insertion(0/1):1 Enter your data: age Continue Insertion(0/1):1 Enter your data: admit Continue Insertion(0/1):1 Enter your data: agree Continue Insertion(0/1):1 Enter your data: blue Continue Insertion(0/1):0 Resultant Binary Search Tree after insertion operation: aim / age blue / admit agree 1. Insertion in Binary Search Tree 2. Deletion in Binary Search Tree 3. Search Element in Binary Search Tree 4. Inorder traversal 5. Exit Enter your choice:4 Inorder Traversal: admit, age, agree, aim , blue 1. Insertion in Binary Search Tree 2. Deletion in Binary Search Tree 3. Search Element in Binary Search Tree 4. Inorder traversal 5. Exit Enter your choice:2 Enter your data:admit Delete node admit aim / age blue / agree 1. Insertion in Binary Search Tree 2. Deletion in Binary Search Tree 3. Search Element in Binary Search Tree 4. Inorder traversal 5. Exit Enter your choice:3 Enter value for data:age data found: age No of occurrence:1 1. Insertion in Binary Search Tree 2. Deletion in Binary Search Tree 3. Search Element in Binary Search Tree 4. Inorder traversa 5. Exit Enter your choice:5[[emailprotected] ~]$ COMPLEXITY OF BINARY SEARCH TREE It could be O(n^2) even if the tree is balanced. Suppose youre adding a sorted list of numbers, all larger than the largest number in the tree. In that case, all numbers will be added to the right child of the rightmost leaf in the tree, Hence O(n^2). For example, suppose that you add the numbers [15..115] to the following tree: The numbers will be added as a long chain, each node having a single right hand child. For the i-th element of the list, youll have to traverse ~i nodes, which yields O(n^2). In general, if youd like to keep the insertion and retrieval at O(nlogn), you need to use  Self Balancing trees

Satire in How to Poison the Earth Essay -- Linnea Saukko

â€Å"How to poison the earth† by Linnea Saukko can be seen in two different aspects. The first one would be by looking at it in a literal way, in which it will make it a very harsh, inhumane and cold text. On the other hand, it could be seen as a satire, sarcastic and ironic text in which Saukko expects to catch the reader’s attention. Saukko exaggerates the sarcasm, and satire in her writing in order to make the readers realize and understand the main purpose of her essay, which is to warn readers about threats to the future of our planet. Scientific terms are used frequently through out the text, but are followed by explanations in a coherent way, hence it makes it clearer and more understandable to the reader. For example, she is writing about substances and their characteristics, one of them is an unusual term called â€Å"half-life†, followed by an explanation in a parenthesis with a clearer explanation of the term. That way, it can be understood by the general public. The writing is straight forward and it’s absent of metaphors and similes. It is more an informative reading rather than descriptive, therefore it is lacking details and adjectives. Saukko starts by pointing out sarcastically how difficult polluting the earth can be. Afterwards, she starts listing efficient methods on contaminating the world, such as â€Å"generating as much waste as possible from substances† (Saukko, 246), or building more nuclear plants. At the beginning, it might be shocking to the reader the approach she is taking to make her point. In other words, the readers might not understand why she has such a negative attitude and hatred against the world. The manipulation, exaggeration, and the wor... ...d for the general public in order to raise social awareness in preventing polluting the world. It is important to raise social awareness on topics of this nature because it is affecting our world. It is important to consider it as every individual problem and concern rather than see it as an external issue. Saukko chose a whole new approach and technique to get into people’s mind. Usually, authors that want to point out and raise social awareness on issues of this nature, tend to be direct and straightforward about it. However, Saukko has taken it to the next level by approaching the readers in a unique way that will catch more of their attention and hopefully move their emotions on the topic. Works Cited Saukko , Linnea.â€Å"How to Poison the Earth.†The Brief Bedford Reader. Bedford/St.Martin’s Boston: 9th edition ,2006.246-247.

Staphylococcus Aureus

Foodborne Illness Short Answer Questions Staphylococcus †¢What is the infectious agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? The pathogen that causes Staphylococcus is called Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is also called Staph and is abbreviated to S. aureus or Staph aureus in medical literature. S. aureus is a bacterium that causes various infections. Staph is a commonly found on the skin and also in mucus membranes (mostly the nose and throat) of up to 25% of healthy people and animals. Depending on the type of strain S. ureus, can cause minor skin infections such as pimples, boils, carbuncles, and abscesses or life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome. (Microbiology, 2005) Some strains produce an enterotoxin that causes staphylococcus aureus gastroenteritis, also known as food poisoning. The most harmful species of S. aureus is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); this bacterium has de veloped antibiotic resistance. (Microbiology, 2005) Each year, approximately half a million people are admitted to a hospital in the U. S. ue to a staphylococcal infection. †¢How is this infectious agent transmitted through food or water? S. aureus is not necessarily transmitted through food or water but primarily through direct person-to-person contact. It is also possible to transmit through indirect contact (i. e. contaminated environmental surfaces). Staph infections are common hospital-acquired infections due to the possibility of health care providers being carriers of this, usually harmless, bacteria. A carrier of S. aureus can easily contaminate their own hands by contact with their nose in the course of routine activities. Skin to skin contact is the most significant mode of transmitting the pathogen and hand washing can significantly reduce transmission. Staph infections can spread through contact with pus from an infected wound, contact with objects such as towels, sheets, or clothing. (Wiki, 2012) S. aureus can remain living for long periods of time on linen, clothing and dust. †¢What is an example of a real life outbreak of this foodborne illness in the United States? I found this example of a real life outbreak, although it is not in the US, I found it astonishing that the outbreak ended with proper hygiene. In January 2008, a cluster of neonates with bullous impetigo in a hospital of northern Thailand was investigated. Medical records and working timetables of healthcare workers (HCWs) were reviewed. During an environmental study, bacteriological samples from HCWs and equipments were taken. The study resulted in 16 confirmed cases and 14 probable cases. The attack rate was 42%. Most cases had skin blisters (28 cases) followed by pustules (five cases) and exfoliation (three cases). The location of the lesion was the trunk (17 cases), neck (14 cases) or armpits (nine cases). Nineteen cases had symptoms onset after discharge from hospital. Median age at onset was 4 days. The strain isolated from an infected newborn shared the same phage type as the contaminated equipment. Insufficient hand hygiene was an observed risk behavior of HCWs and visitors. Exposure to a nasal carrier of Staphylococcus aureus and ward sharing with a symptomatic case increased the risk of acquiring the infection. The outbreak ended abruptly after implementation of hand hygiene practices and equipment cleaning. (Eurosurveillance, 2008) What are the clinical symptoms, duration of the disease, and treatment if any? The clinical symptoms of a skin staph infection are boils and puss-filled accesses. These areas of the infection are commonly red, swollen and painful. Drainage of the infections is common practice. When S aureus enters the blood stream it can spread to organs and cause serious infections, this is known as bacteremia or sepsis. Patients with underlying lung disease may deve lop staphylococcus pneumonia which causes an abscess formation in the ungs. Infection of the heart valves, also called endocarditis, can lead to heart failure. Staphylococcal food poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. (MedicineNet, n. d. ) Minor skin infections may be treated with an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics. Serious and life-threatening illness may be treated with intravenous antibiotics depending on the particular staphylococcal strain. Some strains, such as MRSA, are resistant to many antibiotics. †¢What steps can be taken to prevent further outbreaks? Include individual as well as environmental precautions and methods. There is not a vaccine available against Staphylococcus aureus since bacteria are so widespread. But there are common hygiene practices that can reduce the risk of developing staph infections. Thoroughly washing hands is the best defense against germs. If you have a cut or wound, keep it clean and covered with sterile bandages until they heal completely. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, sheets, razors and clothing. Women that use tampons can reduce their risk by changing tampons frequently. Hospitals can reduce transmission of staphylococcal aureus and MRSA by ensuring proper hygiene is a priority with all healthcare workers. They can also disinfect surfaces that are handled by healthcare workers, patients and visitors daily. A study was done to test the growth rate of staphylococci on stainless steel and brass. The results of this study showed the growth of the bacteria to be lower on the brass covered hardware. This could be a change hospitals can make to help reduce the spread of staphylococcus. Noyce, Michels, & Keevil, 2006, p. 290) Reference: Microbiology. (2005, May 25). What Is Staphylococcus Aureus? Bionewsonline. com Retrieved January 21, 2012, from http://www. bionewsonline. com/i/what_is_staphylococcus_aureus. htm Wikipedia. (2012, January 17). Staphylococcus Aureus. Wikipedia. org Retrieved January 21, 2012, form http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Staphylococcus_aureus Eurosurveillance. (January 2008). An outbreak of hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus skin infection among newborns, Nan Province, Thailand, January 2008. EuroSurveillance. org. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from http://www. eurosurveillance. org/ViewArticle. aspx? ArticleId=19372 MedicineNet. (n. d. ). Staph Infection. MedicineNet. com. Retrieved on January 21, 2012 from http://www. medicinenet. com/staph_infection/article. htm#symptoms J. O. Noyce, H. Michels, & C. W. Keevil. (2006). Potential use of copper surfaces to reduce survival of epidemic Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the healthcare environment. [Electronic Version]. Journal of Hospital Infection, 63, 289-297

The Common Book of Baby and Child Care

The Common Book of Baby and Child Care Dr. Benjamin Spocks revolutionary book about how to raise children was first published on July 14, 1946. The book, The Common Book of Baby and Child Care, completely changed how children were raised in the latter half of the 20th century and  has become one of the best-selling non-fiction books of all time. Dr. Spock Learns About Children Dr. Benjamin Spock (1903-1998) first began learning about children as he grew up, helping take care of his five younger siblings. Spock earned his medical degree at Columbia Universitys College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1924 and focused on pediatrics. However, Spock thought he could help children even more if he understood psychology, so he spent six years studying at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. Spock spent many years working as a pediatrician but had to give up his private practice in 1944 when he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. After the war, Spock decided on a teaching career, eventually working for the Mayo Clinic and teaching at such schools as the University of Minnesota, the University of Pittsburgh, and Case Western Reserve. Dr. Spocks Book With the aid of his wife, Jane, Spock spent several years writing his first and most famous book, The Common Book of Baby and Child Care. The fact that Spock wrote in a congenial manner and included humor made his revolutionary changes to child care easier to accept. Spock advocated that fathers should play an active role in raising their children and that parents will not spoil their baby if they pick him up when he cries. Also revolutionary was that Spock thought that parenting could be enjoyable, that each parent could have a special and loving bond with their children, that some mothers could get the blue feeling (postpartum depression), and that parents should trust their instincts. The first edition of the book, especially the paperback version, was a big seller right from the start. Since that first 25-cent copy in 1946, the book has been repeatedly revised and republished. So far, Dr. Spocks book has been translated into 42 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. Dr. Spock did write several other books, but his The Common Book of Baby and Child Care remains his most popular. Revolutionary What seems like ordinary, normal advice now was completely revolutionary at the time. Before Dr. Spocks book, parents were told to keep their babies on a strict schedule, so strict that if a baby was crying before its prescribed feeding time that parents should let the baby continue crying. Parents were not allowed to give in to the childs whims. Parents were also instructed not to coddle, or show too much love, to their babies for that would spoil them and make them weak.  If parents were uncomfortable with the rules, they were told that doctors know best and thus they should follow these instructions anyway. Dr. Spock said just the opposite. He told them that babies dont need such strict schedules, that it is okay to feed babies if they are hungry outside the prescribed eating times, and that parents should  show their babies love. And if anything seemed difficult or uncertain, then parents should follow their instincts. New parents in the post-World War II era readily embraced these changes to parenting and raised the entire baby boom generation with these new tenets. Controversy There are some that blame Dr. Spock for the unruly, anti-government youth of the 1960s, believing that it was Dr. Spocks new, softer approach to parenting that was responsible for that wild generation. Other recommendations in the earlier editions of the book have been debunked, such as putting your babies to sleep on their stomachs. We now know that this causes a greater incidence of SIDS. Anything so revolutionary will have its detractors and anything written seven decades ago will need to be amended, but that does not deflate the importance of Dr. Spocks book. It is not an overstatement to say that Dr. Spocks book completely changed the way parents raised their babies and their children.