Transforming for Success Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Transforming for Success - Assignment Example Transforming for Success Based on Darling-Hammond's (2010) research there are five features of successful schools which make them ideal institutions designed for producing students ready for real world adaption. a. Small size learning communities within the school The size of learning groups matter and affect the success of learning outcome. Higher incidents of safety issues, decrease learning rate, impersonal teacher-student relation and disinterests are often the results of large learning groups. To organize for success, Darling-Hammond (2010) emphasizes on small size of school units. Small groups are manageable and allow opportunities for learning and experiencing education - they can be seen, heard, noticed and participate in any activity they want. She also emphasizes that "Overall, smaller high schools are associated with greater safety, more positive student attitudes about school, higher levels of student participation and attendance, much lower dropout rates, and...higher achievement" (Darling-Hammond 2010, p.245). Small learning units therefore create an environment that fosters positive student behavior towards education. With size, personalization also becomes effective. Small learning communities foster personalization and long-term relationship building among teachers and students. Large education systems cannot be effectively managed nor can their students enjoy positive learning experience. On the other hand, small learning units can easily incorporate advisory systems through counseling, academic support and family connections, and reduce loads for teachers to pay particular attention to individual student.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Lavandula angustifolia Essay

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of Lavandula angustifolia - Essay Example The reason for which this research was carried out was the ancient belief that the herb Lavender angustifolia possessed the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. There have been mixed conclusions in the scientific history that support the hypothesis. Experiments have been carried out both in vitro and in vivo. Majority of them support the findings of the article, which confirms the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of the plant. In vitro data suggests that Eugenol, which is a small constituent in the lavender oils, has topical anesthetic effects (Catherine and Kathi, 2001). Tests conducted on animals suggest that linalyl acetate and linalool constituents in angustifolia showed significant local anesthetic effect. It also increased the number of stimuli needed to provoke palpebral closure in a dose dependant manner (Catherine and Kathi, 2001). Experiments conducted on human beings, however, have shown mixed results in relieving pain. In an experiment hospitalized children infected with HIV were given a massage of Lavender angustifolia. It was noted that the massage decreased the need for analgesic medication and relieved the continuous pain of some of the children completely (Styles, 1997). In a randomized control clinical trial conducted on 100 patients in a Critical Care Unit, the massage of lavender oil reduced the pain of the patients by 50%. 90% reduction in the heart rate was also reported by the participating patients (Woolfson and Hewitt, 1992).