Author: Andre Coleman

The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse two curriculum pedagogical approaches. The two approaches that will be discussed in this essay are Reggio Emilia and Montessori. There will be an in-depth analysis of the two philosophies and how they are different or similar to each other. It will also include the differing views on the image of a child, role of the teacher and the inclusion of parents and family. There will also be some discussion on the critics of both approaches and the relevance to Te Whariki.

Reggio Emilia (RE) is a small city in the Emilia Romagna region of Northern Italy. After the Second World War the people of RE urgently needed to build their lives, not only materially, but also socially and morally. In this time there was a powerful force behind the development of early childhood services (Thornton and Brunton, 2005). The women wanted to build a preschool to provide a new form of education that the next generation would not tolerate inequality and injustice. “There was a strong sense of hope for the future arising from the adversity of the past” (Thornton, 2005, p4). The Reggio philosophy was developed and shaped by the social and cultural influences in the area. Loris Malaguzzi was the inspiration behind the educational experience in Reggio Emilia.

Maria Montessori was born in the year 1870 in Central Italy. According to Standing (1957, p45) Montessori was a “strong minded, vivacious and determined child, displaying the kind of independence so highly valued in Montessori schools to this day”. Montessori graduated as a doctor in 1896 and was the first woman in Italy to do so. In her early clinical experience she became a supporter of social reform, mainly as it related to the well being of women and children. She argued that enhancing the quality of the environment in which children lived was a way of eliminating poverty, inequality, illness, and criminality. This argument became the foundations of Montessori’s life’s work. In 1907 she opened a school for slum children. The school was called ‘Children’s House’. It was an environment in which in children from the slums were advancing rapidly in learning. She than decided to abandoned her medical/academic careers and devoted her life to promoting her educational method (Feez, 2010).

Malaguzzi was a social constructivist and was influenced by some of the most renown progressive educators and psychologist such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Bruner, Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Montessori, Dewey (Edwards, 2003). Malaguzzi includes Vygotsky’s concept of ‘Zone of Proximal’ as crucial to the foundations of children teacher relationships. There is also a value for the operation of thought and language together in building symbolic representation of thoughts, ideas and feelings (Berk, 2007) Malaguzzi believed that children were ‘social’ from birth, full of intelligence and active explorers (Gandini, 1997).

Montessori was influenced by the work of Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Itard and Seguin. Montessori’s interest was more practical than theoretical, but her theoretical view was based on Rousseau’s work. Like Rousseau she argues that children think and learn differently then adults. Montessori education gives children freedom to explore the environment through their senses but they are given little external guidance on what to pay attention to and how to think about discoveries” (Feez, 2010). To find an approach that provided opportunities for freedom and at the same time helping children adapt to society, Montessori looked at the work of French doctor Itard and Seguin. It was Seguin method which Montessori used successfully to teach ‘deficient’ children in the 1980s, and when she used the same approach in 1907 to educate street children she was amazed at what unfolded.

The RE philosophy was influenced by Malaguzzi. Malaguzzi emphasises that the theory which provides the underpinnings for the Reggio approach requires ongoing communication and dialogue, teachers as co-researchers alongside children, and revisiting ideas, guides and practice. Children are seen as a ‘community of learners’. It recognises the importance of ways in which children learn and consider each child as gifted. Children with disabilities have the full participation into the structure and are spoken to as ‘children with special rights’ (Gandini, 1997). In the Reggio approach there is no predetermined curriculum. Short term and long term projects are developed from children’s interest, first hand experiences and their working theories about the world (Rinaldi, 2006).

Children are encouraged to grow in competence to represent and symbolise ideas, feelings through any of the hundred languages. The teacher follows the child’s interest and do not provide instructions for reading and writing, however they promote emergent literacy as children manipulate and communicate ideas and feelings. As children progress through the infant-toddler centre, or preschool, they stay with the same teachers. This provides opportunities for a strong relationship between the staff, children and their families to be nurtured over the long period.

The RE approach identifies the environment as a third teacher between children, parent and teachers. Malaguzzi describes the physical environment and the availability of resources “as the product of complex interactions, many of which can be realised only when the environment is a fully participating element (Thornton, 2005, p43). Teachers in a Reggio centre provide ‘amiable’ environments which encourages exploration, exchanges, and communication.

Montessori believed that her pedagogy was based on logical, scienctific inquiry. According to Montessori, from birth to three is the time of the ‘unconscious absorbent mind’ whereas age three to six is considered as time for the ‘conscious absorbent mind’. In both these times, the child seeks sensory input, regulation for movement, order and freedom to choose and explore deeply with interpretation in a carefully planned environment which encourages the child to choose well. In a Montessori classroom children are in mixed groups spanning from birth to three years and teachers move with the child through the three year cycle (Feez, 2010).

The exercises of practical life skills are an important part of the curriculum. It is based on ways people in the culture relate to each other socially, as well as ways in which they complete everyday tasks. Language also relates to the exercises of practical life, as children use it in different ways to interact and communicate with others. In a Montessori view any resource that is unrelated to the educational purpose of material has a potential to distract and confuse the child (Feez, 2010). Children have limited freedom to what they can and can not do in a Montessori classroom, for example to be disruptive, aggressive and disorderly.

The Montessori environment is planned ahead of time to ensure that children have as much freedom and independence as possible. The approach emphasises on real things in the environment which requires hands on interactions. A Montessori classroom allows opportunities for meaningful learning in self chosen activities, and purposeful activities which requires concentration (Feez, 2010).

The Reggio view of the child is central to its philosophy. The child is referred to as a ‘rich in potential, strong, powerful and competent’. “At the centre of the pedagogy is the child who is confident in building relationships; who holds his or her own values; who wants to be respected and valued for himself as well as holding a respect for others; who embodies a curiosity and open mindedness to all that is possible” (Thornton, 2005).

Children are encouraged to develop their own working theories of the world and to explore this in greater depth. Children ideas are respected so that children feel unafraid to make mistakes or reconstructing their ideas. Self confidence and self image is fostered through discussion which promotes creativity. The notion of ‘the hundred languages’ was Malaguzzi’s interpretation of recognising the value of all forms of expression and communication in which children interpret the world and represent their ideas and theories.

Montessori philosophy view children as intelligent, active, reality based self regulating and self righting. Montessori believed that in order for them to live a quality life, they need to be prepared as competent, responsible and adaptive citizens who are life long learners and problem solvers. Children’s free chosen activity is regarded as ‘work’. Through a Montessori lens children’s works is seen as orientation towards future achievements and play that involves purposeful effort and concentration. Montessori’s view on punishments and rewards to make children pay attention were regarded as ‘forced’ and ‘unnatural’. She saw it as a form of slavery from which children needed to be released (Feez, 2010).

The teachers in both approaches share a common goal in childrearing. They both regard themselves as nurtures, partners and guides to children. They depend on the environment as a pedagogical tool which is carefully prepared and aesthetically pleasing. Partnership with parents is highly valued in both approaches. However their contrasting view on a child’s learning has lead them act different roles in a classroom.

Reggio teachers are seen a learner, enthusiastically seeking new knowledge alongside children. Children and teachers are seen as co-researches in everyday process rather than a specialised activity. They provide tools, materials, resources and provide help when needed. Each class has two teachers who work collaboratively as a team. The teachers plan in collaboration with the pedagogista and the aterlierista. The pedagogista helps maintain high quality standards whereas the aterlierista promotes expression through different forms of media and symbol systems (Vecchi, 2010). Malaguzzi suggest that once children are helped to perceive themselves as authors and interventions, and to find the pleasure of inquiry, there motivation and interest will expand (Edwards, Gandini, Forman, 1998)

In a Montessori classroom teachers are considered as ‘directors’ which refers to someone who guides and draws others together. The role of the director is to provide a prepared environment and connect children with it. Montessori also emphasised the role of an educator as an observer rather than teacher. The method of observation still remains an important component of Montessori teacher training till this day (Torrence and Chattin-Mc Nicholas, 2009). The aim of the teacher is to help and encourage children to be independent, gain confidence and disciple so that there are minimal reasons for teachers to intervene (Feez, 2010). Teachers give children lessons (also called presentations) to show children how to use materials or how to act in the environment. Children are free to choose activities after they have had a lesson on how to do the activity. They intervene as little as possible to allow children to make good choices.

In both approaches parent/families play an important part in their child’s learning and development and are seen as partners alongside teachers. They are included in all decisions concerning their child and their input is highly valued. Parents receive extensive description about their children daily life and progress. Portfolios and other forms of children work maybe displayed and sent home as key intervals and transitions (Edwards, 1998).

Respecting relationships are considered one of the most essential components of the RE approach. The relationships established between parents, children and teachers are key elements in supports children’s learning and development. Relationships are built on reciprocal, requiring mutual trust and respect. The Reggio term ‘the pedagogy of listening’ emphasises listening as openness and wiliness to value the point of others.

The first preschools were founded by the parents as a symbolic of hope and desire of better futures for their children. Therefore parental participation has always been important part of the Reggio approach. At the time a child enters an infant-toddler centre/preschool, the parents are considered as active participants in the ongoing educational process. The programme is designed to make families feel at home and an important part of the structure. This gives educators the opportunity to get to know families and understand their unique perspective of their own child.

The Montessori approach includes parent/families in learning that concerns their child. Strong relationships are established between teachers and parents to follow the child’s progress in home and classroom. Regular dialogue and written feedback gives parents information about their child’s experiences and learning. Teachers provide suggestion on how parents can continue to use the Montessori approach at home. Parents are welcome to borrow resources and books and have many opportunities to learn about the Montessori philosophy and practice.

One criticism to the RE approach is regarding the role of teachers as co-researchers along side children. Malaguzzi called this open review method ‘a circle of idea’. The idea that children learn through interactions and exploration of ideas with educators is regarded as ‘thinking critically about difficult questions’ rather than ‘problem solving’.

Another criticism is placed on the importance of the environment in the Reggio approach. The environment is referred to as ‘the third teacher’. It is argued that if the Reggio focus is on children and interactions and the use of space further encourages and supports this interactions and that the curriculum is adaptable to the changing interest to the child, so too does the design and environment change. Therefore the environment is a ‘ship of motion’ rather than an ‘unchangeable landmark’ (Rinaldi, 2006).

It is argued that Montessori education does not allow children the opportunity for ‘learning to learn’. In a Montessori view a child had ‘learned’ when they correctly finished the activity. It is an end state reached when the task is mastered. According to Crain (2011) in the ‘real’ world children need to learn how to learn, to quickly adapt to changing environments and to create new environments. The Montessori approach does not allow for critical thinking or exploration it is rather a method of perfection.

Freedom for initiative and creativity is limited. Teachers have firm rules about how tasks are done, and a child finds a way to manipulate the material which they are happy with, the teacher would not consider this satisfactory. The teacher will then encourage the child to keep working on the same activity until is completed the way it should be. This hinders children imagination and creativity (Gardner, 1966).

Finally, both approaches make significant links Te Whariki. The principles of ‘Family and Community’ and ‘Relationships’ shows relevance to both approaches as parent/family are considered ‘partners’ in the learning of their children. The strand of well being and belonging is evident in both approaches, as teachers support each individual child learning and development. Well being (Goal 1) supports the Montessori practice of ‘practical skills’ where the children learn self help and self care skills (Ministry of Education, 1996).

The strand of Contribution supports RE practice to explore as groups or individuals. Each child has the opportunity to express their idea. Group projects encourage children to learn with and along side others. The strand of Communication relates more to Reggio Emilia, than it does to Montessori practice. Communication and dialogue is an important tool which teachers use to extend children’s learning. Teachers support and allow children to be creative and expressive. This goal of non verbal and verbal communication shows relevance to the ‘Hundred Languages’ (Edwards, 1998).

The strand of exploration is also more relevant to the Reggio Emilia approach than Montessori, as Montessori is more structured and tasks are demonstrated on how it ‘should be done’, therefore it does not really allow for exploration. Exploration is seen a vital concept in the Reggio approach as teacher recognise the important of spontaneous play and allow children to follow their interest in more depth. Teachers become co-researchers with children to develop working theories and make sense of the world (MOE, 1996)

In conclusion, RE and Montessori are both ‘child-centred’ approaches and have many similarities as well as differences. Both approaches were established to turn away from violence/war and to give children the opportunity to realise their full potential as creative, intelligent individuals. In both approaches children are viewed as active partners in their own development and learning. The environment serves as a pedagogical tool for teachers to provide an aesthetically pleasing environment which provides children with freedom and opportunities for exploration. The teacher plays an important part in both approaches; however their contrasting views on the nature of children and their learning lead them to act different roles. A Reggio Teacher regards themselves as ‘co-researchers’ alongside children, whereas a Montessori teacher sees themselves as a ‘director’ or ‘observer’. In both approaches parents are seen as equal partners in their child learning and development. Overall, the Reggio Emilia approach provides children with opportunities for open ended exploration, whereas the Montessori approach is more structured and aims to provide opportunities for children to chose freely and gain independence.

Currently we suffer from overpopulation in our prisons today. One of the main reasons is due to a constant increasing flow of non-violent drug offenders being sentenced to serve time. Drugs are a major problem in our country, so we must be proactive in our efforts and try to come up with programs that would steer youth away from initial drug use that would potentially lead to future incarceration. There are many programs that try to do just that. These programs focus on the youth to try and keep them captivated in healthier venues as opposed to starting drug use or a life of crime. These programs have seen much success in the areas that they are in by means of crime prevention. This paper will discuss the programs and how they actually help in crime prevention by helping the youth within those communities.

Adult-supervised, youth-development afterschool prevention programs reduce the onset or intensity of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. These programs serve many important purposes including:

Positive interaction with and supervision by adults

Enrichment programs and activities help youth develop drug/alcohol free hobbies

Occupying free time with positive choices in a supervised element

Helps create a service ethic through community service

Development of social skills and the keys to just say no to drugs and alcohol

The programs with the most positive results tend to be those that combine fun with structure and teach prevention through activities. “When afterschool prevention programs, run by Boys and Girls Clubs, were started in selected public housing developments in New York, drug use, presence of crack cocaine use, police reports of drug activity all decreased significantly. Drug activity decreased 22%, juvenile arrests dropped 13%, and vandalism in the public housing developments decreased 12.5%, and parental involvement increased, compared with public housing developments that were not selected to implement the afterschool programs. The program included structured, adult-supervised recreation and youth development activities combined with a focused prevention activity, Smart Moves, developed by the Boys & Girls Clubs specifically for non-classroom settings” (Bailey, 1998).

Worldwide over the past couple of decades, we have seen an increase in the amount of recreational organizations being created. Recognizing the increasing jail and prison populations, these places were constructed to benefit the entire community in the long run. These facilities have many things that lured youth in such as batting cages, pools, tracks to run, basketball, weight rooms, a healthy and productive alternative to running around on the streets. Programs that engage the youth while keeping them on a straightened path is what will really make the difference in a community.

One organization that incorporates healthy alternatives to substance abuse and criminal activity in youths is The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. This organization is among the top of the lists of facilities to aid in crime prevention in youth’s. Their programs are nationally recognized as well as tested and proved effective in addressing problems that modern day youths face as well as showing them tools to make them successful throughout their lives’. Programs are available nationwide and focus on areas such as alcohol and drug prevention, various areas of education, gang prevention, pregnancy prevention, athletics, the environment and leadership development. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America commend accomplishments while also adding an extra goal for young adults to aspire for, such as the opportunity to meet important role models on a global scale; these actions have led to a high success rate within the organization. One of the ways that the Boys & Girls Clubs of America commend accomplishments through their organization is through their own “Youth of the Year” awards. These awards are given out to those who show outstanding contributions to the Club, family, and community as well. Each state produces a winner and the winners from each state then compete for the title of “National Youth of the Year”; with the ultimate Youth of the Year being recognized by the President of the United States, which is the ultimate honor (Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 2007). The hopes of this competition is to instill in these young adults that they can accomplish any dream if the put their mind to it and stay away from drugs and alcohol or resorting to violence.

There are over 2,000 YMCA’s worldwide, which makes it the “largest not-for-profit community service organization in America working to meet the health and human service needs of 20.2 million men, women and children in 10,000 communities in the United States. YMCAs are at the heart of community life across the country: 42 million families and 72 million households are located within three miles of a YMCA” (YMCA, 2007). Because of their non-profit services and unique locations around the world, 20.1 million members have joined these clubs, 9.5 million of which are under the age of 18. Thousands of Y’s work with local elementary, middle, and high schools, hospitals, and churches to promote child care and teen leadership and provides services that they may need. So many kids today are starting down the wrong paths in life at earlier ages. The fact the children are being left alone and unattended at their homes between the hours that they get out of school until their parents get home is not helping the matter. Kids are often taking advantage of the situation and doing whatever they want. If this continues to happen for some time before they get caught, they might not stop when asked to. Lucky for us, YMCA’s is the largest providers of childcare in the United States, operating nearly 10,000 childcare sites throughout the United States providing affordable and high quality care to more than a half million children. The YMCA does also “serve nearly 10 million children under the age of 18 through activities such as camping, sports, and afterschool programs. YMCAs are the largest employers of teenagers in the country” (YMCA, 2007).

YMCA’s nationwide even offer an After School Program. It is a safe and caring environment in your child’s own school that is offered at school dismissal (including scheduled half days) until 6:00 PM and before school care begins at 7:00 AM until school begins. You can choose between 2-5 days a week and they also offer childcare on holidays and snow days. During this time your children participate in arts and crafts, games, gym activities, group activities, special events, and trips. Homework time and help is also provided, as well as an afternoon snack. And you don’t have to worry about the type of people that are watching your kids because they are just as much qualified to work with children as are teachers. “Our staff members are selected from a wide range of applicants who undergo strict background checks, most of whom have been with us for several years” (YMCA, 2007).

This next organization is about taking the next step and preparing youth for their future involvement in the workforce. The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) was created in 1996 in order to consolidate resources and provide the City of New York with higher-quality, more efficient youth and family programming. Our central task is administering available city, state, and federal funds to strong and effective community-based organizations (NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, 2007). DYCD funds a wide range of innovative, practical and quality programs that positively impact youth and communities. These programs include but are not limited to: Runaway and Homeless Youth Outreach, Youth Workforce Development, Corporate Internships for Youth, Summer Youth Employment Program, and the nation’s largest municipally funded Out-of-School Time initiative. It is programs like these that we need to see more of, programs that prepare young teens for success, sending them off on internships to meet well-known successful people. We need to raise their hopes and help them realize that their dreams can become reality.

Like the YMCA, the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) also has after school programs. With the increased number of parents entering the workforce, the need for expanded quality after-school services to support young people and their families is a must. The DYCD supports two major after-school initiatives: the Out-of-School Time Program and the Beacon Program. As previously stated, the Out-of-School Time (OST) Program is the largest after-school program throughout the nation. The programs offered are free of charge and offer an equal balance between recreational activities, the arts, sports, and academic tutoring and support for elementary school students throughout high school. OST programs operate on most school holidays to meet the needs of working parents (NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, 2007). The Beacon Program is slightly different in that it was designed for kid’s ages 16-21. In this program, young adults are offered the experience of academic support and college preparatory, sports such as basketball and martial arts, as well as art infused themes such as photography. These centers operate six days and 42 hours a week in the afternoons and evenings, and on weekends.

We’ve explored the opportunities of childcare and support during the day and after school hours, but what are these children to do at night? Is this not the most popular time for individuals go out, cause mischief, and commit crimes? What can be done to attempt to suppress this? Seattle Parks and Recreation’s new Late Night Program could very well be the answer. The Late Night Recreation Program is a fun, safe environment for high-risk Seattle youth. “Our goal is to save the lives of our youth, create opportunities for success and provide positive alternatives to drugs, gangs, and other undesirable activities,” stated Betty Jean Brooks the Interim Superintendent. The Late Night Recreation Program targets youth’s most prone to harmful behavior and shows them the possibility of having a positive future. It offers a variety of activities: educational services such as tutoring, computer and teen parenting programs, inter-cultural activities such as ethnic dance and bead-making and athletic activities such as basketball, volleyball, martial arts and other sports. According to the Seattle Police Department, crime has been reduced an average of 30 percent near the Late Night centers.

A new program has also come about in Vancouver and Richmond called Night Hoops: Nocturnal Basketball. Night Hoops is a late night basketball program for youth 13-18 yrs. of age. Its goal is to use basketball as a vehicle to promote asset development in a supported environment. Night Hoops offers youths the opportunity to experience the thrill of playing on an organized basketball team. The youth really benefits from having something as fun and positive as this. Those who need an alternative to where they spend their Friday and Saturday nights don’t have to look far. Youth who are experiencing difficulties at home, in school, and would benefit from physical activity and being around positive role models would be perfect candidates.

Religious Youth Group organizations put on by local churches is also an option. Along with religious education classes for children, these groups offer programs for youth age 12 – 19. The First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio has created two different groups: Club M2U and YRUU. Club M2U is for Middle School students (grades 6 – 8). Focus is on having fun, making friends, and doing projects together. Some of their recent activities have been ice skating, collecting school supplies for hurricane victims, and planning an Animal Dedication service for the entire church. The YRUU serves youth from 14-19 years old. Guided by national goals and purposes, each local group determines its own vision. The five components of balanced youth programming are Worship, Community Building, Social Action, Learning, and Leadership. Youth in this program have many opportunities to grow into leadership at group, congregational, district, and continental levels. There is a youth group similar to this where I live. It is held on Friday nights from 8-midnight. There is a lesson service for each group of kids (10-14 and 15-21) in the beginning and then the last 2 hours we are free to partake in recreational activities such as basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, Frisbee, football, etc. And what I thought was great was to see all these other kids from other towns coming over to be a part of this event. It is really quite impressive for a word of mouth establishment.

With all the opportunities the youths have within their reach it is still beyond me why so many become involved in breaking the law. The continuation of education these young minds of how bad gangs and drugs and violence are is most important, and not only after school but in school as well. The G.R.E.A.T. Program (Gang Resistance Education and Training) is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum that is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid using delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. Because this is a four-component program (elementary school, middle school, high school, and summer classes) it is not something that is easily forgotten. It would be a major problem and of no significance if they only taught it to you in one of those sections. If you were taught it at a young age, you might not understand and often forget and if you were taught it in high school you might laugh at the program and not pay attention at all. The thoroughness throughout the years is the most effective form of education.

The other program that is offered to you through school is the D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). This is one of the highly acclaimed programs that give kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. This is a series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives. Because this is a police officer led discussion, I feel that with the powerful authority figure you can get more across to the kids and they are more apt to listen to what he/she is saying. Once the students understand and commit to memory what it is the officer is saying they can then precede through life not having to worry about falling victim to the perils of crime.

As you can see, there are countless organizations that are trying harder and harder every day to grow and promote their establishments so that there will be less crime. We can’t expect the children to make all the decisions and to know that all these programs are out there either. Parents need to look into these types of organizations around their area for their children and suggest them. The children are not going to know about them without the parents help. Maybe a late night basketball program is exactly what your son/daughter wants and you just didn’t know because you never brought it to their attention. Youth groups are a great way to meet new people in a safe and friendly environment. If they still seem uninterested there is still the trial and error approach. Tell them that you and he/she will go once, just to see if they like it or if there is anything there that they are interested in. YMCA’s and the Boys & Girls Clubs have almost anything you could possible want to do. You can’t go wrong here so use it as a reserve option. The effort is being made to help, but this isn’t a one-way street. Parents, let your children know about the opportunities they are missing out on that will help keep them out of living a life of crime.

Three Little Pigs was chosen because children are familiar with the classic story. It is engaging for both girls and boys and allows a strong context for a range of arts activities in drama, puppetry, musical movement as well as a small world play of a series of arts activities. Activities are planned for five-year-old children as children by age 5 would have attained the basic developmental milestones of language development (Conti-Ramsden & Durkin, 2011).

The story of Three Little Pigs has patterns of structure. The first little pig met a man carrying straw and built his house with straw. The second little pig met a man carrying sticks and built his house with sticks. The third little pig met a man with bricks and built his house with bricks. A wolf came and said the line “Little pig, little pig, let me in” three times. The wolf huffed and puffed three times.

The story carries repetitive catchy phrases,

‘Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!’

‘I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!’

So the wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down!’

The moral of the story teaches children not to open door to strangers and let strangers in.

The Three Little Pigs is told through dramatization and role-play using finger puppets, props and tone of voice.

This paper highlights the aims and values of the activities and explains how learning is being structured and the skills that can be developed in drama.

Creativity and Imagination in Arts Education

We live in a culture where children are raised with passive life experiences. Their toys are highly functional and commercially constructed. But children are by nature imaginative and curious. Their imagination and creation are not nurtured and developed. Children’s play is losing significance to paper and pencil type of education that adults have come to view as important (Hendy & Toon, 2001).

Society needs people who are creative and imaginative to enable problem solving and make connections. Society then has to start with its youngest members to encourage their creativity and imagination. Children should be motivated and given opportunities to express their creativity. Society needs to nurture children to think creatively, play with ideas and materials, deal with changes and the unexpected, respond to such changes, take risks, learn empathy and be sociable. Creativity and imagination make us human (Duffy, 1998).

Adult attitude is important in promoting creativity and imagination. Such attitudes create the right emotional environment. Equally important are physical settings and time set aside to allow opportunities for creativity and imagination (Duffy, 1998).

Arts and the curriculum

The arts have long been associated with a private experience of feeling good, living in a dream world, and an escape from reality. Swanwick (1988) argues that we become more conscious through the arts. Teaching the arts well promotes development in other learning areas. In drama there is physical education and language development. Music has its own vocabulary as in tempo, pulse and dynamics. Drawing is about line, texture and shape. If the arts can become part of the curriculum children have learning opportunities for personal and social-emotional development (Arts in Schools Project, 1990).

According to Swanwick (1988) the arts are naturally playful and playfulness is an important part of being human. Children play. Play is what children do. In play, there are elements which promote learning through the arts. Children gain mastery of skills, enhanced their imitation and are engaged in imaginative play.

Drama

When young children engage in dramatic play, they take on a different identity and manipulate the character. They develop their ability to understand and make sense of the world around them by making connections (Hendy & Toon, 2001).

Games are adapted to the Three Little Pigs. Children listen to the name called for straw, stick, brick and house. They are told rules of the games. Children play and learn to play by the rules.

When children are invited to make images from the story with their body and facial expression they step into the role of the character. They imitate the teacher in role and friends or stretch their creativity and imagination with their own body movement and facial expression. The other children in the circle make sound effects with their vocals. The simple act of dramatization allows children to master the skills of speaking to sound like another self. They learn to take turns and respect the other’s voice and body movement. Together and being together children make dramatic meaning (Swanwick, 1998).

The teacher uses another approach of dramatization by getting children to make music and use instruments for making sound effects. Music is incorporated in the drama play. With the teacher’s guidance children experiment with the musical instruments until they get the sound that makes one think of the wolf blowing down the houses. For a different outcome, the teacher in role selects the instruments and guides children to listen to the tempo and act out the mood of the scene of the wolf puffing, huffing and blowing down the houses. Blowing down the house of straw is easy for the wolf so the mood is soft. The easy and soft mood changes with the house of straw and becomes heavy, angry and even dangerous when the wolf tries to blow down the house of brick. This activity is a learning point for children to take instructions, keep a consistent rhythm and work with others. It encourages children to enjoy making music and listening to music. Children are exposed to music and can develop musical ability through their active engagement. Children delight in sound and rhythm (Sanwick, 1988).

Drama should not be boring (Duffy, 1998). To add a sense of excitement the teacher tells an imaginative story that Mother Pig receives a letter from one of the little pigs. She has lost her reading glasses. Children are invited to read out the letter for her through role-play as the little pig. They decide for themselves and create their own story.

Children’s imagination is further stretched when they discuss the character of the wolf. They compare the wolf to other wolves in Red Riding Hood and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. This activity promotes language and cognitive thinking as children learn to identify the animated characteristics of the wolf and compare one to the other and another.

The original version of the story is told through a drama play. The teacher in role becomes the wolf who is brought to trial for blowing down the houses and eating the little pigs. Children field questions and demand explanations from the wolf to account for his crimes. Teacher and children work together to make a new story. This activity brings about a sense of tension and excitement.

The teacher creates space for children to make their own small world play area. A number of skills can be developed in this play area. Children learn to make a finger puppet. They choose and pick materials to make their own puppets. They compare, contrast and experiment with colour, texture, lines and shapes. They acquire the skill by trial and error or copy the teacher’s puppets. Such mastery of judgement gives children a sense of achievement.

When children play with finger puppet, the puppet becomes alive. They talk to the puppet and say what they feel. In imaginative play they experiment with the different cries the wolf make to blow down the three different houses. They become the little pigs and experiment with the different emotions the pig experience when the wolf calls.

Children learn to be sociable as they listen to each other and take turns. They learn about cooperation and accepting ideas and wishes of another. Emotions are released in a healthy way as children use finger puppets to express their feelings and concerns. Language development is enhanced as they experiment with different voices and characters.

We live in a time where learning is measured and tested in paper and pencil with emphasis in basic literacy and numeracy skills. We should bear in mind the importance of creativity and imagination in its own right and the positive impact of creativity and imagination on other learning areas. A curriculum that is enriched with creativity and imagination opens up avenues for children to develop skills, knowledge, attitudes and aptitudes in the present and for the future (Duffy, 1998).

Children become the adults we want them to be – resourceful, innovative and confident. As cited by Duffy (1998) quoting Oscar Wilde, we are raising a generation who “know the price of everything and the value of nothing” (p.14).

(1469 words)

According to many sociologists, there exists difference between sex and gender. Sex is the biological classification and gender is the outcome of social construction of separate roles of males and females.

According to Lorber (2005), masculinity and femininity is not inborn that is children are taught these traits. As soon as a child is identified as being a male or female then everybody start treating him or her as such. Children learn to move in gendered ways through the support of his environment. They are taught the gendered roles projected someone who is female or male. As the child grows up, he develops his identity, know how to interact with others and learn the role to play in the society. Lorber, Judith. 2005. “Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender.” In The Spirit of Sociology: A Reader, ed. R. Matson, 292-305.New York: Penguin.

There are many drivers involved in the socialization process which transmits the traditional gender role to the children and henceforth leading to occupational segregation later on.

One set of gender socialization occur between parents and offspring. Parents are considered to be the primary agency in the process of socialization. They are inclined to interact with boys and girls in discrete styles. For example, a one year old baby is considered to have no sex difference, and however, parents are likely to act with boys and girls in dissimilar ways. They react to boys, when they seek interest by being aggressive and girls when they use gestures. Such interaction have long term effect on girls and boys communication styles, leading boys to more assertive styles and girls with more emotive styles.

Ann Oakley and Ruth Hartley (1974), studies point out four main ways in which socialization into gender roles occur. Firstly, applying diverse physical and verbal manipulations to the child, for example, dressing a girl in feminine clothes. Secondly, drawing the child attention towards gender-identified toys. This is known as canalization whereby, boys and girls are given certain toys, clothing, sports equipment, and other objects are often culturally identified more with one gender than the other. Boys’ toys tend to encourage physical activity, whereas girls’ toys tend to stress physical proximity and mother-child talk.

According to Oakley (1974), the socialization process aid to the maintenance of male dominance and female subservience. The roles learn through the above process shape adult behaviour and hence, contribute to the reproduction of differences in behavior of males and females.

Thirdly, Applies Different Verbal Descriptions to the Same Behavior: Even years later,

working in professional careers, women might find that they have to deal with different standards for the same behavior, being called “pushy,” for example, for behavior at work that in men is admired for being “aggressive.” The same thing happens in childhood: A boy is encouraged for being “active,” where as a girl is rebuked for being “too rough.” Or a girl is complimented for being”gentle,” but a boy is criticized for not being “competitive enough.”

Encourages or Discourages Certain Stereotypical Gender-Identified Activities:

As a boy, were you asked to help mother with sewing, cooking, ironing, and the like? As a girl, were you made to help dad do yard work, shovel snow, takeout the trash, and so on? For most children, it’s often the reverse. Note thatthe identification of girls with indoor domestic chores and boys with outdoorchores becomes training for stereotypical gender roles (McHale et al. 1990;Blair 1992; Leaper 2002; Shellenbarger 2006).

The education system is also considered to be a major part of the gender socialisation process. The hidden curriculum is known for reinforcing the traditional model of how girls and boys look and act through the use of course material. For example, teachers reinforces gender roles by encouraging boys and girls to develop different skills. According to Thorne (1993), children also divide themselves along gender lines in the lunch room, claiming different spaces of the playground, and often sanction individuals who violate gender roles.

Mass media are one of the most powerful tools of gender socialization because television, magazines, radio, newspapers, video games, movies, and the Internet are ubiquitous in American culture. Like other social institutions, mass media reinforce traditional gender roles. Magazines targeted at girls and women emphasize the importance of physical appearance as well as finding, pleasing, and keeping a man. While boys’ and men’s magazines also focus on the importance of physical appearance, they also stress the importance of financial success, competitive hobbies, and attracting women for sexual encounters (rather than lasting relationships). These supposed ”masculine” and ”feminine” characteristics and behaviors are reinforced across the media system, from video games and movies that show athletic heroes rescuing thin and busty damsels in distress, to television programs that depict women as housewives, nurses, and secretaries and men as lawyers, doctors, and corporate tycoons. Print media also play an important role in socialization. In children’s literature, for example, boys typically are the protagonists, who use strength and intelligence to overcome an obstacle. When girls are included in stories, they are typically passive followers of the male leader or helpers eager to support the male protagonist in his plan. This state of affairs is undergoing change, however. An increasing number of television shows (Zena: Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alias, and Veronica Mars), movies(Laura Croft: Tomb Raider and Elektra), and books (Harry Potter) have crafted new visions of masculinity and femininity. It remains to beseen if these images take hold and affect gender socialization processes.

Mass media

They also learn gender roles, the behavior and activities expected of someone who is male or female. These expectations channel male and female energies in different gender- appropriate directions. As children learn to look and behave like boys or girls, most reproduce and perpetuate their society’s version of how the two sexes should be. When children fail to behave in gender-appropriate ways, their character becomes suspect (Lorber 2005)

Lorber, Judith. 2005. “Night to HisDay: The Social Construction ofGender.” In The Spirit of Sociology:A Reader, ed. R. Matson, 292-305.New York: Penguin.

At the minimum people call girls who violate the rules tomboys and boys who do so sissies.

The gender socialization process may be direct or indirect. It is indirect when children learn gender expectations by observing others’ words and behavior, such as the jokes, comments, and stories they hear about men and women or portrayals of men and women they see in magazines, books, and on television(Raag and Rackliff1998).

Raag, Tarja, and Christine Rackliff.1998. “Preschoolers’ Awarenessof Social Expectations of Gender: Relationships to Toy Choices.”Sex Roles: A Journal of Research38(9-10): 685.

Socialization is direct when significant others intentionally convey the societal expectations to children.

Agents of Socialization

Agents of socialization are the significant people, groups, and institutions that act to shape our gender identity-whether we identify as male, female, or something in between. Agents of socialization include family, classmates, peers, teachers, religious leaders, popular culture, and mass media. Child development specialist Beverly Fagot and her colleagues (1985) observed how preschool teachers shape gender identity. Specifically, the researchers focused on how toddlers, ages 12 and 24 months, in a play group interacted and communicated with one another and how teachers responded to the children’s attempts to communicate.

Fagot, Beverly, Richard Hagan, Mary Driver Leinbach, and Sandra Kronsberg. 1985. “Differential Reactions to Assertive and Communicative Acts of Toddler Boys and Girls.” Child Development 56(6): 1499-1505.

Fagot found no differences in the interaction styles of 12-month-old boys and girls: All of the children communicated by gestures, gentle touches, whining, crying, and screaming.

The teachers, however, interacted with them in gender-specifi c ways. They were more likely to respond to girls who communicated in gentle, “feminine” ways and to boys who communicated in assertive, “masculine” ways. That is, the teachers tended to ignore girl’s assertive acts but respond to boys’ assertive acts. Thus, by the time these toddlers were two, they communicated in very different ways. Fagot’s research was conducted more than 20 years ago. A more recent study found that early childhood teachers are more accepting of girls’ cross-gender behaviors and explorations than they are of boys’. According to this research, teachers believe that boys who behave like “sissies” are at greater risk of growing up to be homosexual and psychologically ill-adjusted than are girls who behave like “tomboys.” This fi nding suggests that while American society has expanded the range of behaviors and appearances deemed acceptable for girls, it has not extended the range for boys in the same way (Cahill and Adams 1997).

Children’s toys and celebrated images of males and females fi gure prominently in the socialization process, along with the ways in which adults treat children. Barbie dolls, for example, have been marketed since 1959 with the purpose of inspiring little girls “to think about what they wanted to be when they grew up.” The dolls are available in 67 countries. An estimated 95 percent of girls between ages 3 and 11 in the United States have Barbie dolls, which come in several different skin colors and 45 nationalities

(Mattel 2010).

From the time our children are born we work with them on getting along with others. Children need to learn how to communicate with others, how to problem solve, and morals. A good place for children to learn these steps is at home with the family. When there is a healthy family relationship the child will develop greater social skills.

One thing that a family can work on is to promote good communication. This can be done by just sitting around the dinner table and holding conversations. The parent needs to talk to the child as well as listen to what the child has to say. This helps to develop the child’s communication skills and teaches them how to communicate with others.

Another thing that families can work on at home is problem solving skills. This can be done by guidance from the parent. The parent can help point out what the problem is and they can think of different ways to solve the problem. After they have come up with different ways to solve the problem the child (with the parents direction) can evaluate the solution and then come up with a plan to solve the problem. This is also another way that the parent can work on communication skills with the child.

When families attend church they learn about different types of morals. However, not everyone has to go to church to learn morals. The parents can teach these at home through example. When the parents are living a clean, good moral life it is showing the child how to live a good clean moral life. It is important for the parent to set good examples so the child has them to follow. The examples the child will learn from are by the parents interactions with other (i.e. the verbal and non-verbal communication with others), by how the parent treats the child, and through observing how the parent handles different situations. The parents can also teach the child about lying and stealing through example and when the conversation comes up. If there isn’t good morals in the home this can affect the moral character of the children.

Parents need to work hard to provide the basic needs for the family. The child shouldn’t need to focus on the basic needs because they need to spend time learning to problem solve. If the child has to stress over the basic needs then there isn’t time left over to learn how to problem solve and can affect the child’s social and emotional development.

At school there are also things that can contribute to the communication development of children. These things can be the interaction of classmates, interactions with the teacher, and how the classroom is arranged. The classroom arrangement can help in encouraging communication between students. By setting the desks up in groups or having tables in the classroom this encourages communication, but if the desks are set up in rows this can hinder the opportunity for children to interact and communicate with each other. Also having the desks set up in groups gives the teacher easier access to the students and helps with the student to teacher communication.

The classroom environment is also another strong contributor to the development of the students problem solving skills. Maurice Elias suggest “engage in creative, disciplined process of exploring alternative possibilities that leads to responsible, goal-directed action, including overcoming obstacles to plans” (Elias, 2003). Through listening to Elias’s suggestion the students can be promoted in their learning, develop problem solving skills, and can also learn how to assume responsibility for their learning.

When the teacher is in the classroom and is dictating to the children and when the child answers something wrong is harsh to them then the students can have impaired communication and problem solving skills. When the student is uncomfortable with answering the question the teacher has asked of them they aren’t able to develop upon their communication skills. However, if the teacher were to show empathy instead of being harsh the student will be comfortable participating and will be able to develop upon their communication skills.

When the child’s basic needs are being met and you add a morally strong home with a classroom that encourages open communication the student will be well on their way of having their communication and problem solving skills met.

Dunia Finance LLC presents a unique business circumstance, being launched in the summer of 2008, a time when the recession was starting to kick into action. Dunia is one of the few business that operates in the gulf area as a financial institution (which is not the same as a bank) and is continually looking to expand its customer base within the United Arab Emirates before going international. The company was not aware that the ‘credit crunch’ would hurt the world economy, and thus they had been anticipating a successful launch in 2008 and had been preparing the business two years prior to the launch. Since Dunia was a new business in the finance market of the UAE it was interesting to see what separated them from banks and other financial institutions as they claimed they were not a bank. Furthermore it was extremely interesting to analyse a young business in its first strides into the market.

Areas of Syllabus to be covered:

1.5 External environment

1.6 Organizational planning tools4.3 Product

4.4 Price

4.5 Promotion

4.6 Place (distribution)Theoretical Framework:

I will be analyzing and assessing the future marketing strategies as the key of Dunia being a private sector company, would be to find potential customers in new and emerging markets. Thus I will need to look at the current market share, and possibly add a prediction towards the end of the research essay as to how Dunia would fare in five years time. The competitors which include any financial institution such as Emirates NBD (a local bank) or

Al-Futtaim HC Securities & Investment (local that are in the same market is Dunia, i.e private sector. I will be looking at target percentage for the market that Dunia wishes to increase their influences in, consumer profile and behaviour, and nature of the market. Also possible penetration areas within existing markets and new markets.

Methodology:

Primary Research: In the form of a formal interview with an employee in marketing, presenting specific questions on marketing only. This should prove effective in providing my main findings, also only one person is chosen as the data that would be shared with me would be the same if another marketing employee were asked.

Secondary Research: Secondary Research can be conducted through means of Dunia’s annual reports for both operating years 2008 and 2009 (which are accessible by the general public on http://dunia.ae/common/investor_relations/annual_report.htm); however the 2010 version is yet to be published. Also a corporate book is available (at http://dunia.ae/common/investor_relations/corporate_book.htm). Both these sources are anticipated to provide quite a lot of data.

Possible Analytical Tools: I will try to incorporate some of these analytical tools into my research essay: Boston matrix, SWOT analysis, product positioning map, accounts and break even analysis.

Anticipated Difficulties

I am anticipating that I may not be able to obtain data from rival companies. Also I am anticipating that the data I receive from one person and online will make up for the lack of data from other sources. I am also anticipating that my time line of action will be have to be adjusted due to the fact that the person I am interviewing is at a high position and is often busy or out of the country. Also I will probably not use all the stated analytical tools possibly only two. This is because Dunia Finance LLC is a private financial institution that is a young business and is unwilling to display many figures and financial data.

Possible Solutions:

The internet is my only medium to rival financial businesses’ information such as market share and market segmentation. The only possible way to get hold of the marketing interviewee is to schedule a time and date that is possible for both of us and make sure there is no cancelation in advance. Also the analytical tools that are applicable to this report seem quite slim, however throughout the research and development of the essay, it is likely that three or more analytical tools will be used.

Action Plan
Activity Conducted
Date (2010/2011)

Decide upon Topic and Create Research Proposal

May End

Feedback on Research Proposal

June Beginning

Came up with new business and Research Proposal

June End

Approach acquaintance and try to get in contact with Marketing Representative

July-August

Conducted Interview

September 22nd

Start Main body of essay

September 27th

Continue work and follow up with more information (from marketing slides)

October 16th

Proof Read and Final Editting

November 10th

Hand in First Draft

November 11th

Found New Annual Report 2009

January 25th

Receive First Draft back with feedback and ask questions

February 3rd

Improve First Draft

February 3rd-23rd

Hand in Final Copy

February 23rd

Executive Summary:

Dunia Finance LLC is a 1? year old business which is currently on its way to breaking even. The economic turmoil in which the UAE is in presents Dunia with challenges in breaking even and eventually producing profit. I have posed the question Research Question: How could Dunia Finance LLC increase its market share in the next 5 years? Because it allows me to interpret and understand how market share can be developed and I found this business very intriguing.

The investigation is carried out through one thorough interview, accompanied by company books (annual reports marketing slides, and secondary research through the company’s website. The limitation is the cost centre figures that I analysed that are not accurate.

The main findings show that although Dunia is a young developing business it is likely to be able to increase market share within the next 5 years by doing the following:

Reduce salaries by 10% till break even is reached

Focus on internet advertising

Focus on the two market segments of Dunia Gold and Dunia Money

Word Count: 177

Introduction:

Dunia Finance LLC is a business that was recently launched as a financial institution in the U.A.E. It is new in the financial market and was launched when the ‘credit crunch’ had begun its global toll on the world’s economies. The company is made up of 5 directors. In which 4 companies: Mubadala holds 31% ownership, Fullerton Financial Holding holds 40% ownership, Waha Capital PJSC holds 25% ownership, and the remaining 4% ownership is presumably taken by A.A. Al Moosa Enterprise. Marketing plans have matured from general introduction into the market, to acknowledgement and creating awareness. Here lies the main objective currently of Dunia Finance LLC, to raise awareness. A raise in awareness implies that there is likely to be higher revenue generated and therefore leading to growth and furthermore increased market share. As consumer awareness is increased with revenue, brand loyalty and many other factors come into play as the business begins to mature. The current market share is quoted approximately at ‘5%’ (Interview with Mariam El Samny). In 2007 there were “a total of 46 domestic and foreign banks” (http://www.cluteinstitute-onlinejournals.com/PDFs/200785.pdf).

A

Figure 1: If we look at this product life cycle stage, we can place Dunia Finance LLC, at Point A in-between introduction and growth, as they are still raising awareness. (Original image adapted from: http://212.85.13.29/podcast/wp-content/uploads/plc.png)http://212.85.13.29/podcast/wp-content/uploads/plc.png

Research Question:
How could Dunia Finance LLC increase its market share in the next 5 years?
Procedure or Method:

Primary Reasearch: I conducted an interview and have looked over the company books and slides I was given. The research is sufficient as it provided me with all the data the company had and which I could use.

Secondary Research: The website provided me with two annual reports and the corporate book; also a newspaper article provided me with adequate back up data. There were no limitations except the accuracy of the article.

Main Findings:

Target Market: When a company is trying to do anything with marketing at all they must ask the question, “For whom am I advertising the product?” Dunia Finance LLC has clearly stated to me that its target market has been defined as the Salaried Mass Market individuals, the Self Employed Mass Market individuals, Mass Affluent individuals, and Affluent individuals.

Figure 2: UAE’s population by nationality First a look is taken at the population distribution of nationalities in the UAE.

Figure 2 represents the potential target market. (Adapted from marketing slides #2)

Dunia has segmented their market to cater to the four groups. Which are: Self Employed Mass Market, Salaried Mass Market, Mass Affluent, and Affluent individuals.

Product Portfolio:

Dunia Gold (Affluent) offers a “customized and tailor-made solutions” through offering “a wide range of financial products and services while delivering these with exceptional service and convenience through a single point of contact” (Adapted from Marketing Slide #6).

Dunia Trade (Self Employed Mass Market) offers a “caring community-based financial services provider designed specifically to serve the un-banked or under-served lower income self-employed, through a superior relationship experience, empathy and respect, with convenient, fast and easy access to credit for their business or personal needs” (Adapted from Marketing Slide #6).

Dunia Money (Salaried Mass Market) offers a “community-based, superior service and relationship experience based on empathy and respect, while delivering customers with easy credit, simple savings and remittance products, to meet their simple financial needs, in order to help them provide a better future for self and for family back home” (Adapted from Marketing Slide #6).

Dunia (Mass Affluent) offers “a wide range of customized financial solutions through superior products, service and relationship experience based on respect, with easy access through an empowered Relationship Manager, alternative access channels for convenience and speed to provide for better life-style and future for self and for family back home / internationally ” (Adapted from Marketing Slide #6).

Figure 3: Target Market Research and branding

The business is fairly new and it will face constraints such as high costs, technology constraints, and market constraints. Market constrains caused the most damage in the 2008-2009. Combination branding has been used effectively for these four brands, where the brand name is always associated with Dunia.

Pricing:

Dunia uses a “risk reward based pricing for asset products” ( http://dunia.ae/common/pdf/dunia_AnnualReport2009.pdf, pg.12) Dunia sets its interest rates at “5.5%” (http://dunia.ae/common/pdf/dunia_annual_report_spread_page.pdf, page 116).

Advertising Strategies:

The next question is “how do I cater to and attract customers from this target market?”

Above the line promotion: Dunia employs both reassuring advertising and informative advertising.

Informative Advertising: Dunia has understood that in recent times its customer base can be reached more effectively through the advertising medium of the Internet. This stage of advertising is still in the trial process but it has yielded a high response. Internet marketing is the cheaper alternative and is far more effective.

Reassuring Advertising: Another marketing strategy was to ensure that old customers would generate even more faith in the company. We can see this in Figure 4, as in four days the average response has been quite high, showing that newspaper ads are still worthy of being incorporated into the marketing budget.

Figure 4: Here is a result of a survey conducted on the feedback of news paper advertisements.

(adapted from extra marketing slides )

Below the Line Advertising:

Dunia uses sales promotions such as the current one which stated “fly away free with your Dunia loan” (http://dunia.ae/common/pdf/21625_Dunia_Fly%20Away%2020x12_1(GN).pdf). This is a sales promotion in the form of a free offer. Merchandising is conducted from the point of sale of atm’s, Dunia centres, mobile banking, internet banking, and a 24 hour helpline. Personal selling happens primarily through the helpline, the centres, and via e-mail.

Distribution (Place)

Dunia uses the channel of distribution directly to the customer. Direct marketing occurs as customer can plan their finance online, via mobile banking, and through the helpline. Also direct response advertisements are used through the newspaper ads and internet ad campaigns. Furthermore the call centre ensures rapid response and feedback to the customer.

Analysis and Discussion:

For a small company such as Dunia Finance LLC, I personally feel that it is unadvisable to start with such a broadly defined target market and 4 product portfolios. It seems that expansion was too rapid. A SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, Boston Matrix, and Finance will be analysed.

SWOT ANALYSIS of INTERNET ADVERTISING VS. NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING

Strengths (Internal): 1) It is low cost. 2) Proves to be quite effective in producing results and responses are easily tracked.

Weaknesses (Internal): 1) Not able to reach as many potential and existing customers. 2) Ads on websites and emails are often ignored or found annoying by internet users. 3) Message can often be misinterpreted.

Opportunities (External): 1) the young entrepreneurial, business individuals are affluent in the UAE and Dunia is targeting these individuals through internet ads. 2) Easily accessible to those who have internet access even in other countries.

Threats (External): 1) Stronger more effective ad campaigns on the internet from established and well known companies. 2) Possible worsening economic status Dunia is already cutting costs and this would probably hurt investment in advertising.

Newspaper Advertising:

Strengths (Internal): 1) Older more traditional individual will see the ads.

Weaknesses (Internal): 1) Expensive to finance. 2) Response is not easily tracked. 3) Not being read as much as online sources.

Threats: 1) Changing consumer tastes to internet media is making newspaper companies bankrupt and they are less read. 2) Cannot be seen outside of the UAE.

In Depth Analysis:

It is clear from the above brief swot analysis that internet advertising is much more efficient. This is extremely important to help Dunia increase market share, as they haven’t broken even yet and cutting costs must be enforced to increase profit margins and overall efficiency. There is only one strength of newspaper advertising, as opposed to two strength’s for internet advertising, has greatly triumphed over newspaper advertising. Internet advertising (even though Dunia is not going international) can be accessed anywhere in the world thus is extremely efficient. However in both cases sometimes the message and aim of the advertisement is lost. This is because advertisements are generally considered a nuisance and are not looked at extensively. Conclusively it would definitely be wise for Dunia to switch most or all of their advertising to online.

PEST ANALYSIS:

Political – The political aspects haven’t affected Dunia and this factor should not hinder Dunia’s efforts to increase market share. Only if new political policies are put into place specifically aimed at finance companies then and then only will Dunia be affected.

Economical: The business faced an extremely hard start up due to the fact that its launch initiated around the same time as the ‘credit crunch.’ However Dunia has a bright future due to its hands on approach to providing service, and ensuring trust by offering loans even in times of economic despair.

Social: The UAE presents a working environment, which is good in terms of Dunia, as they want to serve those hard working individuals with credit cards, loans, and insurance. As a young prospecting ambitious individual I feel it is a great place for a finance company, however setbacks such as the above mentioned ‘economic recession’ have not helped.

Technological: Dunia has been nominated winner of best use of technology in the Middle East Banker category in 2009. This proves that Dunia is doing quite well in this category. However they are quite late in making the transition to internet campaigns.

Boston Matrix:

Here is the boston matrix that I have prepared for Dunia as a general business outlook. I am predicting that Dunia will become a cash cow although it is currently a dog. Which is demonstrated in the financial analysis. A star of course is the best position and a question mark may also happen if the market grows.Untitled9.png

Financial Analysis:

Dunia issued 17,311,000 AED worth of loans in the 2009-2010 year, however I was unable to get a quote for the interest rate on these loans, which range from auto loans, credit cards, and personal loans. The interest income, loans and advances, and deposit with banks, only generated 39,131,000 AED in this year. This emphasizes the ability that people lacked to pay back their loans. This is one of the main causes for Dunia’s reported loss of “116 million AED” in the 2009 year, and a “114 million AED” loss in the first period. The “general and administrative expenses” listed as “123,040,000” (http://dunia.ae/common/pdf/dunia_annual_report_spread_page.pdf, pg.92), seem to jump out as the reason for the 116 million loss. Furthermore, I received information on the cost centres which include rent for “19 offices 1,000 square feet and one headquarter 50,000 square feet” at roughly “800-1000 AED per a square foot”(Interview with Gnei Shahana Dole). It can be calculated as 62,100,000 AED. The average”700 employees salaries at 2.5% senior management, 35% middle management and the rest office level” (Interview with Mariam El Samny) based on Dubia faqs information the salaries range from 2,500 AED to 150,000 AED monthly. This adds up to 123,420,000 AED alone. The last cost centre is the marketing ad’s which adds up to 45000AED for 150 ads in one year.

Recommendations and Conclusion:

Recommendations: Dunia has clear cut targets currently which are in the awareness stage. The future targets to gain credibility and further acceptance into the market seem reachable although the extremely high 116 million AED losses must be corrected for the future. To achieve this goal Dunia must make some workers redundant or for a short period of time reduce the salaries. Making workers redundant however is not a viable option as these workers were trained by Dunia. Thus Dunia must incorporate a time of salary ‘tolerance,’ where every employees salary should be lowered by 10% changing the total to 2,370,000, once Dunia breaks even then the salaries can be put back to the previous level. Another recommendation is that Dunia focus their marketing energy on internet advertising mainly and leave a small portion to the newspaper advertising. This would help to ensure that the ‘young’ market will be well informed. Also the sales promotions should be continued as they will help increase awareness. Furthermore Dunia can focus more specifically on Dunia Gold and Dunia Money. As the two segments were most likely the least hurt by the recession. Also allowing the business to focus on two segments for a while will increase efficiency.

Conclusion: There are many approaches to increase market share for Dunia Finance LLC. The main concern involved was how will Dunia do it cost effectively within the next 5 years. A lack of internal sources of finances may present a problem, as I have stated before Dunia must break-even to consider further expansion. The PESTLE analysis revealed that Dunia’s external environment is only dangerous in the sense of the ‘economic recession,’ which is a global concern and cannot be dealt with as an individual company. Also as the Boston Matrix revealed, Dunia is currently a dog quoted at 5% market share. My recommendations if employed are likely to help Dunia increase their market share within the next 5 years. Also the world economy is expected to readjust itself in this time ridding Dunia of the economic problem it had.

Cognitive theory of Jean Piaget includes four stages of development that children move through during which the explanatory behaviors of infants transform into the abstract, logical intelligence of adulthood. There are three important specific characteristics of Piaget’s theory of which the first one is being a general theory, that is, cognition’s all aspects undergo a similar course of change. Another characteristic is that children move through the stages in an invariant sequence. Piaget believed that there is a same order that children follow. Third, the stages are universal. Stages in cognitive theory assume the theory to include all children everywhere (Berk, 2003). Biological concepts are used in a limited way in Piaget’s theory. However, he stated the importance of genetic and environmental factors on the way that children move through the stages (Crain, 2005). He emphasized that the speed of children while passing those stages is affected by differences in genetic and environmental factors.

Jean Piaget used the term scheme while explaining human beings’ organized way of making sense of experience (Mark, 1969). Traill (2008) explains that the term scheme used by Piaget is different from people’s everyday usage of scheme. The term can be any pattern for exploring and learning from the environment and it has three different intellectual structures. Piaget calls first intellectual structures to emerge as behavioral schemes, ones that appear after 2 years as symbolic schemes, and structures that appear after 7 years as operational schemes (Piaget, 1972, as cited in Traill 2008). For instance, dropping scheme of an 8 month old baby and a 25 months of will not be the same, as sooner it will become more deliberate and creative. Toddlers, different from infants, begin to think before acting and Piaget identifies that transition from sensorimotor to cognitive approach to the world which depends on mental representations. (Piaget, 1926, as cited in Berk 2003) Images and concepts are the two powerful mental representations.

Especially, the shift from sensorimotor to cognitive approach is accounted for two processes; adaptation, consisting assimilation and accommodation, and organization. Interpretation of new structures into already existing schemes is called as assimilation and modification of existing schemes into adaptation of new experiences is called as accommodation. Cognitive adaptation aims to adjust to the environment and is a result of the equilibrium between assimilation and accommodation (Block, 1982). While trying to grasp an object, a baby is experiencing the assimilation process, while removing an obstacle and grasping an object, a baby now accommodates the scheme (Crain, 2005). During the organization process more complex intellectual structures are combined with existing schemes by children. For instance, after the baby experienced and covered dropping movement, then he/she will relate it with throwing movement as well as understanding the concepts of near and far (Berk, 2003).

The Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 Years)

Jean Piaget observed his children during their developmental period and constructs the stages based on his observations. His books mostly involve many examples from his dialogues and interactions with his children. The sensorimotor stage consists of six substages.

(Santrock, 2004)

That stage starts with the use of reflexes from birth to 1 month. Newborn reflexes take important place in sensorimotor stage. According to Piaget inborn reflexes are consisted from first schemes. He states that as children use inborn reflexes and experience assimilation, they desire to put them to active use (Crain, 2005).

After one month, children begin to repeat their chance behaviors and primary circular reactions period (one to four months) starts. A baby experiences the thumb sucking by bringing her hand to her mouth by a chance, when the hand falls she wants to get it back and experiences many failures until she gets it back (Crain, 2005). At that example the child organizes the hand movement and sucking which is a kind of circular reaction. Piaget also states that children at that period indicate the first efforts at imitation (Berk, 2003).

The next substage is secondary circular reactions and is observed between fourth and eighth months. Infants start to experience motor achievements that encourage them to play attention to their environment. Infants begin to get enjoyment from the response of the environment to their attempts and they repeat their movements that get reaction from their surrounding (Santrock, 2004).

Coordination of secondary schemes substage takes place during eight to twelve months. At this stage infants begin to coordinate tow or more actions to achieve simple objectives. In addition with an intentional purpose, babies try to imitate behaviors after watching a person. One may be able to observe a baby at this stage trying to stir with a spoon. In addition, a baby may begin to cry when she sees her mother wearing her coat in order to stop her mother leaving (Berk, 2003).

In substage 5, tertiary circular reactions (twelve to eighteen months), children are interested with different outcomes. Piaget had observed one of his children hitting on a table at different rates in order to listen different sounds that he creates (Crain, 2005). It should be noted that all experiences are results of children’s intrinsic curiosity about the environment around them that Piaget emphasizes within his cognitive development theory.

The last substage of the sensorimotor period is named as beginnings of thought or internalization of schemes lasting from eighteen to twenty months. During that substage children have the capacity to remember the behaviors that are not present (deferred imitation). Their efforts on imitation also indicate progress and they experiment with actions inside their heads. Besides, children can be observed to engage in make-believe play during that period (Santrock, 2004).

Object Permanence:

Piaget and many researchers concluded that infants appreciate concepts of permanence objects. Up to four months, children do not make any attempt to an object leaving in front of their eyes. During secondary circular reactions stage children are more able to explore their surrounding and they have a better sense of permanence of objects. At stage four children have the ability to find the hidden objects. If an adult takes a toy behind a box, the baby will look at the behind of the box and find the toy. During the stages five and six children are able to follow displacements and follow invisible shifts (Crain, 2005).

Beginnings of Categorization:

Before the capability of mental representation children are not able to categorize objects. During the first year of their life, children experience perceptual categorization. For example they can categorize the legs of an animal. Conceptual categorization begins with the end of first year; they are now able to categorize similar characteristics and behaviors. Active categorization period starts with the beginning of the second year. It is stated that sorting objects into two classes can be observed in eighteen months babies. In the second year babies can group two different kinds of objects without grasping them (Berk, 2003).

When the observed milestones of research and the description of substages of Piaget are compared from birth to two years, both similarities and differences are seen. There are points that seem to occur earlier than Piaget accepted such as categorization, deferred imitation, and analogical problem solving. Those differences are explained differently from many researchers. Some of the surveys indicate that some children born with different intellectual capacities and some of them with a set off limits which causes those differences. The latter argue the theory of Piaget in terms of biological considerations.

The Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 Years)

Preoperational stage is lasting from two to seven ages in which the child is more capable while dealing with the environment. Although the reasoning of child is still unsystematic and illogical, that is the period that children begin to use symbols and rapidly develop representation. One of the important symbols that indicate increase during that period is language (Santrock, 2004). Piaget believed that experience of internal images occurs before labeling words and he did not take language as an important tool in cognitive development of children. Berk (2003) argues that Piaget had misadjusted the role of language in early intellectual development. She proposes that conceptual abilities of children are highly affected from the dialogues of children with adults. Moreover, there are many psychologists that believe as children develop their language ability, they begin to think more logically.

Children experience transductive reasoning during that stage which means shifting from one particular to another. Children place two unrelated situations into the same case as if they have a relationship. One of Piaget’s children had concluded that she hadn’t had her nap yet so it wasn’t afternoon (Piaget, 1924). Piaget (1924) explains that statement as an example of transductive reasoning, because the child did not catch the understanding that afternoons include many different events and having nap is only one of them.

An important milestone of the increase in mental representation is make-believe play during preoperational stage. The differences in make-believe play between sensorimotor and preoperational stage can be clearly observed. By the middle of preoperational stage make-believe play of children indicate real life conditions. In addition, by preoperational stage children begin to engage in sociodramatic play, they coordinate variety of roles and story lines during their play.

One of the criticized points of cognitive theory of Piaget is based on the belief of Piaget that play reflects children’s cognitive and social skills, however there are many recent studies indicating the contribution of play on those skills. Especially during sociodramatic play, children interact with their peers longer and they are more cooperative. Many psychologists believed the role of strengthening of make believe play on a wide range of mental abilities and logical reasoning (Berk, 2003).

Egocentrism:

Piaget stated that children look at their surrounding from their own viewpoint and they ignore perspectives of others. Three-mountains study is one of the famous observations of Piaget explaining egocentric behavior of children at preoperational stage. He had used a model of three mountains and taken a child for a walk around the model in order to give opportunity for the child to look at the model from different view. Piaget had placed the child from one point of the model and placed a toy to another place. The child had been asked what he/she saw while looking at the model and what the toy would be seen while looking at it. All the children could correctly explain what they were seeing, however children at preoperational stage gave the same answer with their own view (Crain, 2005).

Studies emphasize on the relation between egocentrism and social communication. Children at preoperational stage, according to Piaget, fail to recognize the needs of their peers during verbal interaction (Rubin, 1973). As they look only from their own view, they are able to understand view of the person interacting with them. They think that they can be seen from everywhere, everybody see and hear them. An adult may observe a child at this period telling that nobody could see him/her while closing his/her eyes with hands.

Animism:

Piaget (1951) proposes that the child recognizes no limits between himself and the external world and it is expected that the child would see many nonliving and non acting things as living and conscious and he explains this phenomenon as animism. In his book “The Child’s Conception of World”, 1951, he identifies the reason for him to use the term “animisim”. He accepts that animism was term used for primitive human beings and responds the criticisms by telling that he had used that term as a generic term and emphasizing on the different types of animism in psychological origins (Piaget, 1951).

Children at preoperational stage have a belief that objects are alive because they move and grow. For example, a child may tell that “there are not any cars on the road, because they are sleeping”. Piaget described animism inside four stages. Initially children accepted useful things as living. At this first stage broken or damaged objects were not alive for them. At the second stage, moving objects, whether are moved by an external factor or by themselves, were considered as alive. In stage three, to be categorized as living, things should move by themselves. Lastly, at the fourth stage, adults know that plants and animals are living things only (Moriarty, 2005).

Irreversibility:

Going through a series of steps and after changing direction is difficult for children at preoperational stage. Another well known experiment of Piaget indicates that problem in a way that there are children shown 16 boxes, 6 of which are yellow and 10 of which are red. When children are asked whether red boxes are more or boxes, children at this stage responds as red boxes and fails to be aware of that both yellow and red boxes are boxes. In his book “The Child’s Conception of World”, 1951, Piaget gives examples about irreversibility. There are dialogues indicating their inability such as, asking a child about her sister, the child responds that she has a sister named A, then Piaget asks the child whether A has a sister or not, the child responds that A has not a sister. (Piaget, 1951)

Inability to Conserve:

Piaget propounds preoperational child’s lack of conservation by applying experiments of liquids and number. He shows two same size glasses to the children and fulls the glasses with water. He asks children which of the water was more. All the children respond that they were equal in amount. Then he puts the water in one of the glasses into a different size glass (wider or taller) and repeats his question. Children at preoperational stage tell that they are now different. They have not the capability to perceive that certain physical features of objects remain same, even their physical appearance changes.

Based on experiments of Piaget, at the beginning of seven children begin to give the correct answer to the conservation tests. Before that age children indicates at conservation but not totally achieve it. They give answers like one is more because it is taller and then change their answers the other one is more because it is wider.

Besides, irreversibility of the child can be concluded based on the conservation of liquid experiment. The child cannot understand the end result as a reverse of the original one.

Jean Piaget also had thought about the failures of children from the linguistic point. Terms such as “taller”, “more”, “wider” takes time to be understood. He suggests ways to overcome that problem and tells adults to apply experiments by using different sentences and establishing questions by using different words within a particular case.

Piaget experimented conservation of children also with using number.

There is an ongoing debate whether to prioritise the safety of children or the benefits of risky play in early years setting. More particularly, the contention is on the issue of making certain children are safe against allowing them to play in emotionally and physically motivating and challenging contexts. The emphasis is currently on the right of children to participate in risky play. Thus far, there are no investigations classifying risky play. This study will attempt to accomplish this.

In the present study, risky play is defined as stimulating or thrilling varieties of play that involve a possibility of physical harm. Children usually want to and participate in risky or challenging varieties of play although, and to a certain extent, it involves the risk of getting injured or hurt. Because of the safety concerns of the Western culture, the issue of risky play in early years and the degree such play should be monitored and regulated are crucial and continuous debates (Greenfield 2003). These debates on play safety have generated safety proceedings and legislation from concerned child care workers and parents. This has invoked further disputes on the balance between the benefits of risky play for child development on one hand, and safety proceedings and litigations on the other hand (New, Mardell & Robinson 2005).

Normally, play occurs under the supervision of adults, hence controlling what children are permitted to do and where they are permitted to go (Gill 2007). For this reason, adults are influencing the safety of children when playing, and, simultaneously, they embody the greatest limitation on the child’s capability of experiencing challenges and risks that are eventually favourable for development (Gill 2007). A persistent argument in the literature is the children gain developmentally from taking risk, and that too much protection from risk can hamper development.

Historical and Current Context of the Debate

In a continuously evolving world, environmental and social aspects have significantly affected children’s opportunities for emotionally and physically challenging play. Where previously youngsters may have played in the street, playing ball games, riding bicycles or playing other outdoor activities, increased road hazards has made the streets and play opportunities restricted to children as the risk or perils are extremely high. Children nowadays are confined to their houses or designated areas for relatively secured places to play. Still even these are transforming (Ball 2002). With increasing populations, the enlarged need for housing in several areas, specifically urban areas, is weakening the play spaces of children. High-density housing is increasingly becoming widespread and housing units are becoming smaller (Rivkin 1995). Coupled with diminished opportunities for parents to allocate time for the supervision and participation in their children’s play due to expanded work obligations, this condition has led to greatly decreased opportunities for children’s participation in risky play (Rivkin 1995).

In addition to this, diminished risky play experiences have been ascribed to the fears of parents for the safety of their children. A UK survey discovered that, although 91 percent of the grown-ups asked understood the benefit of risky play, 60 percent said they were worried about their children’s safety when playing in unsafe places (Valentine & McKendrick 1997). Consequently, parents place higher constraints on their children’s independent plays. Their worries have aided the development of overprotective or domineering parenting, by which the world is viewed as a naturally unsafe place from which children have to be protected (New et al. 2005). This concern for safety is present on several levels, involving concerns linked to safety stemming from ‘stranger danger’ (p. 49) and increased street hazards, as well as those linked to harm inflicted by the use of play equipment, such as skateboards, roller blades, etc., and playground.

In contrast, Ball (2002) emphasises that, because the advantages of risky play are not simply determined using recognised western scientific processes, they have a tendency not to be properly regarded in discussions about risk and play. He argues: “If the purpose of an activity is not directly considered, then a balance between risk and benefit cannot be struck and one is in danger of considering only one side of the equation” (p. 51). It is claimed risk taking can have favourable effects in terms of children’s emotional, social and developmental needs, as well as their general well-being (Ball 2002). Advocates of risky play tend to argue that removing risks deny children the opportunity to evaluate them competently, and hence they are unprepared to cope with any circumstances they may experience in later life (Children’s Play Council 2004). It is argued that, by giving chances to children to deal with their own risks in a regulated environment, they will become skilled at important life capabilities required for adulthood, and acquire the experience required to confront the changeable nature of the world (Children’s Play Council 2004).

Gill (2007) claims that depriving children this opportunity may generate a society of risk-disinclined population, or citizens incapable of dealing with daily situations, or in children easily locating more hazardous areas to perform their risk-taking behaviour; risk-taking is regarded to have additional advantages, which contribute to the cultivation of favourable personality attributes, such as creativity (Ball 2002). Through exposure to cautiously supervised risks children become skilled at sound judgment in evaluating risks themselves, thus developing self-esteem, resilience, and confidence, attributes that are crucial for their later independence (Ball 2002). Moreover, a developing culture of litigation has led to the elimination of playground paraphernalia from numerous public places and a growing anxiety amongst educators and child care workers that they will be held responsible for any harm sustained by a child while in their supervision (Children’s Play Council 2004).

Moreover, children who adopt and use more minor techniques to play may be open to the more threatening possibilities of chronic illness linked to diminished levels of activity. Experimental data with children in preschools (Smith & Hagan 1980) and early school years (Pellegrini & Davis 1993) shows that participants who have been denied of physical play for a given period of time will, when provided with the opportunity, participate in physical activities that are much more challenging and persistent. This effect of deprivation was discovered to be more intense for boys than for girls and indicates that risk reduction techniques that limit physical activities are prone to have a direct effect on the play’s quality (Mitchell et al. 2006). Hence, the benefit of risk-taking in facilitating children’s development and learning in the context of risky play will be explored in the present study.

Current Debate

Providing opportunities of risk-taking for children in physical play does not imply that safety is taken for granted. Instead it implies that parents and educators have to be highly aware of the dangers and carry out all the essential steps to make sure that the environment is safe, and to have sufficient number of staffs to supervise risky play (Mitchell et al. 2006). Even within the field of playground safety and harm prevention there is recognition of the benefit of risk-taking during play. As argued by Mitchell and colleagues (2006), “children should have opportunities to explore and experiment in an environment that provides a degree of managed risk” (p. 122), because eventually, regardless how secure the play environment is, it will fall short in meeting its goal if it is not thrilling and appealing for children.

Inopportunely, the concept risk-taking is generally understood with negative implications, with danger and risk usually viewed as synonymous (New et al. 2005). However, Greenfield (2003) thinks a differentiation should be made between these two concepts; risk links to the child’s doubt about being capable of attaining the desired result, involving a decision whether to take risk or not, whilst danger is something the child does not perceive. Grown-ups can mostly perceive the dangers and try to get rid of them. The way is in that case certain for children to confront the challenge and take the risk should they decide to do so (Greenfield 2003). This also requires giving sufficient assistance and supervision and being conscious of those features of the child’s activities that may contribute to severe injury, particularly as an outcome of improper use of playground tools (Ball 2002).

The concept of finding the symmetry is integral if children are to have the chance to encounter some risk in their lives. This symmetry can be realised when adults respond perceptively to individual behaviour patterns (Gill 2007); to recognise and develop children’s capability of evaluating and managing risk, as well as their need for stimulation and challenge in their play.

Conclusions

Risk is a crucial deliberation within the play field, but it remains a comparatively under-studied field. The studies that have been conducted appears to assume that play is both pleasurable and favourable to children, and there is a number of substantiation that children have a higher understanding of and capability of handling risk than they are credited for. It also proposes that chances for children to evaluate and encounter risk in play are constrained because of several attitudes and structural limitations. Several authors call this a ‘risk-averse society’ due to the carefulness of risk evaluation in children’s play opportunity, and the prevailing judgment adults adopt towards risky play.

There is substantiation to indicate that several of the measures that have been adopted to build safer play for children are not needed or efficient. Scholars appeal for acknowledgement of the potential impacts that thorough safety norms have for children, and propose using a new strategy of risk evaluation.

A good early childhood environment meets the child’s basic needs and supports and encourages children to engage in activities that implement the program’s curriculum. the environment is designed to enable staff to facilitate the optimum learning for their children. the environment makes parents and guardians feel welcome, involved, and empowered. Kids often trip or tumble so the play space should accommodate this with safety precautions. Local building codes for children’s indoor play areas are also important to ensure the area meets all standards during the construction phase. An early childhood environment is many things: It’s a safe place where children are protected from the elements and are easily supervised, and it’s where the important activities of the day take place, such as playing, eating, sleeping, washing hands, and going to the bathroom. The success of an early childhood environment is not dependent upon aesthetics and design alone. Places Children Can Call Their Own. A basic human need is the need to belong. Children need to feel they belong, too. They need to be close to people they know, have familiar and comfortable objects, and be in a setting that has a personal history for them. Early Childhood Environments Should Be Functional for Both Children and Teachers

Accidents- leading cause of death for children. Most deaths could easily be prevented, so it is important to keep your child’s safety in mind at all times. Children are most commonly exposed to lead by the ingestion of paint chips or dirt that is contaminated with lead-Those days lead was an ingredient of paint, so children living in older homes with chipping paint are most at risk for lead poisoning- Reviewing your home’s risk for causing lead poisoning- avoid purchasing older toys at yard/garage/rummage sales. Some may have been recalled for lead paint- eating foods that are cooked or stored in imported or glazed pottery. Make sure older buildings contain no lead, asbestos or other toxic materials. Your community health department or child care center licensing agency can put you in contact with experts who can take samples of paint and other materials for official findings.

Learning to use baby products correctly and according to age appropriate recommendations. Putting door knob covers on doors that you don’t want your child to open, including the bathroom, rooms that aren’t childproofed. Checking the floor regularly for small items and toys that younger children can choke on. includes marbles, balls, uninflected or broken balloons, small magnets, and small toy pieces. Keeping all of the top household poisons out of your child’s reach and in a childproofed cabinet. Ice pack-angin medicine-kids panadol-first aid-updated regularly. You can prevent falls and/or things falling on them; As with infants, be sure to secure chairs, tables, shelves, lamps. so they can’t pull them over on themselves. If you have windows that they can reach, be sure they are screened, open from the top, or keep them closed and locked. If you can’t- barricade them. Installing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.- common sources of carbon monoxide exposure include:- Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:

Oil and gas furnaces

Motor vehicles

Stove/Gas range

Placing latches and locks on cabinets and drawers.

Installing a stove guard in front of the stove to keep your child’s hands off the burners.

Securing appliances, including the refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven, with an appliance locking strap.

Installing covers on electrical outlets- Take a look around your home at your electrical cords- move them out of reach.

Be sure your stairways (stairs, porches, decks, lofts, etc.) have railings- if possible one that a child can reach. If your steps are prone to being slippery, put tread mats on them or carpeting- something non-skid. If you are using a high chair for toddlers, be sure they have a wide base (so they can’t be tipped over) and always use the restraints. Never leave your baby unattended in the bath. Be sure your smoke alarms are working properly. SAFETY SCISSORS-dap equipments!

A baby gate should be an important part of every home with children. These items safely block off different parts of the house that are potentially dangerous to toddlers such as staircases. If there are any areas of the house that your toddler should not be going to yet, then you definitely need to find a gate to keep them safe. Ideally, they should be easy to install sturdy and be made of materials that are safe for your toddler. guidelines for buying the best one possible:

A frame that connects to a door frame and does not have any gaps for the heads or fingers of children. Be sure there are no sharp edges.

Do not use gates with potential foot holds.

Do you have toys or objects like marbles, legos, etc that have a diameter of less than 1 1/4 inch (about the size of a half dollar) or have detachable parts? If so they need to be thrown out or put away and NOT USED in your daycare for toddler safety/ Keep all plastic bags and Styrofoam packing out of their reach for toddler safety-Choking/suffocation and Poison hazards

Common sense tells us to keep all medications, cleaning supplies, insect poisons, bug spray, weeds killers out of reach or locked up. be sure that all sunscreen, perfumes, and cosmetics, alcoholic beverages, vitamins, and pet supplies are as well. Do not chemically treat your yard, use insect/rat poisons, or weed killer when the kids are present. Also, can the kids get behind your T.V.? If so, move it so they aren’t able to. If you have your computer, DVD players, cd players within their reach, move them up high so they can’t. Keep lighters and matches out of reach. Be sure your toilet lids are always closed. Always keep sharp objects out of a toddlers reach. Only takes a couple of seconds for those to become sharp! So are the edges of an aluminum foil/plastic wrapping box! There must be two exits out of each child activity room. One exit must lead directly to the outside. There must be a fire suppression system throughout the facility. Follow guidelines-health/fire departmnt. The building will need to have high ceilings to accommodate the main play structure. We recommend between 5 and 6 meters. Insurance?Equipment made of?-high quality. Matainance-carefully evaluated and assessed on an annual basis.

If you have a working fireplace, wood stove or space heater, is it safely screened and inaccessible to children? Are privacy locks on bathroom or bedroom doors inaccessible to children? Can the lock be opened quickly from the outside? Does the kitchen meet fire safety standards? Is fire protection available within a short distance of your center? Does the center have adequate hand washing and toileting areas in the rooms occupied by children?

The location for the preschool play area is one of the most important decisions- Choosing the location for each piece of play equipment takes some time and consideration. An open space with plenty of room for active preschoolers is essential. The room also needs some degree of security depending on the particular situation. In a child care setting, a room that is easy to monitor and keep secure is more important. Avoid areas with high air pollution/near gas stations where there are underground or above ground gas/oil storage tanks. Survey-surrounding-road-CAR parks. Once the location is established, the foundation of the room begins to take shape. Responsive/Stimulating-Not overwhelming(DAP)(colours). Because so many child care facilities have limited space, it can be challenging to respond to the uniqueness of each child within a collective environment. Young children have unique personalities and needs that require us to respond to them as individuals, not as members of a group. The environment must be responsive to this need. Ease of cleaning, maintenance, supervision, cost, and adult aesthetics should not detract from providing spaces children feel are designed for them. Children need to have private areas, secluded corners, lofts, and odd-shaped enclosures. Individual cubbies for each child’s clothes and belongings, photographs of home and family, and at least a couple of secluded areas where two or three children can gather allow children opportunities to maintain their individuality and break away from the group to avoid over stimulation.

Accurate measurements of the area help with the indoor play equipment selection. It also helps when choosing and purchasing the floor covering. A soft flooring option helps prevent injuries when children fall off of the soft play equipment. Preschool children often fall; soft surfaces such as mats underneath protect the kids. A rubber floor covering is a common option for a children’s indoor play area. It helps absorb the shock when a child falls from short play equipment. Gymnastic mats are another option for the area. These floor mats also help absorb the shock. Foam mats are also used for kids’ play areas. Local building codes governing children’s play areas might have specific requirements for the floor covering so it’s always a good idea to check first. A floor plan of the room helps determine the layout of the children’s indoor play area. It should provide a mixture of play equipment that is appropriate for preschool-aged children. The budget will influence the selection of the equipment. Soft play equipment is a popular option if the budget allows. These special pieces of equipment are designed to prevent injuries as the young children play on them. Evaluate the entire center, including the playground, hallways, and bathrooms.

Hire professional-know 1st aid/***- handle young ones-follow RATIO. knowledge and understanding of infant/toddler growth patterns and developmental needs are critical in providing appropriate care and experiences.

Creating play zones that separate the different types of play equipment increases the safety of the children’s indoor playground. Consider the amount of space each toy needs, including a buffer area to allow easy movement. The types of activities that go well together are also a factor. Once the arrangement is selected and the soft play equipment and other play areas are set up, a final walk through is needed. This test run checks for a good flow in the indoor play area to make sure the kids won’t constantly run into one another. Kids and adults should easily move around all of the play equipment. A clear line of vision for the adults from all vantage points in the room is another key factor to check during the test run.

Noise making area separate-quiet ones. Managing noise is important in a classroom. Placing carpet on the floor absorbs noise as absorbent tile on the ceiling. The reading center should be next to a quiet area like the art area. Blocks are loud, and should be located next to other loud areas such as the woodworking bench. Noisy activities can also be placed in transition areas or moved outside in good weather.

group size, the developmental stages and the infants’/toddlers’ needs shall determine the amount of space and spatial organization. The environmental needs of non-mobile infants are different from those of mobile infants, as space becomes a crucial consideration for young infants developing gross motor skills such as crawling and walking. The use of appropriate barriers is necessary for the safety and protection of younger infants. Dividers are any physical object that serves to delineate areas within a classroom, create interest areas, control traffic, and distribute children throughout the classroom. Almost anything can be used as a divider, so long as it is safe shelves, couches, fabric hung from a line, streamers attached to the ceiling, folding screens, puppet stages, etc. Safety is obviously a critical issue. Some dividers are easy to push over. The larger and heavier they are at the bottom, the safer. A divider can also be secured by fastening it to the floor or a wall. Several equipment companies have introduced dividers that attach directly to storage units and furniture. Ideally, dividers should be multi-functional for use as storage units, play furniture, and display boards. Keep in mind that solid dividers or walls of more than 30-40 inches high disrupt the circulation of air in the classroom and limit supervision of children. Less solid dividers, like fabric, avoid this problem. One teacher creatively used colorful fabric streamers attached to the ceiling as effective dividers.

Unlike traditional classrooms, early childhood environments need to support both basic functions and learning activities. Look around your classroom from a child’s perspective. Are toilets, sinks, windows, faucets, drinking fountains, mirrors, towel racks, chairs and tables, tooth brush containers, and bulletin boards at the child’s level and child-sized? Are classrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and eating areas close together so that children can develop self-help skills and important autonomous behaviors?

Like children, teachers also need to have spaces that are functional. Teachers need to be able to arrange and rearrange their classrooms for various class activities and supervision purposes. Classrooms that include permanent, built-in features such as lofts, playhouses, tables, benches, alcoves, and cubbies can be problematic. These types of fixed features make it difficult for teachers to create areas for gross motor activities, can cause injury in active children, or prevent inclusion of physical activities altogether. Classrooms built as a basic shell work best. Adaptations must be made carefully for any child with special needs, be they physical challenges, learning disabilities, or emotional issues. Brail and large lettering can be used for children with visual impairments, and sign language can be incorporated into the curriculum for those children with hearing impairments. Reducing distractions, glare, and over stimulation helps accommodate children with ADD and ADHD. Visual images are an important part of developing a feeling of belonging in all children, so it is important to display pictures of single parent families, grandparent families, and homes of every race and ethnicity, including interracial, multiethnic, and adoptive families. The entire center should also reflect diversity throughout the world race, ethnicity, languages.

Storage areas are a little like entrance and exits-they receive lots of traffic and are noisy and congested. For these reasons, storage areas can sometimes foster disruptive behavior and noise. Provide easy access to materials, allowing children to get what they need quietly and easily. The closer materials are to where they will be used, the better. Storage must also be designed so that materials for independent child use are separate from those teachers control.

Activity Area Access. Activity areas need to be located next to supplies and be easy to clean up. The classic example is the art area. While providing easy access to paint, easels, paper, and brushes, the art area needs to be close to a water source and on a surface that can withstand a mess. Similarly, the reading area must be close to book shelves, magazine racks, and comfortable places to sit.

CHILD SAFETY

This is especially true once their children become mobile and start crawling their way into trouble. Child safety is a very sensitive issue and importance for it is rising in the recent times with the rising cases of child missing, child injuries, child labor and so on. As a social citizen; it is your duty to support child safety awareness and this could be best done by protecting your own child from the world. efforts which you put to save your child from any of the dangers. Saving your child is extremely easy as it mainly includes one precaution which if followed by you can surely make a change. This precaution is that you need to keep a constant eye on your child.

The areas for play, diapering, feeding and napping shall be set up to maximize contact between the caregiver and the infant. These areas shall allow the interaction to be unhurried and quiet. Areas (especially play areas) for non-mobile infants shall be separate from those for mobile infants. The napping area shall be physically separate from other activity areas. Partitions or other suitable barricades shall be used to separate the napping area from other areas. The outdoor activity area shall be suitably surfaced and well-drained. The outdoor activity area shall be equipped with a variety of age-and developmentally-appropriate toys and equipment. The outdoor activity area shall also have shaded areas. Cribs/cots shall be of sturdy construction with closely-spaced bars. Each crib/cot shall be occupied by only one infant. Each crib/cot shall have a firm mattress and it shall be covered with vinyl or similar moisture-resistant material. Cribs/cots shall be arranged so as to provide a walkway and work space between the cribs/cots sufficient to permit staff to reach each infant without having to step over or reach over another infant-observable. Separate facilities shall be provided for food preparation. Food preparation utensils and equipment shall not be used for other purposes. Sufficient and suitable facilities shall be provided for the sterilization of milk bottles. Sinks with running water shall be provided near the diaper change area at a ratio of one sink for every 10 infants /toddlers aged 18 months and below. Sufficient potty chairs shall be provided for the infants / toddlers- kept separate from the kitchen/food preparation areas. Sleeping infants shall be placed on their backs rather than on their fronts to ensure that their breathing is not interfered. Any other soft materials that may potentially block the airways such as pillows, blankets, comforters, and bean bag chairs shall be removed. Feeding equipment and all surfaces used for food preparation shall be sterilized after each use. Liquid soap shall be used and hands washed under running water

before and after diapering

before and after preparation of meals and feeding an infant

when in contact with bodily fluids such as mucus, urine, saliva or faecal matter

Disposable paper towels shall be used for drying hands. The diapering area shall be disinfected with each diaper change. Soiled diapers shall be placed in plastic bags and disposed of in a covered bin, preferably with a step pedal to reduce the risk of contamination. Log book RECORD-allergies/ diaper changing routines/ feeding times/ injuries/visitors

Children have the same rights as adults. As a vulnerable group, children have particular rights that recognize their special need for protection and also that help them develop their full potential. Children are not helpless objects of charity or a property of their parents. They are recognized as human beings and the subjects of their own rights. A child is an individual, a family and community member with rights and appropriate responsibilities for his or her age and development stage. Children should enjoy the basic qualities of life as rights rather than privileges accorded to them (CRC 2006)

Every child whether a boy or girl irrespective of age is unique and has important value as a human being with the right to respect for their human dignity. It has a right to be heard and to be considered in all matters and decisions that concern him or her, a right to be listened to and to be taken seriously (CRIN, 2002).

This increases mutual respect and understanding between children and adults. Children’s participation protects them more effectively from abuse and exploitation. When we understand and respect children’s own experiences, we are able to create better protection mechanisms and the children themselves can act as active agents in their own protection. This helps to develop and build recognition of children as independent bearers of rights with a sense of identity and a positive implication for their self esteem (CRIN, 2002).

Children’s rights are defined in a wide spectrum of economic, civil, political and social rights. These rights have been labeled as the right to protection and right to empowerment. Some of these rights are:

Right to provision: Children have a right to be provided with a good standard of living, education and services, health care and a right to play. These include access to schooling, a balanced diet and a warm bed to sleep in. They also have a right to be protected from neglect, abuse, discrimination and exploitation (CRC, 2006)

Children also have a right to participation. They have a right to their own programs and services and to take part in them. This includes decision making and involvement in libraries. Some rights allow children to grow up healthy and free. This include; Freedom of speech, Freedom of thought, Freedom from fear, Freedom of choice and to make decisions and Ownership over one’s body.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) provides a framework for addressing not only rights to child protection care and adequate provision, but also for participation. A child who is capable of making his or her own views shall be assured by the parties of the state a right to express them freely (CRC, 2006)

The views of the child are given weight according to the maturity and age of the child. A child can participate in the sense of taking part or being present or participate in the sense of knowing that one’s actions are taken note of and may be acted upon. The extent to children’s participation will vary between and within societies (CRC, 2006)

There has been a clash between the children’s protection and participation rights. Protection rights protect the children against exploitation and abuse for the best interest of the child while participation rights allow children to take part in decisions concerning their lives and a right to freedom of conscious and to hold an opinion. Adults and their children’s views may not always coincide. Many children’s wishes and views are ignored by the adults for the best interest of the child. For instance;

Every child is entitled to acquire a name and a nationality. All children registration should be upon birth. The child’s name, birth date and parents’ names are recorded. When a child is given a name at birth, he or she is not given an opportunity to choose a name for himself or herself. The parents do this for the best interests of the child.

The child may however, decide to change its name upon reaching the age of maturity. In this case the child is denied a right to participate in choosing its name at first but at later stages of development; the same child can participate in the same by changing to its desired name (CRC).

A child has a right to be protected from all forms of punishment or discrimination regardless of their age, race, sex, religion, status, their expressed opinions, activities and beliefs of the family members. As much as a child has a right to religion, to express their opinion, or equality regardless of their age, these are sometimes restricted by their parents or legal guardians. For instance, a child is not at liberty to join a religion cult without the parents’ interference. It is not because the child is denied its freedom to worship but it’s for the best interest of the child (CRC).

Children also have a right to get and share information and to express them. In exercising this right, they are supposed to be careful not to damage themselves or the freedoms, rights and reputations of others. They may share information through talking, writing or drawing.

A child’s wishes may be ignored if it is for the best of the child. For instance, a child may be denied the right to express dislike or hatred towards a particular person by hauling insults at the person. On the same, the child may be restricted on the manner of expression. For instance through shouting or screaming or demanding instead of asking politely (CRC).

Children have a right of association. They have a right to meet and to join groups and organizations. Not all groups joined by children are acceptable by their parents or guardians; this brings a clash between the children’s right of association and prevention of joining them. Children are also restricted from joining into these groups if they stop other people from enjoying their rights. For instance a rioting group which will probably cause peace disturbance to others, or an outlawed group will not be acceptable that the children join (CRC).

Children have a right to privacy. They are protected from attacks in their way of life, their name, families and homes. However, their way of life can be invaded by their parents or guardians if it’s for their best interests, for instance, when parents suspect that the child may be involved in drugs or other unlawful activities they may be forced to ransack the child’s room or personal effects (CRC).

It’s a right for the children to access information. This they get through the radio, newspapers, television, internet and children’s books. They have a right to choose what kind of information they would like to access and in which manner. However, not all information is suitable or helpful to them (CRC).

Most of the information provided by the mass media especially the radio, television and internet is unsuitable to children. It may contain violence, obscenity or strong language. Since these are harmful to the children they don’t have a right over them and so their parents or guardians have to protect the children from such by deciding on what is good or bad for them. The parents also have to protect on what their children browse on the internet since they can access pornography or sites with violence which are harmful to the child (CRC).

It is a child’s right to live with its parents. The child can however be separated from the parents when the conditions are not favorable for the child. Such conditions may be neglect or abuse by the parents or separation by the parents hence the state has to decide on which parent has to live with the child. If the child has no parents the state decides on a home or an institution for the child to live. In this case the child may not have much of a say in the choice of who to live with. Sometimes children run away from their birth homes to live with their relatives or even live on the streets. This may be as a result of poverty or rebellion. The best interests of the child are considered first before the child is taken back to its parents’ home (CRC).

Conclusion

Children have a right to participate in decisions that shape their life and therefore should be given a chance to express their own opinion. However, this right is only exercised considering the maturity and the best interest of the child. Not all decisions that a child makes will be supported by their parents or guardians. For instance, a child cannot make a decision not to go school. For the best interests of the child the child will be forced to attend school.