Special Education; the Inclusion Debate

Introduction In the current society there are those people who need special attention if they are to be successful in education system operated. These people are people with either mental or physical disability. They are people with an emotional imbalance and thus they learn at a slow pace than emotionally stable people. When in school children require special attention from teachers.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Special Education; the Inclusion Debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Traditionally, the system that existed is segregating the disabled to schools that could cater for their needs. However, there are some conditions that can be handled by ordinary schools. Inclusion refers to making learning institutions compatible to both the needs of special education and ordinary children. It takes the form of administrative measures to be taken, teachers, and infrastructures. The curriculum should be adjusted to ensure that children with special needs are catered for. Advocators of an inclusion system quote the numerous advantages that the system has on the disabled person; they are of the opinion that disability is not a disease but a condition. It takes the collaboration of teachers, pupil’s participation, policy makers and parent to make these programs a success (Hines, 2008). This paper discusses the need for special education in today’s society; it will discuss the methods that are used in an inclusion system and the advantages that the system brings to a child. Literature review Forms of inclusion There are different forms of disabilities that schools have to cope with. There are those who cannot see those with mental disability, the dump, and the physically disabled. If all these classes of pupils are in a class, then there are deliberate measures that need to be taken to accommodate them. Sometimes the measures may be on an individual child or the entire gr oup. To accommodate them there is the use of Modification and Accommodation strategies, they are used interchangeably; however they have a slight difference in approach. Modification targets at the situation in class where a student with disability is taught according to the level that he can understand. If he can only get the basics then he is allowed to read only that. In times of homework allocation, his work may be lesser than that of other students or have more time. On the other hand, if the disability is such that the child cannot keep up the pace of others in class understanding, there should be recorded learning tools to be given to the child. The role of the parent in such a case comes because he has to ensure that the child learns. The same can be done to the blind. Class modification takes three angles they are; †¢ Instructional modificationAdvertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is where the role of the teacher takes effect, the teacher should ensure that the disabled has been accommodated in the class and understands to his level best. This may include involving the disabled in various class activities to make them develop a good sense of themselves. When the student is given homework and exams the work load of the disabled may be reduced or the time of its submission increased. The use of Braille’s and record taping is another modification. †¢ Assignment modification This is where the assignments given to the disabled are leveled to his capacity. The much he understands is the level that he should be given exams and assignments on but graded with the rest of the class. †¢ Grading modification This is where the student is graded with others but the exam that he undertook is different from the rest. On the other hand, the length of the exam in terms of questions may be reduced or the time allocated increased. This will e nsure that the student feels that he is playing on the same ground with the rest while he is actually not. This will make him feel as others and not regard himself as inferior (Rainforth York-Barr, 1997). Accommodation Accommodation takes the policy makers in the picture. These are measures that are undertaken by the policy makers to ensure that they accommodate the needs of the disabled. It involves bending some school rules to fit their needs. The following are the strategies adopted; †¢ Accessibility AccommodationAdvertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Special Education; the Inclusion Debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These are deliberate measures undertaken to ensure that the schools infrastructure are made in a way that even the disabled can be accommodated. It may take the form of special lifts and stair cases. The classes should be able to accommodate the disabled. Desks should be made in a way that the disabled can comfortably sit on. It may not be the entire schools desk but at least some which are for the use by the disabled. †¢ Administrative strategies This is where the top management allows for adjustments in its programs to fit the needs of the disabled. It may for example adopt a lateness policy or a policy where disabled are allowed to break their studies early. On the other hand, if there is a feeding program that the child need, the school can adopt special meals for such students. †¢ Instructional and Curricular Variations The curriculum should be adjusted to ensure that the disabled are well taken care of. If the system has a certain testing system, then the management can change the system to accommodate the disabled. For example in case of a blind learner, instead of written assignment, the school may have an opportunity where exams can be conducted orally. After such a test the management may decide to rank the student independently or with th e rest of the class. Whether a school is using an accommodation or modification strategy, they interlock at a certain stage but the main goal is to ensure that the need of a student is catered for by the system (Priscilla, 2002). Findings We need inclusion for the following reasons;Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Psychological Reasons Students with disability have a low self esteem and believe that they are less important to their peers. When they are segregated, they are likely to hate themselves more and even blame their condition on situations. When they are involved in ordinary schools, they change the perception that they hold towards themselves. The increased/ enhanced self esteem will assist the child in later developments in life as well as to realize its potential and talents. On the part of ordinary students they will understand the condition of the disabled and change their perception towards them this is when they interact freely and won’t find them as societal outskirts. They will respect their observations and point of taking things. With this understanding, the society will be more integrated and none will feel as an outcast despite the kind of disability that he has. Social When the disabled is involved in activities in the school with other people he will be able to d evelop interpersonal skills. This is where he will learn how to interact with other people for his good in life. Children will also learn on how to live with such kind of a person, what is his dislike, likes as well as how he expresses himself. There are strong attribute that cannot be learnt when an exclusion form of education is adopted. Personality Development Personality is taken to be the unique aspects among individuals. It is also used to refer to a long lasting pattern of behavior that an individual portrays. Ones personality is the one that answers the following question or explain the following situations ; why are some people terrified to talk in the public when others enjoy it?, why do some people involve in dangerous activities when others do not? Why do people react differently when faced by one condition or situation? The answer to all the above questions is the character that someone has that is different from the others. It is true that the kind of personality that one holds is shaped by the kind of people that one interacts with. If one feels appreciated and is respected then he will have a positive attitude toward life and himself. Attitude is another aspect of personality that defines almost everything that human being do; it is developed by factors of socialization and goes a long way in an inclusion education, the disabled will build the right attitude towards themselves and the well upright will also develop a positive attitude when they realize that disabled people are ordinary people with their own respect only that they are made different than them. This will assist the disabled build a high degree of self esteem. Education In most cases exclusion classes aim at teaching disabled life skills but rarely are they interested in formal education. When the disabled is in an inclusion program, he is likely to develop his talent. Disabled like human beings have their talents of which they can rely upon in life. If they are known and develope d then they can be useful people in life. Natured talents can give a child economic power that he/she need in life. On the other hand, with formal education a child will be able to understand what they are going through and more likely they will become their own care; they will understand when need to take medicine (if they are on medication), when they are supposed to rest or even when they are supposed to take various duties in life. This assists in managing their life and ease parental burden (Idol, 2006). Developing of Communication Skills As the disabled interact with his/her peers, he will learn how to express himself. He may not talk but as he undergoes school life he will be able to develop communication skills. Communication goes further than just word of mouth expression but to understanding body language. When a disabled feels loved and can express him or by others easier; people will understand what he is feeling and the kind of attention that he requires. If the disable d is in an exclusion program, then he will be taught skills that will assist him interact with an outside world that he does not know, on the other end the outside world will not be taught on how to live with the disabled. This brings the conflict that they will not understand each other. If they are both taught together with good guidance; they will appreciate each other more (Brownell, Sindelar, Kiely Danielson, 2010). Motivation in Life In a school environment, a student who requires special education will have a chance to envy the lives of his peers. This is likely to motivate him work harder in his efforts to reach the peers. When he works extra hard, his development will be enhanced and thus becomes a better person in life, the role of schooling life will thus have been attained (Swan Morgan, 1993). Discussion Students with special needs may not compete at the same level ground with their peers; they require some special curriculum to learn with others. Though the curriculum is special, it should be conducted alongside the ordinary classes. Curriculum is defined as the sum total of all the activities that take place in a school. It is both educational and extra curriculum activities. If the student with special needs has undergone through all the activities of the curriculum, it will assist him in developing the skills discussed above. The child should be given a chance to interact with its peer and play together. When it comes to competing, teachers should ensure that they develop a mechanism that will ensure that disabled learn in the class context to the level best that they can understand; even if it means just teaching them the basic and testing them on it. There are times that students may require extra attention maybe from the parents or a medical practitioner; such attention includes therapies, massage or even a talking class. The curriculum should be sensitive to that and give a student a chance for all that to be done. There should be no disc rimination in sharing of duties and enforcement of rules and regulations. Access to general curriculum gives students with special needs a chance to adhere to curriculum standards, contents, and material of the prevailing curriculum and schooling model (National Council on Disability, 1994). Supporters of Exclusion Program The system is an expensive strategy where physical equipments and training of teachers will be required. On the other hand, they are of the opinion that attention that will be given to the disabled will not be adequate and thus in the end the efficiency of the system is limited to the time that a teacher can allocate to these students. It also ague’s that attention will shift from ordinary students in an inclusion to the needs of the disabled yet the ordinary students also deserve attention. Conclusion Students with special needs are part of the larger society and thus should not be discriminated. They should be given equal access to education with some adj ustment made to suit their special wants. Modification and accommodation are the strategies adopted to ensure that their needs are catered for by the general system that exist in the education. When accommodated, they develop interpersonal skills; they are able to learn communication skills and are able to realize their potentials in life. A curriculum that integrates them in the larger society is important. Reference List Brownell, M., Sindelar, P., Kiely, M., Danielson, L. (2010). Special Education Teacher Quality and Preparation: Exposing Foundations, Constructing a New Model. Exceptional Children, 76(3), 357. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database. Hines, T. (2008-05). â€Å"Making Collaboration Work in Inclusive High School Classrooms Recommendations for Principals†. Intervention in School and Clinic 43 (5): 277–282.doi:10.1177/1053451208314492 Idol, L. (2006). Toward Inclusion of Special Education Students in General Education. Remedial Special Education, 2 7(2), 77. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database. National Council on Disability. (1994). Inclusionary education for students with special needs: Keeping the promise. Washington, DC: Author. Priscilla, P. (2002). â€Å"The History of Special Education†. Rethinking Schools 16 (3) Rainforth, B. and York-Barr, J. (1997). Collaborative Teams for Students with Severe Disabilities: Integrating Therapy and Educational Services. New York: Brookes Publishing Company Swan, W. and Morgan, J. (1993). â€Å"The Local Interagency Coordinating Council†. Collaborating for Comprehensive Services for Young Children and Their Families. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub. Co.. ISBN 1557661030. OCLC 25628688. This research paper on Special Education; the Inclusion Debate was written and submitted by user Thalia Fletcher to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Navy Punctuality Essays - Security, Etiquette, Game Theory

Navy Punctuality Essays - Security, Etiquette, Game Theory Navy Punctuality Navy Punctuality, It is well accepted that being on time and ready to work will make you a more productive and well respected member of any organization. The same is true in the Navy. However that is not the extent of the importance of being punctual in the military. All sailors must be accounted for. My being at the appointed place at the appointed time is critical to all levels of the chain of command. My supervisor is responsible for my whereabouts during working hours. They are responsible to the division chief/OIC respectively. If I am not where I am supposed to be when I am supposed to be there then they are not able to account for me. They then have to report me missing to the chain of command. If they then are not able to make contact with me, a search must be made. This costs valuable man-hours and unnecessary hardship on my shipmates. As a vital member of this organization, when I am not at my appointed place those around me must take on the tasks that I would be doing. By not mustering for work on time, I was placing my supervisor in a difficult situation. In addition, I am responsible for knowing where to be and when to be there. If that means calling my supervisor or the watch, the night before then that is what I need to do. Being punctual, for any member of the armed forces, is extremely important to the defense of the United States of America. Dependability, accountability, consistency and discipline are all completely related to being on time. They are also some of the key aspects of military bearing. Dependability is a value showing the reliability of a person to others because of his/her integrity, truthfulness, and trustworthiness, traits that can encourage someone to depend on him/her. Accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, management and implementation within the role or employment position and surrounding the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences. Consistency is the ability to perform all tasks given in a repeatable manner showing a trend of excellence. Discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would really rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of 'self control'. Being punctual shows that a sailor aims high and has his priorities straight while failing to be on time can hinder mission capability and readiness. This shows that a sailor cannot be depended on for even such simple tasks as being where you are supposed to be on time. Reliability is important for a Petty Officer in the Navy. Defined, reliability is the ability of a person to perform and maintain his functions in routine circumstances, as well as hostile or unexpected ones. As a sailor in the United States Navy, I need all of these traits. Though punctuality is just one piece of this equation, it is equally important. The very first face of military bearing is showing up on time and ready to work. It is just as important in the civilian world as it is in the military. In order to be productive and professional, you must first be at work on time.

How to Write a Classification Essay †The Quick and Easy Way by BestEssay.education

How to Write a Classification Essay – The Quick and Easy Way Writing  a Classification Essay Did you watch Sesame Street as a child? If you did, you probably remember the refrain, â€Å"One of these things is not like the other...', often sung by a memorable character like Susan or Luis. The activity accompanying that song was to look at four objects, and then identify which three belonged together. The fourth object was then the one that didn't belong. This may seem like a simple task now, but you were learning the very skills then that you will need to write a division and classification essay today. Later on, in school, you probably expanded on this skill. For example, you may have learned to classify musical instruments by category (brass, percussion, string, woodwind), events according to historical period (Middle ages, Great Depression, Baby Boom, Industrial Revolution), or even types of art (impressionist, modern, arts and crafts, etc.). What is a Classification Essay A classification essay is paper in which you identify a subject and create different categories within that subject that you can use for the purposes of classification. Then, you write about who or what would be placed into each classification, and why. For example, if your subject was pies, you might choose the categories: savory, fruit based, custard based, cream based, and chess based. In your essay, you would identify these categories, explain why you have selected these categories, and then you would write about which pies fit into the various categories. Remember that as you are writing a classification essay, you job isn't just to identify the categories and what goes in those categories, it is also to justify why you have made that selection. Why, for example, would strawberry cream pie be classified as a cream based pie and not a fruit pie? Choose an Interesting and Familiar Subject If you want the essay writing process to go quickly, pick a subject that you can quickly divide into categories. Then, once you have your categories down, you can pick the elements you wish to write about and how you want those elements classified based on the categories that you have established. Unless the subject matter covered in the class demands it, there is no need to pursue a topic that is particularly intense. Write an Intro Paragraph that Demonstrates the Subject and Categories By the end of the first paragraph, your reader should know how you have divided your subject into categories, and why. This way, when you begin writing your body paragraphs, you can simply go through each item and discuss where you are classifying it and what caused you to make that decision. Try Some Mind Mapping Rather than using typical note taking methods, try using mind mapping or other methods to do your classifying. The visual style of this can make it easier for you to remember what you classified where, and why. Then, when the time comes to write your essay, you can just translate the images that you have created into sentences and paragraphs.

Midterm assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Midterm - Assignment Example They are the key elements that lead to so much variation in the physical and chemical conditions of different habitats. Temperature: It is one of the most relevant environmental factors controlling the type of organism that the ecosystem will support. The average temperature on land varies seasonally, decreases progressively from the equator towards the poles and from plains to the mountain tops. Temperature plays a very significant role in the metabolism and survival of the organisms. Water: Next to temperature, water is the most important factor influencing the life of organisms. The productivity and distribution of plants is also heavily dependent on water. For example, in deserts where water availability is very limited, only organisms with special adaptations to conserve water alone will be able to survive. Light: Sunlight is the main source of energy for the ecosystem and for the process of photosynthesis, by which plants produce food, can take place only in the presence of sun light. For many animals too, light is important in that they use the diurnal and seasonal variations in light intensity and duration (photoperiod) as cues for timing their foraging, reproductive and migratory activities. Biotic Factors The biotic components include all living organisms like plants, animals, fungi and bacteria of the ecosystem. The biotic components including the pathogens, parasites, predators and competitors – of the organism interact constantly with the abiotic factors of the environment for their survival. The biotic components modify their responses to changes in abiotic factors and maintain the balance of the ecosystem. 2. What is ecosystem function - in other words how does an ecosystem work? Ans. The components of the ecosystem are seen to function as a unit through the following aspects: (i) Productivity (ii) Decomposition (iii) Energy flow; and (iv) Nutrient cycling. The green plants known as the Producers or autotrophs trap the solar energy and conv ert simple inorganic materials into complex organic compounds or food. All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs. They are hence called consumers or heterotrophs. The interdependency of organism for the requirement of food leads to food chain or food web. Based on the source of their nutrition or food, organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain that is known as their trophic level. The solar energy captured by plants flows through different organisms or different trophic levels of an ecosystem. The Organisms at each trophic level depend on those at the lower trophic level for their energy demands. When any organism dies it is converted to detritus or dead biomass that serves as an energy source for decomposers. Decomposers secrete digestive enzymes that breakdown dead and waste materials into simple, inorganic materials, which are subsequently absorbed by them. 3. Use the Diablo Range as an example of an intact ecosystem – Describe th e Diablo Range's abiotic and biotic components (including the Diablo Range location, topography, climate, plant communities, mammals & other organisms found there). Give details for each! Ans. Diablo mountain range is a classical example of an intact ecosystem. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United

Importance of Emotion and Alignment Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Importance of Emotion and Alignment Paper - Essay Example However, the culture clash was expected to be between the French way of leadership and his new Japanese employees. The Japanese were conservative and this made Ghosn to accept their culture and operate their way. The financial situations at Nissan forced the management to bring Ghosn so that he could make some difference. Supporters and critics built confidence in Ghosn in circumstances when Nissan had a lot of losses that led to more debts of about $22 billion. The situation led to consumers developing a weakened mind about the brand of Nissan (Millikin, & Fu, 2005). Also, the products’ portfolio consisted fully of older models than what the other competitors had. It was for Ghosn to understand the atmosphere and use it to bring change to the company. Ghosn instilled fear into people by declaring his wish to step down in case Nissan fails to meet the target. Happiness was felt after just eighteen months in charge, and it led to shock to both supporters critics when Nissan started to make profit. The people around Ghosn started to practice transparency since they believed what the leader says, and also think is right. The owners of Michelin felt threatened and denied any one especially Ghosn a chance to be the president of the firm on the ground that it was a family-run company. Therefore, Ghosn understood their denial emotion and decided to resign so that he can make a change somewhere else. Moreover, Renault had confidence in Ghosn and he used that trust to build his empire and became the Executive Vice President. The top and middle management personnel at Renault nicknamed Ghosn â€Å"Le Cost-Killer†. He was given that name because of his hard work in improving cost efficiency by focusing on increasing margin. The management appreciated Ghosn and gave him the role of Nissan COO when Nissan formed an alliance with Renault. The trust built in Ghosn was enough to turn things around faster the same way it was done

Self Management Bringing Out The Best In Me Philosophy Essay

Self Management Bringing Out The Best In Me Philosophy Essay I shall be willing to give my complete self for the choices I consciously make in order to optimize the value of my continuously evolving self-awareness and self-discovery. Management has become an illusion to many people for many years. We thought that given a position, we will be able to drive people to achieve results. We were made to believe that as you pay people, we may be able to squeeze their juices to contribute to our results. But come to think of it: even a child who came from a parent and who was nurtured by the parent through the formative years wont do everything the parent wants him to do. They will still go out of their way and do things the way they want their own way. How much less can we expect an employee to subscribe to our management only because he is paid to do so? Knowing self is the prerequisite to self management. It is about self knowledge which leads to self mastery. The Book of Tao Te Ching is sure in saying that He who knows others is CLEVER; He who knows himself HAS DISCERNMENT; He who overcomes others HAS FORCE; He who overcomes himself is STRONG. Knowing self requires discernment leading to being strong. Knowledge and mastery of the self sounds more challenging than knowledge and mastery of others. You dont have to be different. You just have to be yourself. But by being yourself, you express your uniqueness. You can only be the best of what you are. You can never be the best of what you are not. The power lies within. If you wish to conquer the world, you have to first conquer yourself. But what do we need to know about ourselves? We have a false belief that we know ourselves enough because it is the person we have known since our conception. But wait! Psychologically, there are many things we do not know about the person we see in the mirror. Here is how. Our ego is that part of our personality that is in contact with reality. Ego is the neutralizer of the moralistic superego and the pleasure-driven id. The superego and the id are both blind and not based on reality. There are times however that our ego is threatened. That is when defense mechanisms are accessed to protect the ego and to attempt a state of balance. Defense mechanisms operate in the unconscious. For example, an alcoholic will use denial and say I am just an occasional drinker, and he is convinced about it. He will use rationalization and say drinking is my only stress buster because I dont have friends, and he is convinced about it. He will use dissociation and say, my quarrel and separation with my wife has nothing to do with my drinking but with her nagging personality, and he is convinced about it. The alcoholics use of the three defense mechanisms is something that he is not aware of. He gets used to it to protect his ego from the very real possibility that he is actually suffering from alcoholism. The unconscious use of the defense mechanism is anchored on the fact that it is the ego (a connection to reality) that it is trying to protect. (ego-id-superego model) This is one psychological basis for our tendency to suppress from our consciousness many aspects of lives and characteristics about ourselves which in a way is a form of self-delusion. Even the JOHARI Window, formulated by John Luft and Harry Ingham (?), proposed that there is the blind quadrant, which is known to others but is not known to self. There is also the unknown (unconscious) quadrant, which is neither known to others nor to self. That is how much unknown remains for us to explore. These quadrants offer the potentials in the human person. (illustration of johari) The Gift of Self On the more practical level, it is most worthwhile to discover what we do best that we enjoy most. XXX calls it flow. I simply call it gift. Do we do it best because we enjoy it most? Or do we enjoy it most because we do it best? A chicken and egg situation. It doesnt matter which one leads to another. But certainly, we wont do best what we dont enjoy doing, neither would we enjoy doing something we dont do best. There must be a special reason why the Supreme Being gives a special gift to each of us. It is for us to discover it, nurture it to perfection, and find its value to how you can serve others. But how many people end life journey without such discovery? What a waste! Even what is initially perceived as weakness can actually be discovered as a gift. XXX is a person born with a condition called xxx. He has no arms and feet. But he found the gift. He would inspire people by how he was able to do what people with complete extremities can do like surfing, playing golf, and play musical instrument. He would have not done it any better if he was born with limbs. And there are many other stories available in the worldwide web for us to prove that what could be initially perceived as weakness can lead to the realization of strength. What you love and your talents provide for clues to your gift. As Wolfgang puts it: the person born with a talent they are meant to use will find the greatest happiness in using it. You want to know your gift? Look at the mirror and ask yourself. What makes you different? What makes you special? What makes you loved and loveable? What makes you a child of God? I am sure, you will find an attribute, a power, a great being within you. It awaits to be unleashed, NOW. What is the best business for me? Whenever I get consulted by people who are in search of a business venture, I ask them the question, what is it that you do best that you enjoy most? The rationale is simple: what you do best is worthwhile investing in, especially when it fills a particular need in the market. What you do best will bring a product or a service that is probably best or good enough as a starting point to generate profit. What you do best is much easier to nurture and craft to perfection. It is important that I ask the question about what they enjoy most. The rationale is also simple: work stops being work when you are enjoying it. It makes you focus on what matters most because what you do brings about some degree of self fulfillment just by simply doing it. When what you do is something you enjoy most, you become more resilient, especially in the field of entrepreneurship where only the toughest survive. My life is an example. I was given the gift of tongue. God must have a reason. And everything followed after. Now, what is your gift? What have you done to nurture that gift? Step 2: CHOOSE Self After you know or discover the gift, you have to choose to use it well. You may choose to nurture it. Choice is derived from the freewill which is innate to our human nature. Some people will respond to situation based on the force of circumstances and will claim that there is no other choice. In my trainings, I usually set a bet for the audience to give me an example of a life situation where the person has no choice. On doctor challenged me and cited that he never chose to be born. Good thing he is a doctor that I was able to ask him how many spermatozoa does a man release in a sexual act. He said tens of millions. It was my chance to remind him: Doc, when your father made love with your mother, there were tens of millions of sperm released by your father! Why did you rush to win the race? It made the hall full of doctors quiet. And I closed the debate by saying: Doc, while you were a sperm, you made a choice to be the fastest and the mightiest sperm of them all. Thats because you chose to fertilize the egg. I have yet to hear a situation in life where one has no choice! The challenge of throwing bread on those who throw stones is Jesus Christs lesson of CHOICE. Reactive people respond as if there is nothing between stimulus and response. Proactive people respond aware that there is something between the stimulus and response- that is CHOICE. Stephen Covey calls being proactive as being response-able. They have the response-ability, which is the ability to choose the response. A person who believes in choices and who empowers the self using that freedom to choose will not blame others for anything. They only have themselves to blame. In so doing, that person learns, grow, become a better person. Now that I have impressed upon you that choice is inherent to our human nature, the biggest choice you have to make is to CHOOSE your SELF. You may choose to be the best person you can be based on your personal knowledge of yourself. Having been blessed with the gift of teaching, you may choose to be a great teacher. A nurse may just provide relief of pain, but may choose to care by provide a holistic nurturing to her clients. Anyone can be great. It is just a matter of choice. Famous and notorious people alike are products of the choices they make. Step 3: GIVE Self What did you have when you were born? And what dies with you? Only your SELF. What you gained in your life journey like wealth, properties, power and prestige are temporal rewards for the actions you took and the choice you made. But what could be the greatest gift to humanity but self? I used to wonder why most heroes had to die before they get acknowledged, like saints who had to die before they get beatified. Because death is the ultimate offering of the self. Even Jesus had to die to achieve our salvation. But this book is not about being hero or saint. It is about being you and giving yourself. What you are is Gods gift to you. What others have become because of you is your gift to God. It is in giving yourself that you find greater meaning in the life you are blessed to live. What do we get in knowing-choosing-giving ourselves? The more we become knowledgeable about ourselves, the more we will be able to define our vision and purpose. And from such vision and life purpose, we will be able to better choose the person we want to be. In so doing, we are able to fulfil a mission and project our authentic presence in the environment we live in. Our existence is felt, our significance is appreciated and our worth enriched. We are then able to give ourselves more genuinely. It is in sharing ourselves that we become more. It is in giving ourselves that we are given more. It creates a self-actualizing existence that puts more value to our lives and our being. Self actualization is the highest level of need. It is what not everyone will be able to reach in a lifetime. It is anchored on a hierarchy that builds upon basic to more complex needs. It is the level that makes one conclude that life is indeed worth leaving. Interview 1: Cory Quirino It took years for Cory Quirino to spread the gospel of wellness among her fellow Filipinos. Now, thanks to her relentless advocacy, wellness is one of the most happening words in town as more and more manufacturers have been jumping onto the bandwagon, developing consumer products that promote a healthy and happy lifestyle. Alternative and preventive medicine and naturopathy have likewise been booming. One of Quirinos secrets to her accomplishments is the great sense of discipline that drives her dreams. Without it, passion has no direction, she says. Wellness itself has a lot to do with balancing ones life. A lot of self-discipline goes to the day-to-day management of physical, emotional and spiritual activities that maintain ones health and beauty. The same principles can be applied in managing ones enterprises, as she has successfully demonstrated. It takes both intelligence and keeping ones cool to win the game. EQ is on equal footing with IQ, she says, if not a step higher. She adds, I believe in it as something innately God-given, something that enables an individual to tap the inner intelligence, centered on his or her ability to sense, to reflect, and to act. Quirino can attest to the fulfilment of being an entrepreneur. Only now, I am beginning to know what this feels like, she says. Sure, its risky, but the rewards are great. Your sense of freedom is underscored and heightened, and this motivates you to go further, beyond your own self-imposed limitations. Many people consider Quirino a guru or icon. This is music to my ears, she smiles, because it simply means, you have arrived, Cory!' Interview 2: Richie Cuna Richie Cuna always makes sure that his business is a step ahead of everyone elses. Being a business developer, he has been strict at beating his deadlines. I always tell my staff that we need to hit deadlines yesterday. No exemptions! , he exclaims. It has taken discipline and planning to turn Cunas visions to reality. People who are always stuck on the planning phase turn him off. I would plan things in my head days, weeks, months, or maybe even years ahead, and then I share what I want to happen, he says. In his office, he is well known for making his word happen. When he established the brand Fiorgelato, one of his several successful franchises, he planned to establish 50 branches within ten years. And so he has. Cuna has been a leader and pioneer in entrepreneurship and franchising in the Philippines. He founded and led the Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc (AFFI). He keenly supports new businesses, brands and concepts in schools, exhibits and other activities and has helped make Filipino brands internationally competitive. He wants others to share in the satisfaction of being entrepreneurs. He relates, Ive been an employee for about 25 years, and sometimes they say when an employee leaves the office, thats the end of the storyAs an entrepreneur, the task is a 24/7 thing; your mind keeps on running because you need to finish a task or make a deadlineBut the fulfilment is different. I quit my job in banking and pursued entrepreneurship because it is more enjoyable! Nuggets of Wisdom Here are some simplified techniques on how you can make the full use of your self: Search for what you do best and enjoy most. Examine the realization of dreams and aspirations. Live in harmony with the universe. Fulfil the promise of the future through the lessons of the past and blessings of the present. Search for what you do best and enjoy most. This is the essence of your freewill. You may choose what to do and might as well do what you are best at and what gives you the greatest rewards of enjoyment. In the process, everything becomes easy in your full utilization of your greatest asset yourself. Examine the realization of dreams and aspirations. Success comes in small frequent feedings. There are small achievements that are indicators that you are getting there in time. Do an inventory of the small successes that is heading to the realization of your dreams. These are the building blocks of your immortal legacy. Live in harmony with the universe. You are part of a bigger whole. Live with it in harmony. Be nurtured by it as you contribute to its entirety. Harmonize with nature and be one of its treasures. Fulfil the promise of the future through the lessons of the past and blessings of the present. You are never a perfect being but you are learning. The past provides you lessons. The past cannot teach you, but you can learn from it. The present is a presentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a gift. It is the most important day in your history. Count your blessings on a daily basis. Conquer the future. It promises you great things.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 44

On the smal est moon of the Nether World fine ash was fal ing. It fel on two already ash-covered bodies. It fel on ash-choked water. It blocked the sunlight so that an endless midnight covered the moon's ash-coated surface. And something else fel . In the smal est imaginable droplets, an opalescent fluid fel , colors swirling as if to try and make up for the ugliness of the ashes. They were tiny drops, but there were tril ions upon tril ions of them, fal ing endlessly, concentrated over the spot where they had once been part of the largest container of raw Power in three dimensions. There was a body on the ground on this spot – not quite a corpse. The body had no heartbeat; it did not breathe, and there was no brain activity. But somewhere in it there was a slow pulsing, that quickened very slightly as the tiny drops of Power fel upon it. The pulsing was made up of nothing but a memory. The memory of a girl with dark blue eyes and golden hair and a smal face with wide brown eyes. And the taste: the taste of two maidens'tears. Elena. Bonnie. Putting the two of them together they formed what was not exactly a thought, not exactly a picture. But to someone who only understood words, it might be translated: They are wiating for me. If I can figure out who I am. And that sparked a fierce determination. After what seemed like centuries but was only a few hours, something moved in the ash. A fist clenched. And something stirred in the brain, a self-revelation. A name. Damon.