The relationship between Taipei National Palace Museum and Beijing Essay

The relationship between Taipei National Palace Museum and Beijing Palace Museum - Essay Example Earlier Taipei had been retained as the island’s capital by the Japanese after they acquired Taiwan. This took place after the first Sino- Japanese war in 1895. In addition, the Japanese also conducted a widespread urban planning that was perceived to be advanced. However, in 1945, following the surrender of the Japanese, the island was taken over by the republic of China. The ruling Kuomintang was forced to resettled the government of republic of China in Taiwan and they later made a declaration that its provisional capital was Taipei. All took place when the Chinese communist party took over the mainland china during the Chinese civil war (Cuno, 132). The art museum located in Taipei is known to be a national palace museum. The national museum belongs to the republic of china (Taiwan) and is perceived to be one of the largest worldwide because it consists of several permanent collections. The national palace museum is mainly a gallery and museum of art with the central colle ction being various artifacts from the ancient China. The museum should not be confused with the Beijing palace museum. The two have similarities in that they both trace their ancestry to one institution. The division occurred in 1940 when the Chinese civil war erupted. Today, Taipei national palace museum boasts to be an organization in possession of collection perceived to be truly international. The museum is in possession of leading artifacts collections worldwide derived from the ancient china. The cultural artifacts collection found in Taipei national palace museum consists of several precious pieces. The collection include different pieces of Chinese artifacts and artworks that are ancient, and covers several years in the history of china mainly from the Neolithic age up to the late Qing dynasty. Most of the objects were mainly obtained from different places including the Song, Yuan, Ming and the Qing dynasties. The museum development in Taipei is mostly associated with conte mporary china’s social changes. Puyi who was the last emperor in the Qing dynasty was sent away from the Forbidden City and it is estimated that this took place thirteen years after the republic of china had been established. The national palace museum was established from the cultural artifacts left behind in the palaces. Most articles mainly consisted of former imperial family’s valuables. They were mainly put together by the ancient emperors of china and the pieces are of high quality. Both the national palace museum best known as Taipei and the Beijing palace museum situated in the people’s republic of china inside the Forbidden City share similar original ancestry. The separation of the two was as a result of civil war in China. The Forbidden City right from the Ming dynasty up to the end of the Qing dynasty remained the imperial palace in China. It is located in the mid of Beijing in China and holds the palace museum. It has served as emperors and their ho useholds homes for several years in the past. In addition it has also served as the center for all kinds of ceremonies and politics in the government of China. Since 1925 the palace museum has remain in charge of the Forbidden City. This museum extensive collection of art consists of those from the Ming and the Qing dynasties. Some of the former collection of the museum is currently found in Taipei national palace museum. The two have several things in common including the fact that they descended from one

Sleep Theories Essay Example for Free

Sleep Theories Essay Most people think that when we sleep, we can shut down our mind. However, with the power of advanced technique, scientist made a careful observation of human brain waves, body temperature, heart rate, breathing, and other physical functions. They received a new light on sleep. Our brain and body actually are active during sleep, sometimes even more active than we are awake. There are two type of sleep, making up a complete 90 to 100 minute cycle that can be repeated 4 to 5 times in an average eight hours sleep. NREM (nonrapid eye movement) sleep: also called quite sleep. Have four stages, from stage 1 to stage 4.REM (rapid eye movement) sleep: also called active sleep. Stage 5, in this stage you dreaming.( Cherry, K.2012) During sleep, we usually pass through five stages of sleep Stage1. Light stage of sleep.  Turn off the light, close your eyes, and find the most comfortable position to lying down on the bed .While, you may feel sleepy now. Your eyes start moving slowly, muscle activity slows and body feel more relaxed. You had already entered stage 1 sleep without noticing it. At this stage, you may be aware of noises. You can be easily awakened and may feel that you are not really sleeping. During stage 1, our brain activity slows down; brain produces waves from alpha waves enter to theta waves. (Rathus, S.pp.100). ï  ¬ 2. A light sleep but it is deeper than stage 1. Stage 2 may last for 20 minutes.Your brain starts producing more waves but activities become lower. Your eyes stop moving; breathing, heart rate slows and body temperature decreases. Right now, you are ready to enter deep sleep. During stage 2, the brain waves are interrupted by bursts of brain activity knows as sleep spindles.( Rathus, S) Stage 3 and 4. Transition period between light sleep to deep sleep. At stage 3, you deep sleep starts, your brain produce slower delta waves. There is no eye movement and you will not consciously trying to move your body. Moreover, your heart rate and blood pressure will drop down to the lowest level during the day. According to the repair and restoration Theory of Sleep, deep sleep is the stages for your body to repair damaged and rejuvenate itself. Growth could occurs in stage 4.( Walsh, K.). It will be difficult to wake you up during these two stages, you cannot adjust immediately, and you may feel dazed and exhausted for few minutes. Stage 5. a very light, active sleep  This stage also called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. It is a miraculous stage that you hear rate, heart rate increases, blood pressure raised and breathing become shallower; your eyes move back; your brain become more active as you awake and you start dreaming. Incredibly, your muscles still maintains in a relaxed state. Stage 5 usually occurs about 70 to 90 minutes after we fall asleep. ( Brain basics: Understanding Sleep ). The functions of sleep Sleep is the most important thing for us to surviveï ¼Å'it can protect us from disease. Having enough sleep in a day will bring lots of benefits to us -a clear mind, a good mood and full of energy. Sleep may also have other benefits like improving physical and immune function. The following are the summarized functions of sleep. Sleep provides an opportunity for the body to repair and rejuvenate: remove fatigue, conserves the body energy Beneficial of skin care: good sleep can increase the activities of skin metabolism. Sleep provides growth and development: Deep sleep increases the release of growth hormone in human baby or animals.  Sleep protect our nervous systems: helps us recover from stress Sleep improves our study ability: can strengthen and improve our memory. Sleeping affects our immune systemï ¼Å¡increase resistant system Discusses one sleep disorder (i.e., explains the disorder, its causes, symptoms, and the treatment options available). Sleep is a natural process, but if you feel sleep is always difficult such as It is hard to fall asleep; although you have slept for eight hours you may still feel tired and have difficulty to memorize something. If these problems bothered you for ages, you may be suffering from a sleep disorder. Doctors discovered that there are more than 70 sleep disorders which can seriously interfere with our work, driving, and social activities. The most common sleep disorders include insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea. ( Brain basics.) Insomnia is a Latin word for â€Å"no sleep†, is â€Å"a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease† .People that is affected by insomnia has the inability to fall asleep or maintaining sleep. (Insomnia overview). Common symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep; feel awake for a whole night; only can sleep for few hours per day; waking up frequently, and could not get back to sleep. There are many causes of insomnia. It can be caused by stress, anxiety. It may be related to substance use, such as alcohol, and caffeine. Behavior therapy is often part of any treatment for insomnia. For example: A healthy lifestyle can help to improve sleep quality, doing exercise is helpful in reducing stress. Provides examples of how/if any of sleep theories, and/or disorders apply to your life. I found a part time job as a store manager in my final year of college. It was hard to study at school during the day and lead employees to work in the night. Worries and tenseness lead me to insomnia. I felt that it is difficult for me to fall asleep in late night, and sometimes when I awake, I still felt tired and dizzy. Lack of enough sleeps cause me became moody, such little things would fire me up. I have to take sleeping pills to get to sleep, but it would not take effect for long term use. Learning to relax helped me sleep better and feel better. It is simple, using scented candles at home to create a comfortable area, take a bath and listen to the music.

Individualism versus Collectivism in The Fountainhead Essay example --

Individualism versus Collectivism in The Fountainhead      Ã‚  Ã‚   The theme of The Fountainhead as stated by its author, Ayn Rand, is "individualism versus collectivism, not in politics, but in man's soul." Three major characters serve as types for the noble, contemptible, and parasitic in this comparison. Howard Roark is an architect who serves as Rand's model for individualism to the extent that he is willing to sacrifice everything he has in order to retain his status as an individual. Ellsworth Monkton Toohey is a charismatic genius who uses his knowledge of human nature and collectivism to manipulate and control the masses, who hang on his every word. Peter Keating is an ambitious young man who is in all actuality exactly what the public says he is; he reaps the benefits--and the curses--of collectivism in his rise to and fall from the top. The actions and motives of these three men serve as a means of bringing the two concepts in question to life for the readers of The Fountainhead.    Howard Roark summarizes his philosophy of existence when, in the course of a courtroom speech, he states: "I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute of my life."(1) Roark designs buildings for a living, or more accurately, he lives to design buildings. He sees his clients as a secondary--albeit necessary--element of his profession. When someone asks him to design a building, he accepts only the basic requirements and funds for the project; he designs the structure to make optimum use of the building materials and construction site. He will agree to no suggestions or modifications; he builds for himself only, and his clients may accept it as they accept him, or reject it in much the same... ...ions of three distinct philosophies. Roark is the individualist--the man who will not borrow his life from others; he is the man who will give all he has to preserve the fundamental purity of his soul. Toohey is the propagator and employer of collectivism, the voice of the people, the enemy of the individual and everything it stands for. There is no Peter Keating--the name represents the shell of a man who is shaped and directed by society and its caprices. Peter Keating is collectivism incarnate. It is through the concrete characterization of each of these men that the reader is able to grasp the meaning of individualism and collectivism, and their effect on mankind.    1. The Fountainhead, 50th Anniversary Edition (Penguin Books), page 686, line 3. 2. ibid. page 640, line 7. 3. ibid. page 640, line 22. 4. ibid. page 637, line 6.   

Relating Philosophy to Pedagogy Essay

Within any early childhood education (ECE) setting the pedagogy of the educators will have great impact on the programmes and philosophies which the children within that setting will be influenced by. Teachers have a responsibility to build and maintain authentic, open, reciprocal relationships with children, families and the community (Gailer, 2010). This is not only an integral part of the early childhood curriculum Te Whariki which has relationships as one of its four foundation principles (Ministry of Education [MoE], 1996) but also part of the teaching standards and ethics. As a teacher I relish in the chance to build relationships with many different children, all unique in their culture, strengths, ideas and way of being. The importance I place on relationships sits well with both Vygotsky’s and Bronfenbrenner’s sociocultural theories. Vygotsky emphasised the importance of the people surrounding a child, seeing them crucial for supporting and enhancing the child’s development. Bronfenbrenner extended this into a model of contextual factors, using ideas about five kinds of contexts surrounding the individual child including their micro- and meso-systems where the interactions of their day-to-day realities occur (Drewery & Bird, 2004). These theories have been vital in the development of New Zealand’s early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, and so my understandings of these and with my personal philosophy I hope to have the skills to be able to build respectful reciprocal relationships with all learners. Building these relationships however is not as easy as people outside of the profession often assume. Appendix 2 shows Suzie Gailer’s (2010) article on being professional, the article discusses how professional integrity of practice is reliant on teachers having a particular set of values, respect, authenticity, empowerment and transparency. The image of the child is culturally constructed and linked to our time and place in history, the image I have as a teacher today of children is very different to that of which I was viewed as a child. My image of the child has altered as I have gained both practical and theoretical teaching experience. In my first practicums I did not necessarily know what to expect about building initial relationships with children but as I have gained knowledge I now know that children can be trusted to build these relationships in timeframes which are right for them. Te Whariki (MoE, 1996) presents the image of children as competent learners and communicators and I now uphold this image in my teaching practice and as a parent (Appendices 3, 4 & 5), along with the values of respect which I have articulated through the following of Magda Gerber’s work. From my own relatively limited practical experience and theoretical knowledge I can relate to the notion of Edwards & Nuttall (2005) where â€Å"the pedagogy, or ‘the act of teaching’, is not only mediated by educators’ understandings about the children, learning, and the curriculum; their understandings about the social settings in which they work, their personal experiences beyond the workplace and their engagement with the centre’s wider community all have a role in determining the educator’s actions† (p. 36). My own underlying beliefs, values and philosophies all impact on my teaching style and, although often unconsciously, on the way I relate to individuals. Commitment to reflective practice, the personal philosophy I have articulated and the desire for professional development will aid me in holding true to a pedagogy which is responsive in time as well as to individuals. This pedagogy with its identified aspects of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation is influenced by my values and experiences and I attempt to explain and reflect upon these in this essay. The main assessment process I use is ‘Learning Stories’, an approach developed by Dr. Margaret Carr. Learning stories show a snapshot of a learning experience which has been shared with the child or children involved and are a record of the interests and strengths of the child. Research shows that learning is more effective when it is derived from interests, encouraging motivation and the sense of confidence that comes from working within one’s own strengths. The learning story framework is based on the belief that developing good learning dispositions is the most important skill in early childhood and this fits well with my values of respect and having the Te Whariki image of the child, a confident, competent learner and communicator. The foundations of learning stories are the dispositions found in Te Whariki and in my own learning stories these are highlighted, showing fellow educators, parents and whanau how I work to support children’s learning in all aspects of the programme and curriculum (Appendices 4, 6 & 7). Upholding this image of children in practice is however met with challenges. Woodrow (1999) describes how there are resulting constructions of childhood based on how individuals experienced childhood, on cultural artefacts and on professional knowledge, Ellen Pifer (2000) also describes these conflicting images in her book Demon or Doll (Appendix 8) which has truly opened my mind to ways of seeing individuals. Other teaching professionals may hold different images of children such as the child as innocent or as an embryo adult and this will impact on the way they act around and towards children. Having a commitment towards reflective practice and regularly evaluating my personal pedagogy will allow me to deal with these challenges, giving me the skills to explain my viewpoint and understand that of others so that the best possible outcome is achieved. To undertake such assessment it is important to build a relationship with the children and these reciprocal relationships are another key part of my philosophy. This value has changed with my experience and theoretical knowledge, in my initial practicum I was unsure about how to go about building relationships that are both respectful and reciprocal (Appendices 9 & 10) but my confidence in this has, and will continue, to grow (Appendix 11). I believe that building a reciprocal relationship means sharing aspects of my life with children and not expecting them to reveal themselves without the favour being returned. I have a huge passion towards animals and I have shared this with the children on my last two practicums by taking along my guinea pigs (Appendix 12). The children feel aspects of empowerment and trust as I allow them to be intimately involved with a very important part of my personal life. Building such relationships prior to undertaking assessment highlights the spiral nature of teaching and the aspects of pedagogies. Taking the guinea pigs to the centre required planning and careful implementation, including discussion with staff and families to ensure cultural needs were met. Some cultures do not agree with the keeping of animals as pets and in order to uphold the respectful image of the child and relationships with the family and community I needed to accept and respect this belief. The centre policies and legislation also play a role in planning and implementation, health and hygiene regulations needed to be considered for this activity and for others many different policies will come into play. For further assessment and planning the involvement of colleagues and whanau in the learning stories and other documentation would play a vital role in the continuation of the interest but unfortunately the short nature of the practicum did not allow for this. Cultural needs and matches weight heavily in the planning and implementation stages of my pedagogy. This is linked to all the values in my philosophy; relationships, respect and equity. These values mean that I believe in focussing on skills and talents rather than on deficiencies to create learning environments, for example respecting that crying is a valid attempt at communication and can be a qualified learning experience (Appendix 11). Nyland (2004) describes how the participation rights and contexts of infants’ knowledge can be overlooked in childcare settings. On-line discussions with fellow students regarding this reading give support to the idea that disrespectful environments adversely affect the identity and participation of children. What happens in an environment when an identity is missing altogether and children are faced with images of white middle class able bodied members of society? What message is that giving to these children and their families? You don’t belong? You are not a real member of our society? We don’t value you? The environments we plan for the children speak volumes about how we view society and the people we respect and value (Ellis, R. , Fuamatu, P. Perry Smith, A. M. Moodle; September 2011). During planning I therefore need to think ahead about resources which reflect the cultures within the setting and the community. This can be achieved through communication with other educators in the setting, parents, and other members of the community such as kaumatua or the local priest. Planning for social occasions is also important to me as I feel they link the ECE setting with the wider community and social values. This includes events such as Mother’s and Father’s day (Appendix 13) as well as cultural occasions such as the Lantern Festival, Diwali and Pasifika events. Although during such planning I am mindful of the goals and learning outcomes which Te Whariki and the teaching standards present I also constantly remind myself of the holistic nature in which the learning will occur. Lawrence (2004) describes the shift in thinking and programme planning in ECE settings over the past two decades, from keeping children busy to planning cycles and then Te Whariki. Lawrence clarifies that although the word planning is still used; it is not in the traditional sense of the word but rather can be seen as â€Å"reflectively responding to children’s thinking (p. 16). † An example in her rticle shows how the learning experience of children can be very different to that pre-planned or expected by the teacher (Appendix 14). A challenge presents itself where teachers have been trained and had experience in times where different planning programmes were utilised, disagreeing views and beliefs can lead to conflict within teaching teams and a dedicat ion to reflective practice is required by all parties if favourable outcomes are to be reached. This reflective practice is a vital part of the evaluation process of my pedagogy. What worked? What didn’t work? Where do I go from here? Schon (2002) described how the entire process of reflection-in-action, where our knowing is in our action, is central to the skill practitioners have in dealing with situations of uncertainty, instability and uniqueness as well as valuing conflict. Holding true to a value where children are respected as individuals and valued for their own unique set of skills, uncertain and unique situations are inevitable in the day-to-day practice of an ECE setting. With the set of reflective skills I now possess I hope to be able to turn these situations of uncertainty into ones of learning, for both myself and children involved. With continuing professional development and an ever increasing amount of practical experience I feel I am in good stead to continue my career as an early childhood educator and support the children within my influence to grow up in line with the aspirations of Te Whariki, â€Å"competent and confident learners and communicators †¦ a valued contribution to society†.

Conflict and Negotiation Essay

Conflict inside organization can be defined as the workplace issue that generates frequent expressions of emotion, frustration and anger. Conflict is fundamental to every functional organization. It is important to realize that conflicts are inevitable in organizational and personal life. Without conflict an organization will become stagnant, some times not productive. Conflict in the workplace is inevitable and occurs because people care about what they are doing. Conflict has good and bad consequences inside organization. Conflict make people or teams grow together, help motivate individuals to do better and work harder, satisfy needs such as dominance, aggression, esteem and ego; provide creative and innovative ideas. On the same time, conflict can slow growth, reduce productivity, waste huge amounts of time, make workplace life miserable, and affect individual and organizational performance. It is very important for the management to be able to identify conflict from the beginning because it’s easier to prevent unnecessary conflict than to manage conflict once it started. The conflict resolution requires great managerial skills. It is important for the executive to be able to reduce or eliminate unnecessary conflict and handle disagreements so they do not become ugly ongoing conflict. Management needs to be able to deal with calm once that conflict started, to remain neutral and judge objective, to apologize to the part that is affected by conflict in order to show that they care, to identify the consequences, request for specific actions that can be implemented right away.