Geography of water and energy resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Geography of water and energy resources - Essay Example Based on the reading of "Who Gets What From Imported Oil?" concerning the viewpoints on OPEC wealth and power, it can be ascertained that OPEC, being an international organization, is often regarded an economic association of the oil producing or exporting countries having the mission to increase the fixed income of its associated countries. The survey conducted by OPEC in the year 2012 highlights that the OECD countries are making more profits from oil taxation as compared to the nations of OPEC. The results of the survey also explained that the OPEC countries are earning revenues of $4,888 billion, whereas OECD countries are earning $5,553 billion from exporting oil. The outcome from this survey eventually reveals the prevalence of inefficiency in the functions of OPEC. It is worth mentioning in this regard that every country falling under OPEC fails to reset the value of crude oil, which in turn, creates huge differences in taxation (OPEC,

Analysis of architecture work and theory of Peter Esienman Essay

Analysis of architecture work and theory of Peter Esienman - Essay Example A series of deconstructivist rectilinear box like houses designed as experiments in geometry and philosophy, were known initially only by numerals (I to X). Eisenman predominantly used grids as an organizing principle in this set of his earlier work. He experimented and investigated a variety of theoretical ideas including the notion of deep structure, a proposition that there is a universal, underlying ordering device that is the natural and logical generator of a design. The later larger design compositions reflect geometries derived from historical references or from circumstances of the building site. The Wexner Center for the Arts (1983-1989) at Ohio State University is a remarkable example for this. The House VI displays unclear structural functions. The house was designed primarily as an exercise in geometric autonomy. It represents efficient method of construction but labeled by many critics as having futile construction elements. The house is constructed using primarily a post and beam system, with box beams and large dimension timbers forming the major elements of the structural system. The building is a study in the relationships between the actual structure and the architectural theory. Many of the forms that appear structural are actually included to reinforce the concepts behind the design and not essentially for the purpose of providing structural strength and stability to the building. The design displays non practical and philosophical use of structural elements such as an exterior column that does not reach the ground and a linear design element in the bedroom floor which created practical problems and disallowed the owners to use it in a desirable manner. The spatial organization of spaces also displays antagonistic planning. He practiced the philosophy of "post-functionalism" in architectural designs of the houses in which he added the element of function after the completion of design and the celebrated thinking of ‘form follows the

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Example for Free

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Essay Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a popular novel published in 1886. this book related to many of the Victorian readers. During the Victorian period people lived two lives one side is the almost stiff powerful dull society with more concern of their reputation. However when they were in the comfort of their own homes, emotions which are ceased to be seen and bottled up in public are relieved by drinking alcohol, smoking socializing with friends and intimacy with a partner. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde was a successful horror novel of the time, one reason for this is Charles Darwins theory of evolution. Most Victorians rejected the theory as it questioned their faith and powerful race. His theory raised a few eye brows and put many people on edge scaring them at just the thought of evolving from apes and even re-evolving back. Stevenson uses this public fear to shock and scare his audience with horror novel. Gothic horror was every popular around this time and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde included many gothic horror features. Some of these features are ; mystery, Gothic architecture, death, decay and secrets. All these create fear tension and a good horror novel. A old dark dangerous London is a good setting for fear and action. Londons scenery was full of medieval and run down neglected buildings. During the day Londons streets are usually busy and booming with business although this novels settings is mainly set during the night early hours of the cold winters morning. back in these days streets were dark and the mortality rates were high. During the day the rough streets are shadowed by aged blistered and distained buildings, but in the dead of night these are hidden as there is nothing to be seen but lamps this creates fear and mystery not knowing what lurks behind the thick wall of darkness. During the bitterly cold nights what is normally full of people the streets are as empty as a church this emphasizes the silence and eeriness of the lamp lit streets, this also relates to gothic architecture. In typical gothic novels the weather is always dark and gloomy. London is already a dark dangerous city but to add to this its now draped in fog and with permanent bad weather to form a sinister London landscape. One street shone out in contrast to its dingy neighborhood. The street was a pleasant and well kept, however one building was quite the contrary, a certain sinister block of building thrust forward this suggests that the discolored blistered and distained building stuck out like a saw thumb. A main theme of the novel is opposites the contrast between nice and ugly. On the face of the building theres a door which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, blistered and distained which seemed some what of a mystery. For many years this decayed building has been neglected its clear no one has lived there for years. The only company and treatment it receives is the tramps slouched in the recess striking matches on the panels, this is just another reason why people scurry past the square. The building is mystery to everyone local to the area the windows are always shut. Gothic horror novels use mystery and secrets to create fear and tension, this is a affective because the reader starts to imagine what the secret could be. They are often wrong but by picturing it, the human mind often over exaggerates what it could be maybe the readers personal fear. Stevenson does not reveal the secret until the end of the story however he drops in hints and clues so its kind of like a detective investigation. Hydes physical appearance is not disclosed for the first few chapters instead his descriptions are based on how he made other characters feel. This allows the reader to picture Hyde how they think of him, like always the readers imagination is far worse which makes the story interesting. In case of Dr Jekylls disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calendar months. The said Edward Hyde should step into the said Henry Jekylls shoes with out further delay, there are two mysteries in this quotation, one being at this point Mr Utterson knows nothing about this Hyde character and has seen him a few time but only remembers him for brutally crushing a little girl. Both the reader and Mr Utterson are confused to why Jekylls will includes this stranger. The second mystery in this quotation is the strange unexplained disappearance of Jekyll, why would such high member of society ceased to exist? And what had caused Dr Jekyll to do this? Hyde is suspected to be linked in with Jekylls peculiar behavior, his barbaric looks and attitude have already gained him a bad name. that sawbones turned sick and white with the desire to kill him. This was a doctors view on Hyde, for a doctor to remark some one in Victorian times like that is a worrying thing as they saw gruesome things on a daily basis. In the opening few chapters Stevenson reframes from describing Hyde, he uses various characters reactions to portray Hydes repulsiveness. He was twice described as deformed He must deformed somewhere, he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldnt specify the point. In Victorian times deformed people were pushed to the boundaries of society showcased for public entertainment as employment in the work place was difficult for them. But no-one dared put Hyde in his place, he was indescribable however when he was described .. the man seems hardly human.. .. Satans signature on his face.. this states his pure evil animal look about him. Hyde run down a helpless little girl with no remorse, Mr Enfield described this most unbelievable event to Mr Utterson, for the man trampled calmly over the childs body and left her screaming on the ground. it was hellish to see it wasnt a man; it was like some dammed juggernaut. Like hes some unstoppable force. Hes seen as hardly human. One of the Victorians greatest fears of the time was evolution Stevenson links Hydes primitive appearance and actions to this. The novel played one peoples fears and maybe opened their eyes to what could possibly happen. Violence can add an element of surprise, this tension could shock and thrill the reader. In a good horror story the reader is unaware who is to be hurt next, this creates fear and mystery. To create more fear the writer builds up to something where the reader is sure some thing is going to happen however it only builds up to a anticlimax, there are usually a few anticlimaxes before a brutal killing. It is possible for the reader to put them selves in the position of the victim, no-one wants to die an horrific death this can make the reader feel sorry for the victim, this can be most affective when the incident reflects a real life circumstance. Mr Hyde broke out of all bounds, and clubbed him to the earth. And the next moment with and ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim underfoot, and hailing down a storm of blows, this shows the true capabilities of Hydes animalistic nature. Ape-like fury relates back to evolution and how his behavior is no better than a ape, with a sudden burst of outrage Hyde beat a well respected old man to death with no emotion accept anger. Hyde is depicted as creature of great evil although we learn of only two of his crimes. Its the nature of both which highlights the violence against two innocent victims. The first violent act was against the small child and a the second a much beloved old man. These attacks were on both harmless beings which emphasize the extreme immortality of Jekylls darker side. Stevenson has created a tremendous amount of fear using the theme of duality, secrets, Darwins theory, and general gothic features. These would be less affective for todays audience. This is mainly because we have now accepted the theory of evolution and the possibility of having to sides to us. This will remain a well respected novel and if it was to be updated the idea of duality would have to be changed a little. The change between the two sides of a person would be random and the person would also not be able to manipulate the change, the character would also have memory loss each time he/she changes.

Internship Report at National Bank of Malaysia (BNM)

Internship Report at National Bank of Malaysia (BNM) Introduction My internship was performed in the Republic of Macedonia, more exactly, at its National Bank. This institution is the one that deals with the macroeconomic policies applicable in the country. These policies allow a stable and long term economic development of one country. I opted for Macedonia because it is the country of my origins, and also because I think one day I will be able to work for one of the Macedonians institutions. So this internship will help me find out how these kind of institutions really work, what is the aim of their work. Macedonia is in a transition process, that undoubtedly is always characterized by numerous difficulties, which are, in general, very similar to other countries living these same processes. The mail purpose of the government of Macedonia is the integration of the country in some international organizations such as NATO or the European Union. While its integration in NATO would secure the borders of the country, and a long term stability (as we know that some under ethnic conflicts had risen in 2001), the integration in the EU, which is far more complicated and demands a very high responsibility of the government, will boost the economic development of this small country with a little bit more than 2 million citizens. The importance of the National Bank, in terms of these integrations, is unavoidable. The Bank is responsible for the monetary policy and economy, for important indexes such as Inflation Rate, CPI (consumer price index), which indexes help to clarify the development of the country in a long term. The economic stability, and the territorial stability, are two very important things, in order that Macedonia could be part of the big European family, and become a potential country that will attract foreign investments at a much higher degree. I. Description of the institution About NBRM Organization chart Functions : the National Bank shall perform the following functions: establish and conduct the monetary policy; regulate the liquidity in the international payments; establish and conduct the Denar exchange rate policy; handle and manage the foreign exchange reserves; regulate the payment system; grant founding and operating license to a bank and a savings house and supervise the banks and savings houses; grant a license for performing services of prompt money transfer and supervise the operations of the entities performing services of prompt money transfer in accordance with a law; grant operating license to foreign exchange bureaus and supervise their operations in accordance with a law; issue banknotes and coins perform activities for the account of the central government and the government administration bodies. THE MONETARY POLICY: Monetary Policy-Design Designing of the monetary policy The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia (NBRM) is a central bank, and accordingly, the only bank of issue in the Republic of Macedonia. Its primary objective is to maintain the price stability, thus being independent in the performance of its functions. The National Bank supports the economic policy of the country and the financial stability of the country, without jeopardizing the achievement of the main objective, and adhering to the principles of market economy. In line with the legally set functions, the NBRM designs and conducts the monetary policy at a level of the national economy. At the end of the current year, in line with the previously determined macroeconomic framework, the NBRM works out the Projection of the monetary developments for the following year, adopted by the NBRM Council. Monetary policy goals The maintenance of the price stability is a primary objective of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, established by a Law. The establishment of this goal is in line with the current EU monetary policy layout, based on the empirically confirmed perceptions that the price stability creates most favorable macroeconomic environment for accelerated economic growth sustainable on a long run. Until 1999, the inflation in the Republic of Macedonia was measured through the retail prices index, while since 2000 it has been monitored by the costs of living index. In order to attain its ultimate goal, the NBRM determines an intermediary target of the monetary policy. Thus from April 1992 to September 1995, the NBRM was applying the strategy of targeting the money supply M1, as an intermediary goal of the monetary policy. Since October 1995, the NBRM has been implementing monetary strategy of targeting the nominal exchange rate of the Denar against the Deutsche Mark, i.e. against the Euro since January 2002. Accordingly, the maintenance of the Denar exchange rate stability is an intermediary goal of the monetary policy. The exchange rate targeting strategy is applied due to the following: a. the importance of the exchange rate in a small open economy (the Republic of Macedonia exchanges around 80% of the GDP with abroad); b. the need of nominal anchor for maintenance of financial discipline and credibility; c. high degree of currency substitution (over 40%) and d. exchange rate transparency and the possibility of daily monitoring by the economic agents. Money supply and money demand The money supply in the Republic of Macedonia is subordinated to the maintenance of the Denar exchange rate stability, as a nominal anchor in the economy. The amount of money supply is determined in line with the need of regular execution of goods and money transactions, i.e. the economic activity in the country. The money supply is monitored through the following monetary aggregates: M0 – reserve money (currency in circulation, banks account with the NBRM and cash in the banks vaults), M1 (currency in circulation and transaction deposits), M2 (M1, Denar and foreign exchange deposits with a maturity of up to one year), M3 (M2 and restricted deposits) and M4 (M3 and Denar and foreign exchange deposits with maturity of over one year). The movement of these aggregates is monitored in line with the adopted projection. The money demand, by the definition, is determined by the income level, the price level and the short-term and the long-term interest rates. On the basis of the prev ious practical experience, the money demand in the Republic of Macedonia is relatively unstable, primarily due to the transitory and the external shocks, as well as the effect of the currency substitution. Interest rate policy and transmission mechanism With the monetary policy being directed towards preserving the Denar exchange rate stability, the interest rates and the money supply are endogenous variables, determined by the achievement of the intermediary goal. The NBRM, through its interest rate policy, sends monetary signals to the banks, thus making efforts to influence their lending and deposit interest rates. The lowest interest rate of the NBRM is the discount rate, whereas the highest is the interest rate on the Lombard credit. Currently, the referential interest rate in the economy is the interest rate registered on the CB bills auctions, with respect to its close relation with the interest rate on the Money Market. Due to the higher liquidity in the banking system, no need of organizing credit auctions has been registered over a certain period. However, the transmission canal of the monetary policy through the interest rates in the Republic of Macedonia is still insufficiently developed, considering the insufficiently d eveloped financial market, the rigid interest rate policy of the banks and their insufficient responsiveness to the monetary signals of the NBRM. DENAR EXCHANGE RATE POLICY Exchange rate policy According to the National Bank of Macedonia Law (Official Journal of Republic Macedonia nr. 3/2002 51/2003), the National Bank of Macedonia establishes and executes the denar exchange rate policy in order to achieve the main purpose – the conservation of the price stability. Current foreign currency system According to article 33 from the currency policy law, the denar rate is determined by the simple rule of offer and demand for foreign currencies in the currency market. The denar rate in relation with the Euro is fixed by the reports from different banks that take part in the currency exchange market. As for the other foreign currency, the rate of the denar is determined by the relation between these currencies and the Euro rate, which is fixed by the European Central Bank. The buying and selling rate is calculated with the addition and deduction of 0.5%. In fact, this is the way how the National Bank of Macedonia exposes every day the approved currency rates on the Currency List. The execution of the currency policy According to the denar rate targeting strategy, as an important element, the goal and also hard task of the monetary policy is to keep stability between the denar and the Euro rates. If there are tendencies to the depreciation or appreciation of the denar, the National Bank interacts by selling or buying respectively, foreign currencies, after what the monetary strategy becomes respectively more restrictive or more expansive in relation to the projected targets. Relationship between the monetary and the currency policy There is a huge dependence between the monetary and the currency policy. It is important for the Macedonian economy to keep a stable exchange rate with the euro, in order to keep price stability in the country, which element will lead to a better life for all its citizens. In October 1995 the monetary targeting strategy was overturned, and a new strategy was embraced, called the targeted nominal denar rate strategy. With this new strategy, the rising of the money supply is transformed into an instrument that helps, directly, on the stability of the currency rate, and indirectly, on the price stability. Currency reserves When the Macedonian National Bank became independent, it had no currency reserves at all. It all began in 1992, when the National Bank began creating its own reserves. The amount of foreign currency reserves is rising permanently. While in 1992, there were around US $60 million, it became US $803 million in 2003, which represents the amount of four months of import. According to article 25 from the Law on the National Bank of Republic of Macedonia, the management of the National Reserve is in the hands of the National Bank itself. It has also to duty to prepare and consolidate reports every 6 months. On behalf of the management of the National Reserve, the National Bank, according to article 28, is loyal to the principles of awareness, liquidity and profitability. The exchangeability concept The Macedonian currency has a present exchangeability. In June 1998, Macedonia has accepted article nr. 8 of the International Monetary Funds Statute, which stated that all currents transactions between residents and non-residents can be completed freely, without restrictions. As part of this agreement between the National Bank of Macedonia and the IMF, was also the liberalization of capital transactions. The direct investments of residents abroad, and of non-residents in Macedonia, are now free, except of a taxation fee in order to register by the ministry of economy. Non-residents can now invest into any Macedonian company, to start their own companies, and to buy shares so that they can become shareholders of all enterprises listed on the Macedonian Stock Exchange (MSE 10). The profit and all the capital investments can be taken back to the non-residents place, if there are no more liabilities towards the government. Non-residents, on behalf of diplomats, and other embassy representatives, have the right to buy real estate, but under certain conditions of demand and registration at the Central Registry of Macedonia. Residents may distribute and sell native shares at foreign financial markets if he/she has the permission from the Commission of shares and financial instruments. Credit transactions are also liberalized, in and abroad the country, so that the funds can move loosely, but for that, the National Bank needs to be informed. Residents may use foreign currencies obtained from transactions made with a foreigner to clear any debt he has, or also use them in the currency market to exchange them into the national currency. In order to pay with a foreign currency abroad, a resident may â€Å"buy† these currencies in exchange offices. Other residents, such as physical persons, can also exchange their money for other purposes, not only for business. As for the opening of an account abroad, residents need to be authorized by the National Bank itself. It is possible for any non-resident to open a denar or foreign currency account, and to use it whenever he/she wants to, with no objection. But there is a limitation on the amount of payments a month, this limit is 10.000 Euros. But, in case of disorder of the balance of payments or the financial system, the National Bank can prevent the circumstances to worsen by application of some restrictions. PAYEMENTS SYSTEMS IN MACEDONIA General Features of the Payment System The payment system represents a sum of instruments, procedures and infrastructure for money transfer. It is of great importance for all economic agents since it enables fast and efficient payments in the national economy. The payment system of the Republic of Macedonia can be presented schematically as: The central bank, which runs the accounts of the deposit money institutions – the banks, is at the top of the payment system. In the payment system, the central bank has the following functions: operational, development and function of monitoring of the other payment systems in the country. The banks, which run the accounts of other legal entities and natural persons, consist the following level. Running of the accounts is decentralized – which means, each bank runs only the accounts of its clients. In order to execute and perform prompt settlement of the large value payments and urgent interbank payments, the system of the central bank is used. For netting the small value payments, a specialized institution – the Clearing House for small value payments is used, while the results of the netting are later settled in the system of the Central Bank. Start of the New Payment System On July 30, 2001, the functional implementation of one of the most complex reforms in the Republic of Macedonia, the Reform in the Payments System, commenced. This Reform is managed by a Steering Committee comprised of experts from the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, the Ministry of Finance, the banks, the Payment Operations Bureau and eminent professors from the Faculty of Economics in Skopje. This start represents a beginning of a new payment system designed according to the payment systems of the countries with developed market economies. The new payment system enhances the competitive component of the banks and represents a prerequisite for implementing new banking products which increase the efficiency of the banks and the banking system as a whole. The competitiveness induces new IT tendencies in the banking operations. The reform enables more efficient monitoring and management of the liquidity of individual banks, as well as better efficiency in conducting the monetary policy. The previous payment system (effective until December 31, 2001) incorporated strong static components and limitations both regarding the options, as well as technological limitations, which represented an obstacle for the future development of the financial infrastructure and the financial system as a whole. The implementation of the new payment system was encompassed a transitional period from July 30, 2001 until December 31, 2001, during which besides the implementation of the new systems, the Payment Operations Bureau continued with its operations as a specific payment system. The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has important functions in the new payment system, which are stipulated in the new Law on Payment Operation. BANKING SUPERVISION According to the Law on the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia and the Banking Law, the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia is the only supervisory authority responsible for licensing and supervision of banks and savings houses in the Republic of Macedonia. The main purpose of the supervisory function performed by the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia is the maintenance of safe and sound banking system and protection of the depositors and other creditors that had invested their money in the banking system. The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has established supervisory standards that are incompliance with the international standards and practices set by the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision. Supervisory standards While performing their activities, banks are obliged to comply with the existing supervisory standards that are implemented for the purpose of limiting the banks risk exposure. The supervisory standards established and implemented by the National Bank are derived from the Basle Committees principles and the European Directives. The most important standards implemented by the National Bank are: capital adequacy, i.e. maintenance of an adequate capital base that will enable covering of the risk profile of banks. The capital adequacy ratio calculated as a ratio between the banks own funds and its risk weighted assets, must not be lower than 8%; criteria for classification of on-balance and off-balance sheet asset items of banks according to their risk level and determining adequate amount of impairments and special reserves for coverage of the banks potential and/or established losses; exposure limits as a ratio between the total on-balance and off-balance sheet exposure to a single persons and group of connected persons and the banks own funds; limits of exposure to the FX risk and the manner of managing this type of risk; limits on investments in land, buildings, equipment and equity holdings. ISSUE COINS AND BANKNOTES 1. Legal Tender in the Republic of Macedonia Legal tender in the Republic of Macedonia is the Macedonian Denar, consisting of 100 Deni. The National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia has the exclusive right of printing and issuing banknotes in the Republic of Macedonia. Macedonian banknotes in circulation (issue 1996 and 2003) :  · 5000 Denars issue 1996  · 1000 Denars issue 1996 and issue 2003  · 500 Denars issue 1996 and issue  · 100 Denars issue 1996  · 50 Denars issue 1996  · 10 Denars issue 1996 2. Printing and characteristics The lower banknote denominations of 10, 50 and 100 denars are printed in Macedonia, while the banknotes of 500 and 1000 denars (1996 issue) are printed at â€Å"Thomas de la Rue†, London. The last banknote issue of 2003, 500 and 1000 denars denominations, was also printed in TDLR. The Macedonian banknotes posses several security features like watermark, windowed-thread, intaglio print, latent image, micro-text, see-through feature, and optically variable ink. 3. Institutions which Act as cash collectors Institutions which act as cash collectors are the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia and commercial banks. II. Internship description As I am from the Republic of Macedonia, I thought maybe doing an internship there would be a plus for me. I graduated in Macedonia in 2002, so I really wanted to go back there to an internship, which I think it was a good idea in order to put together what Ive learned at university and whats happening in the real life out there. I think it is crucial for a student, or a future graduated student, to learn and make the link between theory and real life practice in order to get ready and not surprised or shocked when first meeting life for real. The reason also why I chose Macedonia to complete my internship, is that one day after graduating in Belgium, to be able to go back there, and work for my country, which would be much easier if the internship was done there, especially at a very important institution, its National Bank. But, it is also important to say that in this kind of countries, it is difficult and complicated to find a company, private or public, that would accept a future graduated student to do his/her internship there. This is also the position of national institutions. In such countries, that are living in transition, and where this process takes so long, and has many difficulties, the problem of informal economy is very present in the everyday life. This is the reason why, it is so hard to find a company that would offer you a normal and proper internship, unless, of course, if you may know the head of the company or institution. I was, unfortunately, not in this case of knowing somebody â€Å"important† to either private or public institutions. Regardless this fact, I still applied and send the demand of such internship at the National Bank of Macedonia. It took very long to get a response from them, but it finally came positive. After this, they were some complication, especially during the 2007 summer, for me to begin with the internship. In fact, there were some procedures to respect, which were not told to me and which I didnt know. Above all, the extreme heat of that summer had an impact on the government to reduce much of the working hours, especially in its institutions. That is the reason why I could not manage to start the internship that summer. My internship could finally be done during the three months of holiday granted to last year students at ICHEC. I was accepted by the human resources manager at the Bank, who interviewed me, especially to learn about my background, such as school, political, interests on the National Bank, and so on. After that I could finally begin with the internship. I was told to begin the very next day, after signing a convention of behavior at the Bank. I was supposed to start at 8 am and finish at 4 pm, which is the work time of each functionary working at this institution. After the interview, the Human Resources Manager advised me, in relation with my interests, to do the internship in the Research and Development department of the National Bank. It was a little confusing, because in general, students are allowed to come for their internships a few hours during working days, while I was invited to go there all day long. It was a something I didnt expected at all when I applied for this internship. But the conditions were given by them, so I did not wanted to react about that. But it was not the best manner to execute and learn about my topic. When I begun the internship, I had the task to read the reports that are issued by the National Bank itself. Actually, I didnt understand why I had to do this, but everybody told me they had done so when they started work at the Bank. It was also the way internship students started at this institution. It was a little confusing, but I had to rely on this task. This reading of the reports helped me though to learn further more of the different indexes that are studied, and their importance in order to measure the development of the macroeconomic policy of Macedonia. But I would have been more satisfied if I was told before beginning this internship to do so, in order to not waste my time reading during my internship, which was limited in time. First, I had a topic that seemed very clear and comprehensive to me. But after a few days at the Bank, I understood that something had to be changed in this topic because as I was entering my internship everyday more and more, I could see that my topic was too vast, and it could not really help me for my final paper, which would be related with the internship. After many consultations with my internship advisor, and also with participation of the head of the sector, I decided to somehow change my topic. At the beginning, I was opting for a study about the macroeconomic indexes, such as Inflation Rate, Unemployment Rate, CPI (consumers price index), etc. These indexes are studied and performed by the National Bank of course. But as I said, it was really a vast topic, which could have gone nowhere, and finally not helped me much to the purpose of the internship. So I opted for a change. This change was more directed towards the energy sector of Macedonia, and how energy has an influence on the economy of this country. This idea came, as I said, after consulting people working there, but above all, after attending on a presentation performed by a professor of the Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje for the National Bank. The professor presenting was Dr. VlaÃ… ¡ko ÄŒingoski, and the topic: The Electro-energetic Situation and Perspectives of Republic of Macedonia. The presentation was mainly on the problems concerning the energetic sector of Macedonia, from its independence until today, the current situation of energy and also the most probable and real manners to overcome the negative balance on this sector. This presentation really opened my path, and helped me a lot into finding a new and more specific topic for my final paper. Other presentations regarding energy, and the energetic sector concerning Macedonia were performed after. I attended all of them, as my interest was since balancing toward this topic. I was allowed though to be present at these meetings, so it helped me further more in my focusing. The other presentations were performed also by professors, or people working in the management of electro-energetic companies. But my internship wasnt all about attending presentations, and taking notes of them. As I said, I was accepted at the Research and Development department of the Bank. This department, which was the one where my main advisor worked, is the principal responsible for the construction, consolidation, editing, and writing the annual, trimester, monthly, and even two-weekly reports concerning the development of the economical situation of Macedonia, and comparing them to other countries, mainly from the Balkans. These reports have different parts, in general. The first part, concerns the economic development in a global point of view. Next we have the development of Macedonia, then the monetary development, the capital market, etc. Generally speaking, they are specific teams that work on a specific part of these reports, but the teams can sometimes change. My main advisor was more active on determining and calculating macroeconomic indexes, and then, comparing them with the same indexes of one specific period of last year, or same periods in the past. That was in general his role, and the one of his team. In fact, I was introduced at his computer to see how things are going, working thus with these indexes. All indexes were calculated via Microsoft Excel, and a software, which is frequently used by National Banks in the region and wider, called eViews. I was not able to have this software on my computer, as it is a program only the National Bank of Macedonia may use. This is why I couldnt really get deep into this software, in order to understand how it works, and what data or information it offers. So, the whole things was to take right data, transform and calculate them into indexes, compare them with same indexes of past periods, design different graphics and tables so that it is more comprehensive to the reader, and finally do the interpretation of the results. The data I mentioned before, which are the base of these indexes, are delivered from the Statistical Office of Macedonia. It is this office that has almost all statistical data for the population living and working in Macedonia. It also has information about the housing sector, which is important to calculate some indexes, such as inflation and CPI. Then, I was able to start and calculate myself some basic and simple indexes, but mostly, I was asked to compare them with the past permofmances. This is not a very difficult task to do, as I have had many statistical classes during my study years both in Macedonia and Belgium. But I have to say that, my internship was far from what I was expecting. I am conscious that the period I was able to do the internship, was a full working period. Everybody there was working at high speed to finalize the annual report of 2007, which is the most important, and also most voluminous of all. So, they had not very much time to spend with me and my internship. In general, this internship enabled me to see what the sector works in real terms, and also, it was very important for me that I was able to have access to the Banks library, and also to many publications that I saved, which helped me analyze the data that interested me more after I was done with the internship. III. Technical Part Introduction As I mentioned in the introduction of this internship report, I was first keen on studying the macroeconomic indexes that the National Bank of Macedonia uses in order to develop its reports (annually, monthly, even 2 weekly reports) that are required by many organizations such as World Bank, the ECB, the International Energy Agency, etc. But after some time, I realized I should be focusing more on one specific matter, and that was the energetic sector of Macedonia. I think the problem of energy, globally speaking, is becoming more and more an important issue, that is undoubtedly an unavoidable factor for the economic growth and development of one country. Especially, in countries such as Macedonia, who arent very rich in natural resources, this situation can have a huge impact, having in mind that these countries are highly dependent on the import of energy producing products. The reason why I chose this topic to study is, that it is a problem everybody talks about in these days, as we are conscious of the high prices of oil in the recent months. This is another important factor that pushes the issue of the Macedonian energetic sector just further. This study provides an overview of the investment and policy choices in the Macedonian energy sector. On the investment side, the study highlights the criteria under which potential investments in a new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant and a new coal mine should proceed. The Report focuses on reforms that would be required to support the CHP project, namely ratification by Macedonia of the Kyoto Protocol and resolution of ownership issues related to the gas pipeline linking

Four Sides of Shakespeares The Tempest :: Tempest essays

Four Sides of The Tempest 1 "They all enter the circle which Prospero had made, and there stand charm'd" In the First Folio edition of The Tempest, at the climax of the action, Shakespeare instructs that the magician Prospero inscribe a magic circle on the bare Elizabethan stage into which all the various characters of the action will be drawn: sage and fool, monarch and savage, clown and lover, young and old, cynic and innocent. It is as if Shakespeare, through Prospero, has assembled a representative sample of divided humanity, and brought them together deliberately to re-enact the oldest of rituals and the most insistent themes of history and of psychology The divisions among these characters resonate deeply, with many implications. They have been elaborated in generations of Western thought: together with Prospero, the spirit Ariel and the grotesque Caliban have been "read" through such critical lenses as Thomas Aquinas' division of human nature between spiritual and animal elements, or Darwin's evolutionary ladder, or Freud's superego and id,or through images of colonialism, or Jung's conflation of history with psychology, in which "our world is dissociated like a neurotic." In such a view, the reintegration of fractured family and society that takes place in this play is at the same time a reintegration of the divided and conflicted self into health and wholeness. In Georgia Shakespeare Festival' s The Tempest, the circle on the stage floor, the Shakespearean sign of wholeness, is the Jungian symbol of the "Quaternity of the Mandala,"a square-within-a-circle that was a symbol of the resolution of opposites and a sign of the transformation of both individual and collective consciousness, the full promise of human potential. Thus, when Prospero, having chosen the road of reconciliation over that of recrimination and rejection, draws the rapacious and rebellious Caliban into the magic circle, only to say of him "This thing of darkness I acknowledge mine," we seem for a moment to pass beyond the logic of power and punishment into a higher, more inclusive awareness. The magician who will shortly surrender his powers, sees and acknowledges the brutish side of himself, his own abjection, power-lust, possessive-ness, and scheming resentment.

Middle Eastern Religious Perspectives on Software Piracy :: Computers

Middle Eastern Religious Perspectives on Software Piracy Introduction Illegal software (pirated, illegally copied, etc) in the Middle East is a rampant problem. It is estimated that 74% of software in Lebanon is illegal, while 37% of software in Israel is illegal1. The lack of intellectual property laws has been sited for the problem; even with these laws being introduced it might not resolve the issue. Though joining the World Trade Organization (as many Middle Eastern countries have recently done) forces the countries to officially recognize copyright law will this affect the citizen’s view of copyright? Religion is a fundamental part of the Middle East with some countries laws derived from religious text. I believe by analysis of religious texts and law I can hope to gain perspective into the views on software piracy. I will focus on Jewish law and Islamic Fatwas. Once the religious perspective on copyright is derived I will analysis if the religious perspective holds up to general ethical analysis. My goal is not to judge (e.g. say co pying of software is wrong therefore those who copy software are bad), but rather gain insight into the religious perspectives towards software piracy. Jewish Law (Torah) 'Torah' has the following meanings2: 1. A scroll made from kosher animal parchment, with the entire text of the Five Books of Moses written in it by a sofer [ritual scribe]. This is the most limited definition. 2. More often, this term means the text of the Five Books of Moses, written in any format, whether Torah scroll, paper back book, CD-ROM, sky-writing or any other media. Any printed version of the Torah (with or without commentary) can be called a Chumash or Pentateuch. However, one never refers to a Torah Scroll as a Chumash! 3. The term 'Torah' can mean the entire corpus of Jewish law! This includes the Written and the Oral Law, which includes the Mishna, the Midrash, the Talmud,

Ccld level 5 unit 5 Essay

1. Understand the values, principals and statutory frameworks that underpin service provisions in children’s care, learning and development. 1. 1 ‘National Occupational Standards (NOS) describe best practice by bringing together skills, knowledge and values. National Occupational Standards are valuable tools to be used as benchmarks for qualifications as well as for defining roles at work, staff recruitment, supervision and appraisal. ’ (www. skillsforcare. org. uk 18/04/15). see more:explain how to access additional support and information relating to health and safety The standards are for people who work with children aged 0-16 years and their families within settings where the main service is children’s care learning  and development. NOS as stated above set a ‘benchmark’ for good practice and are key for training and gaining qualifications. They underpin the whole set of standards and impact on families when they are used within everyday routines. For example a nursery assistant who is carrying out training will undergo regular visits from their assessor who will evaluate their ability to work within the context of the set principles and values in order to sign off written work and observations, which will enable them to achieve their qualification and become a qualified nursery nurse. Other values and principles in the NOS are reflected within the nurseries policies and procedures and mission statement for example: ’The welfare of the child is paramount’. All staff and students are made aware of these within their induction and training and must sign that they have read and understand them before their employment can commence. ‘the paramountcy principle’ stems from the Family Law Act 1975, detailed in the Children Act 1989, in which it is stated that the best interest of the child must be regarded as the paramount consideration when making specified decisions regarding the child’s health and welfare. Children’s work and photographs are displayed around the nursery in order for them to look at them and talk about them, this encourages the children’s self- esteem, resilience and a positive self image which is essential to every child’s development. Children are also given the freedom of choice as they learn through play as per the guidelines set out by the foundation phase. Regular room and staff meetings are held which provides the staff with opportunities to share professional knowledge, skills and values and ensures that all staff are able to gain all up to date information. â€Å"Children and young people should be seen as young citizens, with rights and opinions to be taken into account now. † (Rights to action) (www. childrenrights. org. uk 18/04/15) ‘In 2002 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child welcomed the fact that the Welsh government had used the Convention as the frame work in it’s strategy for children and young people. ’ (www. childrenrights. org. uk 18/04/15) This was then followed in 2004 when the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) adopted the convention as the basis of all of its policy making for children and young people. The WAG issued ‘Rights to Action’ a policy  document that adopts ‘Seven Core Aims for Children’ as a direct translation of the UNCRC’s articles. Every Child and Young Person in Wales (0-25 years) has a basic entitlement to: 1. Have a flying start in life. 1. Have a comprehensive range of education and learning opportunities. 1. Enjoy the best possible health and are free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation. 1. Have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities. 1. Are listened to, treated with respect, and have their race and cultural identity recognised. 1. Have a safe home and a community which supports physical and emotional wellbeing. 1. Are not disadvantaged by poverty. Sunnybank aims to meet all of these seven core aims by providing all children with a variety of learning opportunities that are both fun and able to enhance the children’s learning and development. The preschool room of which I am room leader follows the foundation phase which allows children the opportunity to gain first-hand experiences through play and active involvement. Children are given free choice and are able to develop communication, literacy and listening, personal and social wellbeing, welsh and cultural diversity, Welsh language, knowledge and understanding,  physical development and creative skills as they embark on experiential learning both indoors and outdoors. All staff within the nursery are DBS checked which ensures that all children are cared for in a secure and relaxed environment. The nurseries equal opportunities policy states that ‘This nursery aims to demonstrate through it’s work that it positively values and respects children of all ethnic origins/racial groups religions, cultures, linguistic backgrounds and abilities. Children of both sexes are positively encouraged by staff to participate in all activities. This helps to ensure that all staff are aware that it is of paramount importance to ensure that all children are treated fairly and are respected and valued. As with all childcare settings Sunnybank must ensure that it meets and is able to comply with all standards set in the National Minimum Standards in order to achieve a satisfactory inspection report. Sunnybank is inspected annually by the CSSIW. A copy of the inspection report is then available for viewing online. 2. Be able to implement values, principles and statutory frameworks that underpin service provision in children’s care, learning and development. 2. 1 Sunnybank’s policies procedures, core aims and mission statement provide information relating to safeguarding, equal opportunities, health and safety etc. all of this information is of paramount importance when working within the nursery and aid in supporting staff to provide a high level of care to all children. All new staff, students and volunteers must sign to say that they have read and understand these documents before the commencement of their employment. Staff are provided with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and gain up to date information by attending training courses and completing courses  online. Monmouthshire county council are my nursery settings local safeguarding board. The nursery works in partnership with our local safeguarding board in order to ensure that the nursery is aware of who to talk to and what procedure they need to follow in order to deal with suspicions should they arise. The nursery safeguarding policy states who the Senior Designated Person (SDP) is (our manager) and who the deputy SDP is (myself). The SDP is responsible for the safeguarding children policy and child protection procedures. The policy informs staff of what procedure to follow should they have any concerns. The local authority host safeguarding training courses for childcare workers and all staff are level one trained in safe guarding within my setting. Myself and the manager are level two trained in safe guarding as we are the settings SDP’s . working with other professionals ensures that my setting can provide the best possible care and outcomes for the children. Staff meetings provide opportunity for all staff to be informed of changes to legislation and how it may affect the nursery policies etc. and individual appraisals help to inform the manager of any further training or supervision that may be required for certain staff. This additional training can sometimes be provided in house by the managers or room leaders e. g. help with understanding and undertaking planning where as some may involve out of house training such as first aid training. All staff have a job role and list of their responsibilities which they must implement into everyday practice as they help the nursery to comply with standards in order to maintain high standards of care and achieve an annual ‘no recommendations’ inspection report. Staff are asked to regularly re-read and sign the nursery policies on a regular basis to ensure that their knowledge  of them is up to date. 3. Be able to implement policies and procedures for sharing information. 3. 1 Sunnybank’s policies and procedures are developed from legislation such as NMS and CSSIW regulations. They are put into practice to maintain ratios, registration and care and education. Additional agencies such as WPPA and NDNA are also considered to help provide quality assurance. The basic policies and procedures are created at managers meetings with the owner of all three Sunnybank nurseries. The managers will then develop their own additions to the policies for the setting based on individual reports, feedback  and experiences. Some individual policies may also be unique and include information about their local authorities/ agencies whom the nurseries share information with on a need to know basis or as required when relating to child protection. The policies and procedures are adapted to suit each learning environment and can be adapted to ensure that they are being adhered to at all times. Some examples of policies that relate to information sharing are: Safeguarding children policy and child protection procedures, policy on complaints, procedure for staff training and improvements of standards and  outcomes policy. 3. 2/3. 3 Policies and procedures provide a means of informing all staff of current expected practices within the nursery. Staff that have been working in the nursery for a long time may easily forget certain areas of the policies. I would recommend that staff are set time out of the room to re-read and refresh their knowledge of the policies and procedures on an annual basis. I would also recommend that managers are on hand to help explain policies and the importance of them on a one to one basis as some new staff may not understand certain policies especially in their initial induction. The nursery has quite recently had a lot of changes made to the safeguarding policy due to new legislation. I feel that when changes are made to policies and procedures all staff would benefit from explanations and demonstrations as to why these changes have occurred and the new procedures that are now in place being discussed during a staff meetings. One to one appraisals would also provide a good opportunity to discuss any changes as it will provide staff the opportunity to ask any questions that they may be too shy to ask in front of the other staff if they do not understand and will provide the opportunity to  share information that needs to be discussed on a need to know basis. New staff and students may not be fully aware of current legislation which underpins how the nursery is run and the activities we provide, for this reason there may be a conflict of ideas. To help to avoid this it is important that staff are given opportunities to communicate and share ideas. Room meetings would be a good way of ensuring that all staff within the room fully understand the process and routine of each room and the importance of certain activities and what they provide for the children. It will also allow staff to have their say  and put forward ideas they may have but feel too reluctant to discuss with the manager, the room leader would then be able to inform the managers on their behalf. This will also help to ensure that the participation policy which states that ‘all our children, parents and staff will be given the opportunity to express their views and for their views to be listened to and taken into account’ is being adhered to. I feel that better communication between all staff is key to promoting a more positive team relationship ultimately ensuring that all policies and procedures are adhered to and a high level of care is maintained. A personal development plan would be a good addition to the appraisal system. A personal development plan should be devised for each member of staff to ensure that they are receiving training opportunities and support to help them to understand and implement policies. 4. Be able to engage others in reflective practice. Unit 9: Promote professional development-4. Be able to improve performance through reflective practice. 4. 1/ 4. 2 Reflective practice is the capacity to reflect on action that allows us to engage in a process of continuous learning. Reflective practice can be an  important tool in practice-based professional learning settings where people learn from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal learning. It may be the most important source of personal professional development and improvement. It is also an important way to bring together theory and practice; through reflection a person is able to see and label forms of thought and theory within the context of their work. A person who reflects throughout their practice is not just looking back on past actions and events, but is taking a conscious look at emotions, experiences, actions, and  responses, and using that information to add to their existing knowledge base and reach a higher level of understanding. It is important to reflect on your own professional practice to see where you may need to make adjustments and improvements but also to see what you are doing well. It is not always easy to be critical of yourself but it is better in the long run to realise and correct errors before anything serious happens. Being able to evaluate your own practice can help others to do the same and can support your further learning. Staff appraisals are a good tool in terms of monitoring our progress, goals and  achievements. They challenge you to reflect on your work over the last few months and allow you to set realistic goals for the next few months. As these appraisals are carried out by the manager, there is also opportunity for feedback from other colleagues as to how you are performing in the workplace. As a nursery nurse I will reflect in activities without realising it, as I have to consider the children’s safety as I plan and provide enjoyable activities for them. ‘Reflection in practice’ is when the activity is being carried out and the practitioner makes changes during the process to enhance the  situation/activities outcomes e. g. when doing a cutting and sticking activity with preschool I may need to incorporate an extra measure on the spot to help some children hold the scissors properly in order to guarantee the safety of the activity, this may include putting a star sticker on the child’s thumb and encouraging them to point the star at the ceiling. This may not have been an original planned feature of the activity but it may have been a vital intervention in order to aid the children’s fine motor skills. ‘Reflection on practice’ this is when the activity is over and the practitioner  reflects back on the situation to consider what worked and what didn’t. as a nursery nurse I will perform this process on a regular basis throughout my practice, it may be recorded when evaluating planning as this will help me to map out aspects that were successful in achieving all of the necessary key skills and developmental outcomes as well as deciding if the activity was interesting enough for the intended age group. Not every activity/situation will however allow time to make a record of reflection, in this instance it may be necessary to make a mental note of anything significant that you may want to  reflect on during an appraisal. I have looked a few models of reflective practise that are relevant within my setting. ?Gibbs reflective cycle (1988)- the model includes six stages of reflective practice: 1. Description 1. Feelings 1. Evaluate 1. Analyse 1. Conclude 1. Action plan This reflective cycle looks at different stages during the reflective process from describing the process and considering your feelings at the time to evaluating, analysing and making a conclusion and action plan should the same situation occur again. Taking action is the key to this model of reflection. Gibbs  proposed that ‘To reflect is not enough, you then have to put into practice the learning and new understanding you have gained therefore allowing the reflective process to inform your practice. Taking action is the key’ (www. afpp. org. uk 19/04/15) Pos -You can use it to help team members think about how they deal with situations, so that they can understand what they did well, and so that they know where they need to improve. – The cycle can be used by a person on themselves or to help another team member. – It provides an opportunity to allow others to see things from a different perspective. – Allows team members the opportunity to express their feelings and opinions. Cons -It might be difficult for some people to talk honestly about their feelings. -The outcome may be affected by the relationship between the team member and the manager that carries out the cycle. -The cycle is very long and there may not always be enough time to allow for the a thorough review. ?John’s Model of reflection (1994)-Johns model is based on five cue questions which enable you to break down your experience and reflect on the process and outcomes. 1. Description 1. Reflection 1. Influencing factors. 1. Alternative strategies 1. Learning Cues are offered to help practitioners to make sense of and learn through practice. The five cues allow the practitioner to describe the situation, reflect on it and consider any influencing factors then find alternative strategies and learn from the experience while considering how the experience has changed their knowing. Pros -Can be used as a self evaluation or by a manager to help coach another team member. -Allows team members to reflect on influential factors that affected their practice at the time that they may not have previously considered. -May pin point strengths and weaknesses. -Allows practitioners to consider and develop more effective future strategies. Cons -The practitioner may be biased of their actions. -A long process that time may not always allow for them to complete. -A future reflection will need to be completed for a similar situation in order to review progress in practice. ?Borton’s Developmental Framework (1970) This is a simple model that is suitable for novice practitioners, at its simplest it’s three steps can be summarised as: ?WHAT? ?SO WHAT? ?NOW WHAT? i. e. the What questions such as: What happened? What was I doing? Serve to identify the experience and describe it in detail. The So what? Questions include questions like: So what do I need to know in order to understand this situation? So what does this tell me about me? About my relationship with the subject? With the other members of the team? i. e. the practitioner breaks down the situation and tries to make sense of it by analysing and evaluating in order to draw conclusions. The Now what? Questions e. g. Now what do I need to do to make things better? Now what might be the consequences of this action? At this stage the  practitioner plans intervention and action according to personal theory devised. Pros -A quick evaluation process that can be easily completed and used as a reflection in practice as well as a reflection on practice. -Can be a great way of evaluating planned activities. -A good self evaluation process. Cons -The practitioner may find it difficult to see ways in which they could improve future situations. -A future plan will need to be devised in order to track advancements. ?Atkins and Murphy’s Model of reflection (1994) There are five sections of this model: 1. Description 1. Analyse feelings and knowledge relevant to the situation. 1. Evaluate the relevance of knowledge. 1. Identify any learning which has occurred. 1. Action/new experiences. The five sections allow practitioners to describe the situation and their feelings, challenge assumptions and explore alternatives, identify new learning and make a plan of action or consider new experiences. Pros -The model can be used by the individual or to help another team member. -It allows practitioners to question and challenge elements of practice and provides a deep analysis. -Allows practitioners the opportunity to express and discuss their feelings. Cons -A long process of reflection that adequate time may not always be available for. -It might be difficult for some people to talk honestly about their feelings -Outcomes may be affected by relationships as the practitioner may not feel comfortable discussing their feelings. 4. 3/ 4. 4 As room leader of preschool, I am responsible for planning stimulating activities that will aid the children’s development in line with the foundation phase. I evaluate every focused activity that I plan on a weekly basis to ensure that I am continuing to provide fun, educational and relevant activities  which meet all the given aims. When planning for all areas of development I must remember to ensure the following when I reflect on my practice during my planning evaluations. ?Do I have a consistent approach? ?Do I ensure progression, through what I plan, between each ‘Stage of Development (not year group)? ?Do I observe children and their needs and interests, then cater for them? (younger more applicable) ?Do I talk to children about their needs and interests, then cater for them? (older more applicable) The reflective evaluations help me to plan future activities by setting out clear  aims and objectives and then allow me to reflect on the activity to determine whether the aims were achieved and what could be changed or done differently should I decide to repeat the activity again. I always differentiate the planning in order to cater for the wide range of age and abilities within the room and each child’s key worker will then be able to add the differentiation should they feel it’s necessary. From completing these reflective evaluations in the past I have recognised the need to explain certain aspects of the activity in more detail with the staff and  students in my room I have started to include sketches, diagrams and step by step instructions alongside the initial planning sheets to ensure that the task is fully understood and all staff are working towards the same outcomes. I have also found the need to repeat these focused activities in order for it to be more beneficial for the children as they may not always be in the mood for adult lead activities. As with all team members, I have a one to one appraisal with my manager. During this appraisal my manager will give me feedback on my performance in the last few weeks. I will also have time to reflect on my own practice and  work with the manager to consider options to improve my own performance. The appraisal also allows me to look at any achievements I have accomplished and gives my manager the chance to see how these may have contributed to the business. In my recent appraisal and from reflecting on my own personal practice, I have become aware that I need to gain more confidence in my ability to carry out nursery visits as I have not had very much experience in doing these. Myself and my manager discussed different options that may build my confidence in order to complete more visits such as accompanying my  manager on her visits and taking notes and doing a visit with my manager to allow her to fill in any information that I may miss. Together we discussed that I need to have a tougher approach when enforcing policies and ensuring that all staff adhere to them. She also commented that I have become more confident since starting my level 5 course as I am gaining better knowledge of legislation etc. to aid me in my job role. Reflecting on my successful practice enables me to feel confidents and able in my own abilities. It has encouraged me to take on more challenging tasks  and has enabled be to be a better role model to other team member. I have felt more confident when speaking about issues that may occur and I feel I am more able to offer advice and guidance to other staff as a result. Reflecting on mistakes and failures can sometimes be hard to do as it means I need to admit to being wrong and try to change my perspective. But doing this gives me time to look at where the situation went wrong and learn from those errors. I can look back at an activity and turn a mistake into a positive by learning how it can be corrected and taking advice and guidance from others. I can improve my future performance In similar circumstances as a result of this and aid others by using my negative experience as guidance to prevent them from making similar mistakes. 5. Be able to evaluate own professional practice in children’s care, learning and development. 5. 1 From Obtaining my level 3 qualification in Childcare during in house training, I have been able to gain knowledge and experience of childcare through practical learning and have been able to experience situations that may not always be taught in a classroom. I am able to reflect on my own training and qualifications as well as my  personal performance through the use of appraisals and development plans. I have attended foundation phase training courses which have greatly influenced and aided my performance as a nursery nurse and as preschool room leader as it has enabled me to gain a better understanding of the curriculum thus enabling me to provide the children in my care with the best learning experiences. First aid courses have enabled me to feel confident to deal with any circumstance should they arise and has given me knowledge of possible signs and symptoms of illnesses. The safeguarding courses I have attended have given me the knowledge and confidence to spot any concerns or signs of abuse and what to do in order to act on and report the concerns, as well as the confidence to inform other staff of how to spot or deal with any concerns. From my experience working as a nursery nurse I feel confident in my ability to provide children with a high standard of care by developing a respectful and understanding relationship which allows children to feel safe and relaxed. As room leader of preschool I plan activities in accordance to the foundation phase that are suitable for each child’s needs and abilities I ensure that each  child’s abilities are catered for by doing weekly evaluations and reflections of the activities based on individual observations. I also ensure that other staff are confident in completing and leading set tasks and activities. It is my role to complete individual observations, baseline assessments and child skill booklets that will help to inform me of any areas in which the children may need extra help and encouragement. I also work in partnership with the parents to ensure that the child is receiving a consistent routine of care that is suitable to them. I am able to share any concerns I may have or achievements  that the child has made during parent meetings and in informal daily chats. As deputy manager and from carrying out my level 5 , I have gained a greater knowledge and understanding of how daily practice is influenced by policies and procedures, legislation and benchmarks such as the CSSIW regulations and NMS in providing high quality care for children. I have gained the ability to enforce policies within the nursery and support staff to provide high levels of care. Bibliography ?www. afpp. org. uk ?www. childrenrights. org. uk ?www. skillsforcare. org. uk ?Sunnybank day nursery- policies and procedures.