Construct validity free essay sample

Most, but not all, tests are designed to measure skills, abilities, or traits that are and are not directly observable. The process of using a test score as a sample of behavior in order to draw conclusions about a larger domain of behaviors is characteristic of most educational and psychological tests (Miller, et. al., 2013). Responsible test developers and publishers must be able to demonstrate that it is possible to use the sample of behaviors measured by a test to make valid inferences about an examinees ability to perform tasks that represent the larger domain of interest. Construct validity pertains to the correspondence between your concepts and the actual measurements that you use (Miller, et. al., 2013). A measure with high construct validity accurately reflects the abstract concept that you are trying to study. Since we can only know about our concepts through the concrete measures that we use; you can see that construct validity is extremely important. It also becomes clear why it is so important to have very clear conceptual definitions of our variables. Only then can we begin to assess whether our measures, in fact, correspond to these concepts. This is why it is the most important thing a test can possess. Construct validity is often established through the use of a multi-trait, multi-method matrix (Miller, et. al. , 2013). At least two constructs are measured. Each construct is measured at least two different ways, and the type of measures is repeated across onstructs. Typically, under conditions of high construct validity, correlations are high for the same construct across a host of different measures (Miller, et. al. , 2013). Correlations are low across constructs that are different but measured using the same general technique. Under low construct validity, the reverse holds (Miller, et. al. , 2013). Correlations are high across traits using the same method but low for the same trait measured in different ways. Could a test be useful if it had reliability, and ither content/ criterion validity, but lacked construct validity? The answer for me is no. Reliability is not enough; a test must also be valid for its use. If test scores are to be used to make accurate inferences about an examinees ability, they must be both reliable and valid. Reliability is a prerequisite for validity and refers to the ability of a test to measure a particular trait or skill consistently. However, tests can be highly reliable and still not be valid for a particular purpose. I think that this holds true when it comes to construct validi y. I believe that this needs to be as important as reliability and content/criterion validity. In order to provide evidence that your measure has construct validity, a nomological network is needed for your measure. This network includes the theoretical framework for what you are trying to measure, an empirical framework for how you are going to measure it, and specification of the linkages among and between these two frameworks (Miller, et. al. , 2013). The nomological network consists of laws that relate attributes to one another and to bservable properties. These laws are tested empirically as hypotheses about the relationships of the attribute of interest with the other attributes in the network using test scores to represent each but also by testing group differences with respect to test scores, score change over time, and the internal structure of the items in the test (Miller, et. al. , 2013). So when combining these terms all together, you will make for a better research paper in general.

The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass T Essay Example For Students

The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass: T Essay he Formation Of Iden The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An Analysis of the Formation of Identity You have seen how a man was made a slave; you will now see how a slave was made a man. Frederick Douglass The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave details the progression of a slave to a man, and thus, the formation of his identity. The narrative functions as a persuasive essay, written in the hopes that it would successfully lead to hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of his brethren in bonds (Douglass 331). As an institution, slavery endeavored to reduce the men, women, and children in bonds to a state less than human. The slave identity, according to the institution of slavery, was not to be that of a rational, self forming, equal human being, but rather, a human animal whose purpose is to work and obey the whims of their master. We will write a custom essay on The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass: T specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now For these reasons, Douglass articulates a distinction between the terms man and slaves under the institution of slavery. In his narrative, Douglass describes the situations and conditions that portray the differences between the two terms. Douglass also depicts the progression he makes from internalizing the slaveholder viewpoints about what his identity should be to creating an identity of his own making. Thus, Douglass narrative depicts not simply a search for freedom, but also a search for himself through the abandonment of the slave/animal identity forced upon him by the institution of slavery. The reader is first introduced to the idea of Douglasss formation of identity outside the constraints of slavery before he or she even begins reading the narrative. By viewing the title page and reading the words The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, written by himself the reader sees the advancement Douglass made from a dependent slave to an independent author (Stone 134). As a slave, he was forbidden a voice with which he might speak out against slavery. Furthermore, the traditional roles of slavery would have had him uneducatedunable to read and incapable of writing. However, by examining the full meaning of the title page, the reader is introduced to Douglasss refusal to adhere to the slave role of uneducated and voiceless. Thus, even before reading the work, the reader knows that Douglass will show how a slave was made a man through speaking outthe symbolic act of self-definition (Stone 135). In the first chapter of the narrative, Douglass introduces the comparison between slaves and animals, writing that the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirsI do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday (Douglass 255). The effect of this passage, in addition to introducing the idea that slaves were considered to be no more civilized than animals, is an emphasis on Douglasss lack of a human identity. As a slave, his role was that of an animal whose purpose was to work for his master. This internalization of the animal/slave role is accentuated further when Douglass discusses the slaves notion of time as planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time (Douglass 255). The institution of slavery, which forced the comparison of slave to animal, required the slave to consider time in terms of his mastertime to work, time to plant, time to harvest. Thus, slaves were unable to utilize a concept of time of their own making to identify themselves because their concepts of time reflected what was important to their masters and not to themselves. By representing the slaves as relying on their masters wishes to identify themselves, Douglass emphasizes the comparison between slave and animals Not only does the slave concept of time reflect the desire of the masters to have the slaves view time in terms of work, but it also reflects the masters refusals to allow slaves to define themselves historically. Douglass writes that slaves were unable to articulate their ages, the dates of births and deaths of family members, and their lengths of service. .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 , .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .postImageUrl , .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 , .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:hover , .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:visited , .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:active { border:0!important; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:active , .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2 .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u455c89c6fa1a8645f60dacc65d4481e2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Self-Reflection of My Journey Essay He is also unable to form his identity based on familial relations. Suspecting only that . The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass T Essay Example For Students The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass: T Essay he Formation Of Iden The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An Analysis of the Formation of Identity You have seen how a man was made a slave; you will now see how a slave was made a man. -Frederick Douglass We will write a custom essay on The Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass: T specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave details the progression of a slave to a man, and thus, the formation of his identity. The narrative functions as a persuasive essay, written in the hopes that it would successfully lead to hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of his brethren in bonds (Douglass 331). As an institution, slavery endeavored to reduce the men, women, and children in bonds to a state less than human. The slave identity, according to the institution of slavery, was not to be that of a rational, self forming, equal human being, but rather, a human animal whose purpose is to work and obey the whims of their master. For these reasons, Douglass articulates a distinction between the terms man and slaves under the institution of slavery. In his narrative, Douglass describes the situations and conditions that portray the differences between the two terms. Douglass also depicts the progression he makes from internalizing the slaveholder viewpoints about what his identity should be to creating an identity of his own making. Thus, Douglass narrative depicts not simply a search for freedom, but also a search for himself through the abandonment of the slave/animal identity forced upon him by the institution of slavery. The reader is first introduced to the idea of Douglasss formation of identity outside the constraints of slavery before he or she even begins reading the narrative. By viewing the title page and reading the words The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, written by himself the reader sees the advancement Douglass made from a dependent slave to an independent author (Stone 134). As a slave, he was forbidden a voice with which he might speak out against slavery. Furthermore, the traditional roles of slavery would have had him uneducatedunable to read and incapable of writing. However, by examining the full meaning of the title page, the reader is introduced to Douglasss refusal to adhere to the slave role of uneducated and voiceless. Thus, even before reading the work, the reader knows that Douglass will show how a slave was made a man through speaking outthe symbolic act of self-definition (Stone 135). In the first chapter of the narrative, Douglass introduces the comparison between slaves and animals, writing that the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirsI do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday (Douglass 255). The effect of this passage, in addition to introducing the idea that slaves were considered to be no more civilized than animals, is an emphasis on Douglasss lack of a human identity. As a slave, his role was that of an animal whose purpose was to work for his master. This internalization of the animal/slave role is accentuated further when Douglass discusses the slaves notion of time as planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall-time (Douglass 255). The institution of slavery, which forced the comparison of slave to animal, required the slave to consider time in terms of his mastertime to work, time to plant, time to harvest. Thus, slaves were unable to utilize a concept of time of their own making to identify themselves because their concepts of time reflected what was important to their masters and not to themselves. By representing the slaves as relying on their masters' wishes to identify themselves, Douglass emphasizes the comparison between slave and animals Not only does the slave concept of time reflect the desire of the masters' to have the slaves view time in terms of work, but it also reflects the masters' refusals to allow slaves to define themselves historically. Douglass writes that slaves were unable to articulate their ages, the dates of births and deaths of family members, and their lengths of service. .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d , .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .postImageUrl , .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d , .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:hover , .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:visited , .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:active { border:0!important; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:active , .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3e063b599033812e7e5a14284e94b37d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Importance of Ethnic Culture Essay He is also unable to form his identity based on familial relations. Suspecting only that .

Religion Tradition Depth Study Essay

Religion Tradition Depth Study Essay Religion Tradition Depth Study Essay â€Å"Christianity is not the faith of the complacent, the comfortable or of the timid. It is a set of rituals, beliefs (and most importantly) a way of living that creates heroic souls like Wesley, Wilberforce, Bonhoeffer, John Paul II, and Billy Graham. Each showed, in their own way, the relentless and powerful influence of the message of Jesus Christ.† – Mitt Romney With reference to the quote explain how Christianity is a living religious tradition in the life of its adherents. The quote from Mitt Romney is based around evangelists who, from Christianity gained their strength to overcome oppression and enact the word of Jesus Christ from the beliefs and rituals based around Christianity. To followers of Jesus Christ, this quote proves Jesus’s relentless and powerful message towards his adherents. This is symbolic as it shows followers of Jesus Christ to understand his message, which is central in Christian beliefs. As a result of this Christianity has proved not to be static, but rather living religious traditions in the life of its adherents. This is evident through many factors such as rituals, ethical teachings, and significant leaders within Christianity that have stood the test of time. The quote highlights that although Jesus is not with us, through his relentless and powerful message. His presence is still felt by all his adherents. This highlights that in order for Christianity to be living religious tradition adherents must practise the rituals set in place. Baptism is the Christian rite of admission, celebrating the initiation of an individual into the Christian community. Within Christianity there are many denominations where baptism has a different meaning. Such as in Catholism for means of salvation, baptism is received in order for original sin to be lost and regained penance. In Anglicanism it involves the turning from all that is evil and repenting towards Christ. Fundamentally as Christ has been resurrected, his life is significant and Christian adherents are baptised to show their following of God. In John 3:5 it states â€Å"Unless a person is born through water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God†. This ritual is practised differently throughout denominations in Christianity. In many protestant Churches such as Lutheran and Anglicanism baptism by immersion is common. This is where the whole body is submerged in water and scripture is recited â€Å"Baptise in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit†, this ritual recognises the dying of your old self like Jesus Christ and rising up again like Jesus Christ. Through this practise an individual is able to live out the message of Christ in everyday life through the release of original sin and the transcending of God’s Holy Spirit on the adherent’s heart in which allows the Holy Spirit to be real in their life. This shows how Christianity is a living religious tradition because of the Holy Spirit’s everlasting presence in an individual’s life. In Catholism, Infant baptism is the most common, it is done by the aspersion or sprinkling of water over an infant. In Romans 4:25, it states â€Å"He was delivered up for trespasses and raised for our justifications† this confirms the resurrection of Christ. This also recognises that if Christ had not been resurrected therefore sin would still be prevalent in the world and Christians would not be able to actively worship God. However Jesus Christ did rise from the dead and in whom Catholics believe that through infant baptism original sin is taken away, validating that Christianity is a living religious tradition. Additionally for baptism there are elements which are needed for this ritual to place, such as the use of white garments which represent purity and innocence, baptismal candle representing the eternal light of Christ, anointing oil which marks the candidate as a child of Christ as oil cannot be washed off by water, and the use of readings from the Gospel throughout the

Glow in the Dark Duck Tape Triboluminescence

Glow in the Dark Duck Tape Triboluminescence You can use duck tape to see an example of triboluminescence, the glow given off when some materials are subjected to mechanical stress or friction. The duck tape (or duct tape) triboluminescence project is extremely easy and only take a few seconds to try. It doesnt matter whether you call the tape duck tape or duct tape, but your results seem to depend partially on the brand you use: Henkelâ„ ¢ works well. What You Do Tear off two strips of tape. Stick the pieces together with the sticky sides facing each other, leaving enough tape so that you can pull the strips apart. Turn out the lights. Give your eyes a minute or two to adjust to the dark. Pull the strips of tape apart. How It Works Did you see the blue line where the tape separated? This is triboluminescence, which is a type of luminescence triggered by mechanical energy or electrical energy from an action such as friction. You can get the same effect from other types of tape as well. A good one to try is transparent Scotchâ„ ¢ tape. If you have a hard time separating strips of tape with their sticky sides together, you can see the triboluminescent glow simply by pulling the tape (quickly) off of the roll, though the light will not be quite as bright.

A path is made by walking on it. Mart.coms plan for implementation of Essay

A path is made by walking on it. Mart.coms plan for implementation of Category Management - Essay Example In recent years both large and small organizations are seeking to define an appropriate operating model, to establish a strong foundation for execution. The two key dimensions in defining an operating model are process standardization and process integration. As described in Ross et al (Ross 2006), 4 general types of operating models are 1. Diversification (low process standardization, low process integration) 2. Coordination (low process standardization, high process integration) 3. Replication (high process standardization, low process integration) 4. Unification (high process standardization, high process integration) Mart.com’s decision to implement Category Management reflects a significant organizational change in its Procurement process, a strategic decision made by Senior Management, to effectively compete in global market. The focus of this paper is on organizational change and management of the same, when a business undergoes, a significant process change as a result of corporate strategic decision (in our case Category Management). In this paper, we define ‘Category Management’, and its impact on Procurement in the organization’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) process. We briefly define and describe what is under the scope of this study and what primary processes and activities are of importance. We conclude this paper by defining the fundamental principles behind effective Category Management practice, and the process Mart.com need to undergo.... the fundamental principles behind effective Category Management practice, and the process Mart.com need to undergo, considering its current state and what management expects by implementation of Category Management process. Category Management In the overall Source To Pay process, Sourcing has two components – Category Management RFP and contracting In the context of this paper our focus is on Category Management, and what its impact on contracting. RFP process is not in scope for this discussion. As organizations have grown in scale and have become more global, need for Category Management arose from repetitive purchase of products and services with common characteristics. Category Management was introduced as part of strategic procurement needs for the global organization to remove inefficiencies from tactical procurement done by local divisions of an organization. The basic motivation for implementing global sourcing is to achieve synergy in purchasing. This synergy is achi eved when two or more business units combine their buying of similar items to gain higher purchase volumes, better prices and, as a result, competitive advantage through cost efficiency. Synergy is realized as business units exploit their interrelationships, share know-how and resources, coordinate strategies and pool negotiating power (Faes et. al. 2000, Vizjak 1994). The main question in achieving purchasing synergy is how to manage and organize purchases on a corporate level, without losing the proximity benefits of decentralized purchasing. There is a need for balanced approach which takes into consideration the need for having problem-solving capabilities close to where problems occur, cost containment in profit centers, and close relationships in selected collaborative supplier

Critique 2 research papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Critique 2 research papers - Essay Example It has been my opinion that the lesbian, gay and bisexual populations likely suffer from a greater level of depression and other mental health disorders because of their position in society. Society has a dim view of this, because for many people homosexuality is seen as either wrong, or the people who have this sexuality are ill. Article Choice The strategy that I used in the discovery of these two articles was very decisive and simple. I was searching through my university’s online library database, EBCOHOST, using search terms of ‘mental health gay’, ‘mental health lesbian‘, ‘mental health bisexual’ and ‘suicide’ in the same contexts. I found a plethora of articles, so I did some skimming of each one to find the two that I would like to use for this paper. Upon further reading of each article, I was especially intrigued by these two because they two claimed to be the first of their kind, given the body of research that the authors of these articles were aware of. This piqued my interest further, and found within them many similarities in the methodology of the analyses, which will be discussed. They both covered within limitations the differences of age, gender and race within their samples. The findings of each article had some discrepancies, but also had certain key points that were similar. Critical Summation First, I am going to explore the article written by Brian S. Mustanski, et al. In this article, it is put forth that among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth aged 16 to 20 years in Chicago, the prevalence of a mental health disorder is higher than that of heterosexual youth. Other sample studies have shown few LGB identified respondents, due to the combining of disproportionate representation. This allows for major inconsistencies in the study and findings previous concerning the gender differences and the individual’s sexual orientation. Most studies that are similar i n nature also did not allow for transgender participants. This understudied population was found in one small study to have an elevated level of substance abuse and victimization, but there was little to no evidence to support findings of higher than normal depression levels. There are many theories that warrant mental health disparities among LGB youth, namely minority stress. This theory simply states that racial or ethnical minorities are more likely to have a mental disorder resulting from prejudicial discrimination from their communities. This assessment covered posttraumatic stress disorder, anorexia, bulimia, depression, conduct disorder and suicidality. In a sampling of 246 youth with ethnic diversity were used in this study to prove this hypothesis. Using the DSM-IV via the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC, Shaffer et al., 2000) allowed the researchers to use strictly specific diagnoses among the adolescent sample group. Along with the DSM-IV and DISC, this study used the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI 18, Derogatis, 2000) to measure the levels of psychological stress within the prior week. In testing of the hypotheses in reference to demographic differences, anorexia and bulimia were excluded. Another group, non-LGB, were used as a model to avoid further discrepancy. It was found that racial or et

Engage In Personal Development Essay Example for Free

Engage In Personal Development Essay 1.1 Describe the duties and responsibilities of own work role Job description 1.2 And 3.1 Explain expectations about own work role as expressed in relevant standards. Evaluate own knowledge, performance and understanding against relevant standards. A day in the life at my setting. Arriving at my setting each day I am required to sign in and note down the time. I put my bag in a safe and secure place so children cannot access. I check the message board and liaise with other staff members for any important updates. We have a child with a food intolerance so I informed the cook to make them aware the child was catered for at all meals during the day. My 1st hour was spent upstairs with the toddlers aged between 2 and 3 years. I then checked the planner to see what activities we had for that day. Today I set up the drawing table ensuring there was enough paper, crayons and chairs available for all the children present. I sat with the children whilst they joined in with the activity. Talking to the children about what they were doing and describing all the different colours, sizes, shapes etc. This was promoting their speech and language development and using creative skills too. Whilst supervising this activity I decided to complete a short observation on one of the children as she began to count and sing. I was interacting with all of the children trying to maintain interest. After a short while it was then time to tidy away all the equipment from the actives in which we encourage the children to help too. Once the room was tidy we decided to take the children outside in to the garden. Most of our toddlers are able to collect and put on their coats which we also encourage to do but some children are unable to achieve this at the moment. I helped to escort the children safely down the stairs ensuring they hold on to the rail and do a head count to make sure all children were present. I performed the outdoor risk assessment using the  daily check list. The children then are supervised using the toilet and washing their hands ready for lunch. I seat the children down at the tables ensuring they have cleaned their hands and they have adequate space to eat. I supply them all with a drink and we sing songs whilst the food is being dished out. I have prepared the child’s food separately who has the food intolerance ensuring they receive the correct meal . The child is also supervised eating to ensure they do not mix foods with the other children. Some children have not developed the skills to cut their own food so I will assist with helping them to do that. Ensuring the meals are cool enough I then give each child a meal and always remind them of good manners by saying â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you†. If children do not like the meal or try to refuse it I will always encourage them to try it. If I am working alongside the babies the above applies except some of the babies are too young to feed themselves and have not yet developed those skills. Babies will also need help with bottle feeding. I would also prepare the bottle feeds following the nursery policy. Ensuring correct formula is mixed and all bottles have been sterilised. Back in the toddler room, a child was struggling with their food and looked like they was choking. I immediately helped the child by taking the food out of their mouth with my little finger. The child became distressed so I comforted them until they were able to return to their meal. Meal times are always supervised by all members of staff to help with any incidents like this. All meal times are recorded in the daily chart. This is where we write down what the child has eaten so we can relay this back to the parents/carers. When the children have finished their meal I help to clean the children up and get them ready for their afternoon sleep. I assist with the toileting and other members of staff will go through the nappy change routine. The children in the toddler room go to find their own sleep mats with the aid of their name and picture tag. Most children will remove their own footwear but again some have not yet developed those skills, so I will help. Some children have their own comforters which I put out for them and I help to get them off to sleep with gentle patting. Once the children are asleep, I ensure the room monitors are on and working, make sure the room temperature is ok and all the children have their own blankets and they are safe. I then record each child in the daily sleep chart. This chart is for ours and parents benefits. We record when they sleep and when they wake up. As some children are only allowed a certain amount of sleep, this will help us to know when we have to wake them up. I then check on the children in the sleep room every 10 minutes with the aid of a timer. When children wake from their afternoon sleep they are always asked to use the toilet. Some children are upset when they awake so I will always comfort them. The afternoon usually consists of taking the children outside for free play. I get all their coats bags etc together and help to put their coats on. On this occasion it was a nice sunny day so I applied their own sun cream following the nursery sun cream policy. I ensure they have sun hats and the sun cream is applied liberally. Before we go outside I take 4 children at a time down the stair and reiterate the importance of holding the hand rail. A head count is once again recorded and an outdoor check is done following the outdoor risk assessment. The toddlers are escorted outsi de counting each child as they go. They are shortly followed by the children/babies from the tiny room downstairs and they all play in the same garden. The children are supervised with in ratio. As its free play time, I leave the children to play but some children like me to join in with what they are playing with. Child A is playing with a dolls pram and child B is trying to take that away from them. I intervene and explain to child B â€Å"we do not take toys from our friends when they are playing with them, it’s not very kind†. Child B is upset so I took the child away and provided them with another toy to distract them from child A. This works very well and child B goes off playing happily alone with the other toy. Child A is also happy and also continues to play. Shortly after another incident happened where a child has fallen and bumped their head. As I comfort the child I asked another staff member to get a cold compress. This is applied to the child for 10 minutes whilst still trying to comfort the child. The head bump is not too bad and the child soon calms down and returns playing. I then completed an accident form following nursery policy. This is then signed by the parent when the child is collected. During the afternoon, parents/carers come to collect their children. I greet the parents and explain what their child has been doing throughout the day, taking the information off the daily record sheet. We usually have a short chat with the parents/carers about the child’s day and will also take interest in their day too. We have a good  relationship with our parents/carers and this also helps us to get to know the parents/carers and children too. After all the children have gone home, we tidy round and ensure the nursery is ready for the next day ahead. 2.1 Explain the importance of reflective practice in continuously improving the quality of service provided. The nursery setting is always changing is so many different ways. We have new children being welcomed in to the setting and then we have children going through different types of transitions. The service we provide must reflect the needs of the children and by constantly improving our services we can better meet the need of the children and support their development. By constantly reflecting on out practice we can assess where we may be lacking in skills or knowledge and we can update these regularly to keep our services up to date and as supportive to the children as possible. A good example on reflective practice is, we have a child that has developed an intolerance to milk, dairy products etc. We have briefed all staff members with information regarding lactose free diet for this child. We have a couple of children who have turned 2 years and have completed the transition u pstairs to the toddler room. This meant we have more babies downstairs in our tiny room and the room has been slightly equipped with more age relevant toys and equipment. If we did not reflect on this, it could hinder the development of the younger babies. Everyone makes mistakes – they are one way of learning. It is important not to waste your mistakes, so if something has gone wrong, make sure you learn from it. Discuss problems and mistakes with your supervisor, and work out how to do things differently next time. You can use reflective skills in order to learn from situations that have not worked out the way you planned. It is important that you consider carefully why things turned out the way they did and think about how you will ensure that they go according to plan next time. Talking to colleagues and supervisors is equally useful when things work out really well, as it is important to reflect on success as well as failure. If you reflect on why something worked, this will make it more likely that you can repeat it. Information taken from http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/ 2.3 Describe how own values, belief systems and experiences may affect  working practices What we believe in, what we see as important and what we see as acceptable or desirable is an essential part of who we are. The way in which we respond to people is linked to what we believe in, what we consider important and what interests us. We may find we react positively to people who share our values and less warmly to people who have different priorities. As a professionals, we are required to provide the same quality of support for all, not just for those who share our views and beliefs. The key term here is Diversity – being different; people are unique according to their own background, culture, personality, race, any disability, gender, religion/belief, sexual orientation and age. 4.1 Identify sources of support for planning and reviewing own development. Personal development is to do with developing the personal qualities and skills that everyone needs in order to live and work with others, such as understanding, empathy, patience, communication and relationship-building. It is also to do with the development of self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect. In my setting there is always support for planning and reviewing my own development. I have already opted to improve my skills and development with a couple of course due to start in December 2014. You need to have these goals in mind; †¢ What you are trying to achieve? †¢ How you are you going to achieve it? †¢ How you will be able to tell when you have achieved it? It’s also helpful to further your development by asking other team members, duty manager and managers. We have a fantastic team who are very helpful and are ready to give any help and advice to anyone who needs it. At my setting there are many text books, magazines and brochures with vital information I can look through if I feel need some extra information in a certain topic of interest to further my development. We also have regular appraisals to guide and encourage further development and to also discuss current work practice. I feel this is extremely important. This not only boosts self-esteem but also gives management a chance to reflect on your work practice and if there is any further development training needed. Ref: http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk