What Is an Alternative High School Is It Right for You

What Is an Alternative High School Is It Right for You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Will you be attending an alternative high school or are you wondering if it’s the right choice for you or your child?For some students, alternative high schools fit their personality and learning style much better than traditional high schools, and they can be a way for these students to achieve success. What are alternative high schools? How are they different from traditional high schools? Is attending one the right choice for you? How can you find the right alternative high school? Read on for answers to each of these questions and more. What Are Alternative High Schools? An alternative high school is simply a school that doesn’t provide a completely traditional learning experience.This is a very broad definition, and, because of that, alternative high schools can vary widely. They can be public or private and can include magnet, charter, and online schools (although not every school in these categories would be considered an alternative high school). Some alternative schools are offered throughthe student’s regular school district, while others, such as magnet, charter, or private schools, operate independently of the public school system. Classes at online schools are conducted primarily or completely over the internet.There is no official â€Å"alternative school† designation or requirements a school must meet in order to be considered alternative. An alternative high school will usually include the word â€Å"alternative† in its name or mention it in its mission statement or website homepage. Alternative schools were first created to help â€Å"troubled† students who had behavioral problems that traditional publicschools were ill-equipped to handle. However, today students attend alternative schools for a variety of reasons which are discussed in more detail below.In general, alternative high schools exist to give students who do not do well in a traditional academic environment an opportunity to succeed in high school and earn a high school diploma. How Are Alternative Schools Different From Regular High Schools? As mentioned above, there can be large variations between alternative high schools.Some alternative high schools don’t give out grades, some allow students to develop their own graduation requirements, some include a significant work component, some take place during non-traditional hours, and more. Common features of manyalternative high schools include: Smaller Class Sizes:Smaller classes allow teachers to give students more individual attention and make it easier to tailor lessons to specific student needs. More Flexible Schedules and Graduation Requirements:Some alternative high schools offer classes at night, which can be helpful for students with jobs or children. Others have flexible graduation requirements and give students more choice in the classes they must take (as opposed to one math class, one science class, one English class, etc. each semester). This can give students the opportunity to study a subject of particular interest to them. Wider Variety of Teaching Methods:Alternative high schools often use numerous teaching methods that emphasize creativity and interaction. This can help students who struggle with sitting in a classroom and taking notes all day. Non-Traditional Evaluation Methods:Some alternative schools don’t give out grades, instead they provide written evaluations. Others offer academic credit for work experiences or internships. Address Social, Mental, and Emotional Needs of the Student: In addition to addressing academic needs, alternative schools often have additional resources, such as counseling and support groups, available for students. You can also research specific alternative schools to get a better idea of what they can offer. For example, City-As-Schoolin New York City, has no grades, exams, or class years. Students complete projects and papers which are added to their portfolio, and they spend about half of each week at an internship instead of in the classroom. It's also easy to find student testimonials of alternative schools online. One former student of an alternative high school credits the school with saving her life.You can read these to get a better idea of the typesof students alternative schools have helped and how they overcame their difficulties. Even if you never wanted to show up to class at your old school, an alternative high school may have teaching methods that work for you. Why Do Students Attend Alternative High Schools? There are multiple reasons why someone may begin attending an alternative high school, but they usually relate to the student not thriving in a traditional school. Specific reasons include: Trouble Learning in a Traditional Classroom One of the main reasons students attend alternative schools is because they don’t learn well in a traditional school. They may have learning disabilities that make it challenging for them to sit in a classroom all day, they may struggle to retain information learned this way, or their classes may interest them so little that they have no desire to attend school or complete homework. Alternative schools specialize in using varied and creative ways to teach the material, and their teaching methods are often much more tailored to each student’s learning preferences. Need More Support/Guidance Some students also need more guidance than traditional schools can provide. This can be academic support or emotional support/counseling. They can benefit from the smaller classes of alternative schools as well as the increased access to counselors and support groups. Many alternative schools also often have regular meetings with a student’s teachers, parents, and counselors to make sure the student is on track, which can also be beneficial for many students. Bored or Not Challenged at Their Current School Alternative high school may also be an option if you don’t feel challenged or interested at a traditional school. This may be the case if you don’t find yourself caring about your classes, struggle with sitting at a desk all day, find the coursework too easy, or want to focus your studies on a subject your school doesn’t offer. Alternative schools often use a wider variety of teaching methods, including hands-on, interactive, and self-directed work, which can benefit you. Social or Behavioral Difficulties A student might also have issues with classmates or teachers. This can include being bullied, struggling to make friends, befriending the wrong crowd, or coming into conflict with teachers and students. A student’s social network is a huge part of their high school experience, and if they don’t feel included or welcomed at their school, or don’t contribute to an inclusive and welcoming environment, it can be very difficult for them to do well. Attending a new school with new classmates as well asteachers and counselors who can better meet their needs can have a significant improvement on their high school performance. Difficult Life Circumstances Additionally, some students have experiences that make attending traditional high school challenging. These can include pregnancy, serious illness, family problems, and more. Circumstances like these can make it difficult for a student to concentrate on classes, and they may need more individual support and flexible scheduling. Is an Alternative High School the Right Choice for You? So, should you attend an alternative high school? The answer varies depending on the person, but, in general, if you are very unhappy or performing poorly at your current high school, some major changes need to happen for you to get on track to graduate high school and set yourself up for success in the future. Transferring to an alternative school that useslearning styles that suit you better than your current school can help youdo well and even begin to enjoy high school if you didn't before. The new school, teachers, and classmates can help give you a fresh start with high school. However, some students prefer to stay in their current high school and aren’t receptive to the idea of attending a new, â€Å"different† high school.Making a student transfer to a new school when they are against it can make them even less likely to succeed in school, so, if they are extremely opposed to the idea of transferring schools, and it is possible for them to stay at their current school, you could try letting them remain â€Å"on probation† at their current school. If they make required changes that are laid out beforehand (improving grades, meeting attendance requirements, disassociating with a badcrowd, etc.) they can be allowed to remain at that school, but, if they do not, they will have to transfer to an alternative school. If you do decide that attending an alternative high school is the right choice, or even if you just want more information on what your options are, read the next section on how to select the best alternative high school for you. Choosing whether to attend an alternative high school can take a lot of thought in order to make the right decision. How to Choose the Right Alternative High School Selecting the right alternative school is an important undertaking; you have to make sure you choose a school that fits with your personality and learning style. Attending an alternative school that isn’t a good fit won’t help you do any better in high school than you were doing before. Choosing which school to attend requires more work than simply finding the alternative school that’s closest to you. Follow these three steps to make an informed choice and give yourself the best chance of success in high school. Step 1: Identify the Issues With Your Current School Before you do anything else, you should figure out exactly why your current school is not working for you.Make a list of all the reasons you are switching schools. Was it due to problems with classmates? Boredom with traditional education? A need for more guidance and support? Really think about all the reasons you aren’t happy with your current school. The more complete and specific your list the better your chances of finding the best alternative school for you are. If you're unsure of whether or not you want to change schools, this is also a good time to see if you can solve these problems while remaining at your current school. You may be able to make changes to your class schedule, join a program that includes more non-traditional learning, or a different option. If you'd like the option of staying at your current school, set up a meeting with your guidance counselor and possibly some of your teachers. They'll be able to go over all your options with you so you can make the best decision. Step 2: Make a List of the Qualities Your New School ShouldHave Next, use the list you made in the previous step to come up with a new list of things your new alternative high school should have for you to do well there.Research different alternative schools online to get a better understanding of what alternative schools can offer. Perhaps you want an alternative school with smaller class sizes, non-traditional teaching methods, the opportunity to earn academic credit through a job/internship, or other qualities.You should use your list from step one to develop this second list. For example, if one of the reasons you were unhappy with your current school is because you get bored sitting at a desk all day, your second list should mention that you’d like an alternative school that offers more hands-on work. Step 3: Research Nearby Schools Now that you know what you’re looking for, start looking at potential alternative schools you can attend.Most students will be limited to schools that are close to them because they will still be living at home, but if that isn’t a requirement for you, you can look at alternative schools in a wider area that offer boarding options. You should also take cost into consideration. Some alternative high schools are free or low-cost while others can have large price tags attached. There are often ways to reduce costs through grants or scholarships. If you find an alternative school you’re interested in but is out of your price range, talk to someone at the school’s office. They should be able to give you advice on financial aid options. Once you find a school you’re interested in, research it thoroughly before applying for enrollment. Talk to teachers and staff, research the school and its goals, and see if you can speak with past or current students to get their opinion.Many alternative schools offer potential students the chance to attend classes for a day or a few days to get a feel for the school and see if it will be a good fit for them. Definitely take advantage of this if it’s an option because it’s a great way to decide if the school is really the right one for you. Once you’ve decided on a school, contact the office to learnhow you can enroll or apply for enrollment. Not all alternative schools can accept everyone who wants to attend, especially smaller schools, so be aware that it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get in. Talk to staff and teachers to get a better idea of what you need to do to get enrolled at the school. Once you've foundyour ideal alternative high school, you can begin the enrollment process! How Do Colleges View Alternative High Schools? Will attending an alternative high school hurt your chances of getting into college? Will it make colleges think you’re a â€Å"bad† kid who will have a negative impact on their school? In short, no. Colleges understand that there are many reasons why a student may attend an alternative school, and there are multiple areas on your application for you to put your alternative school experience in a positive light. If you don’t have any behavioral issues (like suspensions or expulsions) on your transcript and your attendance record is good, that is a huge benefit for you when you apply to college. You can use your personal statement to discuss why you attended an alternative school, how it helped you, and how it has prepared you for the future.Even if your grades from your first few years of high school aren’t great, showing significant improvement and being able to clearly discuss how you’ve overcome difficulties will put your alternative education in a positive light and show colleges that you’re able to overcome challenges and still be successful. If you do have a record of behavioral issues and/or truancy, convincing colleges that you should attend their school will be a bit more difficult, but you should still follow the above steps. In your personal statement (some schools also have an area on their application where you can provide them with additional information on yourself), mention that you had problems before, then clearly and specifically discuss how you’ve worked to overcome them and the progress you’ve made since then. Obviously, this is much easier to do when you've made a lot of progress, so keep staying on track in order to make the best impression. If you’re worried that colleges will think that your non-traditional learning environment hasn’t prepared you enough for college, taking the SAT or ACT and receiving strong scores will help show them that you have the knowledge necessaryto do well in college. Summary Alternative high schools can be a great, and even life-changing, option for students who haven’t thrived in traditional high schools.A wide variety of alternative high schools exist, but, in general, they use more non-traditional methods of teaching and are able to be more flexible in accommodating student needs than traditional high schools. Some alternative high schools use grades, some allow students to work part-time for class credit, some allow students to develop their own class schedule, and more.Students attend alternative high schools for a variety of reasons, but, in general, it’s because they are unhappy at, not challenged by, or uninterested in a traditional high school environment.If you decide to attend an alternative high school, be sure to research potential schools thoroughly to find one that fits you well. What's Next? Have you decided to attend an alternative school and will now be transferring schools? Our complete guide to transferring high schools will walk you through each step of the process and help you make sure you've completed each requirementyou need to! Considering online high school? They're becoming increasingly popular, but it's important to be well-informed before you make the decision to attend school online. Check out our guide to online high schools to learn if they're the right option for you. Studying for the SAT or ACT?We have great guides to help you study for the SAT and ACT and get your best score! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research - Essay Example Participant viewpoints. A desire to explore and present the various subjective perspectives of participants is associated with qualitative research. Its privileging of subjectivity is also seen in the way that the interpretation of the data is influenced by the researcher’s own biography together with their involvement with people in the study. Small-scale studies. Qualitative researchers are interested in deep exploration in order to provide rich, detailed, holistic description as well as explanation. Therefore, small samples are the norm. Holistic focus. â€Å"Rather than directing their attention to one or two isolated variables, qualitative researchers tend to be oriented to a wide range of interconnected activities, experiences, beliefs and values of people in terms of the context in which they are situated. This provokes qualitative researchers to account for a multiplicity of dimensions and relationships in the context†. (Daymon, 2002, p. 23) Flexible. Although researchers have a topic and an agenda which fuel their research progress, they are usually committed to exploring new and often surprising avenues that emerge as informants reveal their understandings and interests. Research procedures may be unstructured, adaptable and sometimes spontaneous. At times the research process may even be described as rather ‘messy’ as researchers attempt to unpack the complexities of the social world of public relations and marketing communications. Natural settings. On the whole, qualitative investigations are carried out in people's natural environments such as in their offices or where they shop. This enables researchers to observe how they go about their routine activities and

Traditional vs. New Parenting Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Traditional vs. New Parenting Styles - Essay Example The economic, social, political and cultural changes have been observed throughout the world. The evolving temperaments, attitudes, and behaviors have changed the course of human life. People no longer wait for others to change or alter a trend but believe in changing society by their individual and collective efforts. The changes that have occurred have also influenced the people’s behaviors towards each other, their relationships, values, priorities and daily life procedures. The changes in the relationships of married couples, parents and their children, teacher and students, children and grandparents etc. carry an important position in the social renovation of today’s environment. Parenting styles have been changed significantly from past till today. Today’s parents are more inclined towards teaching their children about independence, free thinking, autonomy and open-mindedness (Talay-Ongan et al., 2005 p. 31). They are given the confidence of taking their decisions by themselves and stepping towards their brighter future without interruption from or influence of others. This new parenting style, however, is efficient in making the children bold, confident, self-esteemed and determined; yet lacks in a few areas. These parenting behaviors may end up making children overconfident. The new values of children give them the power to proceed with their lives leaving their parents and other relatives behind. The independence and concept of sovereignty given to them affect their behaviors negatively, at times. Hence, these concepts, although necessary for the children’s upcoming life, may not always be beneficial for the children. Traditionally, parents used to obtain the parenting guidance from their elders like parents and grandparents and use that guidance or wisdom words to raise their children. However, today parents usually rely on the books, research paper, and different organizations to gather information on successful parenting techniques.     Ã‚  

The Columbian Exchange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Columbian Exchange - Essay Example It is noted that the fish were very expensive and so this factor did not give everyone the path to get the species. Apart from being expensive, the Spanish, who by then were the most interested people to get the fish, did not like the fact that the fish came from Jews and Muslims. It seems then that there was a sense of rejection between the two communities with the Spanish. Since the Spanish wanted to be connected with the species, the only option was to look somewhere else where the same kinds of species could be found (Wilford, pg78). The immediate alternative was the indie, and so they planned their way to that destination, and Columbus being the torchbearer. First, before gearing up to the land where they could get the longed for species, Columbus was to get permission from both the Queen and the King (Mann, pg25). Columbus did not succeed in getting the permission to invade the land from the two on the first request, though he kept persisting until the ninth time, when he was given the go ahead. With the small ships he got from the authority, Columbus knew the dream has come true and so he sailed to the Indie in the year 1492. The whole missing hard challenges, as according to the records, he made four trips to the Southern America and Caribbean (Mann, pg11). On October 11 in the year 1492, Columbus landed the Caribbean Islands and there he landed capturing the local Taino Indians and later trading them as slaves. The above marked the first trip. The second one was much bigger and took place one year later after the first visit. Still hoping to get Indians and trade with as slaves as well as hoping to loot gold, he persisted in his journey and invasions. Notably, 1498 was the year that marked the third expedition of the Columbus. He is acknowledged to be the first European to set his foot on the American Mainland. According to scholars, it is worth noting that the above three dynamics portended future trends. Columbus had no

Metaphysics Is the Branch of Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Metaphysics Is the Branch of Philosophy Essay Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that deals with abstract concepts. These abstract concepts include things like being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space. Over the years I have asked myself numerous questions pertaining to metaphysics. Things such as what is real? How do things such as our souls or even fate work? Do we determine our own fate or is it predetermined for us? Most people, including myself, ask a majority of these questions when they leave the nest. When I was graduating high school, I had no clue what the â€Å"real world† was like. My parents paid the bills, provided for me, and put the roof over my head. As we graduate, you ask who are your â€Å"real† friends? More importantly what is real in general? What’s a real job? As you grow older, you can reflect on what was real as a child, and I have come to the conclusion that everybody’s idea of real changes along with your age and lifestyle. For example when somebody passes away and you’re young, you don’t question if it’s real, but as you age you can’t believe when something so tragic happens and you question it. People do this every day, and for reasons that only they can explain. People talk about the spiritual world openly, but most have never experienced it. So, with that being the case it is hard to determine whether or not it is more or less real that the physical world. That’s one of those questions that as of right now I don’t have the answer to. I believe in the spiritual world whole heartedly, but to say it’s any more or less real is hard for me because I have only experienced the physical world. As of right now, I would say that they are equally real, but that is just my opinion. Going along with that, everyone has a soul, but does it live outside the body before we pass? I don’t believe so. As a Christian, we pray for the Lord to take our soul when we pass, and to protect it while we are alive. Our soul exits the body when we are done on Earth. Fate is a very complex subject. I believe that everyone has an idea of their ultimate fate. This doesn’t mean however that that is how it will end up, or that the step along the way will line up with your plan. For example, when someone dies, people say it must have been fate. I think that things like this are determined by Him, not us. When people say that when they fall in love that it’s fate, but that is determined by us making it free will. Therefore, I believe that our lives are determined by our own free will and fate. Epistemology is basically how we determine if something is a belief or an opinion. Some things are taught to us after they have been investigated, but other things are made up in our minds or families. If you ever look at the actual definition for knowledge it is pretty loosely written. Therefore, knowledge doesn’t have to be true. Your knowledge is determined by you. There are universal examples of knowledge in my opinion. However, since knowledge can be false it’s hard to say if others would believe the same. For example, 2+2=4 that seems like it would be true everywhere, might not be. Someone might be think 2+2=something other than 4. 1. Epistemology: * Is all knowledge subjective, or are there some universal truths? * What is the relationship between faith and reason? * What can artificial intelligence teach people about knowledge? * What are the limits of human understanding? 2. Ethics: * What is the right thing to do? * What does it mean to be a good person? * Does virtue lead to happiness? * Do the ends justify the means, or is a virtuous action virtuous in and of itself? * How does living in a society affect morality? * Is morality culturally based, individually based, or is there a universal morality? 3. Aesthetics: * What is beautiful? * Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder, or are there some things that all cultures find beautiful? * What is the purpose of art? * How can a piece of art be successful or valuable? Does beauty matter? 4. Political philosophy: * What is the best kind of government? * How much power should the government have? * What kind of people should be in power? * How involved should the common citizen be in government? 5. Social philosophy: * How should humans behave in a society? * Do people give up certain rights when they choose to live in a society? * How do social values affect individual beliefs? Do people behave differently in a crowd than they would individually? * How does society affect language and other types of communication?

Age and Gender Differences in Attitudes

Age and Gender Differences in Attitudes A survey was carried out among people from two different age categories to determine whether age and gender individually result in different attitudes towards seeking psychological help. The 653 participants each completed a shorter version of the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale survey. The survey results were later grouped based on gender where there was 319 males and 334 females. The gender groups were again each classified into two age categories; as either young or older adults. The results indicated females have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help than males and that older adults have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help. It was also found that participants who had previously sought psychological help had more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help. This research needs to consider the methodological limitations, such as the selection of the participants by the experimenters, which could h ave biased the results and also whether the length of the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale survey produces different results. Age and Gender Differences in Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Psychotherapy has been described as embarrassing and potentially difficult and it induces fear and avoidance in some individuals (Vogel, Wester Larson, 2007). Andrews, Issakidis Carters study (2001, as cited in Vogel, Wester Larson, 2007) found that less than one third of individuals who experience psychological distress do seek help from a mental health professional (p 410). For many people, counselling and seeking psychological help is an uncomfortable way to deal with personal problems. This may be true for many men as the findings of most studies related to attitudes towards seeking psychological help have been particularly consistent that women tend to have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help (Fisher Farina 1995). Some researchers have found that age is another barrier which underutilizes help seeking (Mackenzie, Gekoski Knox, 2006) and it is generally uncommon for an individual to discontinue a psychological service once they have experience it for t he first time (Deane Todd, 1996). Attitudes towards psychological help seeking vary between individuals due to avoidance factors and demographic influences. Kushner and Shers study (1989, as cited in Vogel, Wester Larson, 2007) found that different avoidance factors are likely to vary in their intensity and importance depending on the characteristics of the individual (eg., sex, age) as well as social and cultural differences (p 413). Vogel, Wester Larson (2007) stated that some researchers have suggested that traditional gender roles influence professional help seeking (p 414) which is possibly why males avoid seeking help. The behaviours and characteristics associated with traditional masculinity form a system of social beliefs- that is, an ideology- regarding the expectation of how men should be (1995, as cited in Levant, Wimer, Williams, Smalley Noronha). This ideology influences the way that adults think, feel and behave in gender matters. Therefore, males may feel that they need to mask their problems due to traditional masculinity which is why females are mainly found to have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help. Veoff, Kulka Douvan (1981) believe that adolescents and seniors are both reluctant to help-seeking due to one avoidance factor in common; Social norms, which changes across the age groups. However, social stigma has been conceptualised as one of the most significant barriers to treatment for both younger and older adults (Vogel, Wester and Larson, 2007). Vogel, Wester and Larson (2007) concluded that younger adults however are more affected by the avoidance factor social stigma as adolescence is a time of developing and building a sense of identity. Being a young adult is also the time when peers and norm groups may be particularly salient (1989, as cited in Vogel, Wester and Larson, 2007). Therefore, some young adults may be reluctant to help seeking because of the threats as being judged negatively (2002, as cited in Vogel, Wester and Larson, 2007). Some individuals may or may not find psychological help beneficial and this determines whether they continue or discontinue the service. However, most people who have received help from a professional psychologist or counsellor rate themselves as more likely to continuing seeking help as compared to people who have received no psychological help (Deane Todd, 1996). Consistent with this research, females with more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help rate themselves as more likely to seek professional help (Deane Todd, 1996). The present study aimed to determine whether age and gender affect attitudes towards seeking psychological help. From the research examined, it was anticipated that age, gender and previous history of counselling influences attitudes towards help seeking. It was hypothesised that females will have more positive attitudes towards psychological help seeking than men and younger adults will have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help. It was also hypothesised that individuals who have previously sought psychological help would have more positive attitudes towards psychological help seeking. Method Participants The 653 participants in this study consisted of 319 males and 334 females. Participants needed to be specifically selected based on their age, since the research involved investigating age and gender differences in attitudes towards seeking psychological help. There were two age categories that separated the younger adults from the older adults. Younger adults were classified between the ages of 18 years to 30 years of age, whereas the older adults were classified over 55 years of age. Of the 653 participants, 373 participants were classified as younger adults and 280 participants as older. The younger adults group consisted of 178 males and 195 females, whereas the older adult group consisted of 141 males and 139 females. The mean age of the 653 participants was 38.05 (SD= 20.10) and the ages ranged from 18 years of age to 85 years of age. The mean age of the 178 younger male adults was 21.72 (SD= 4.38), whereas the mean age of the 141 older males was 60.11 (SD= 6.10). The mean age of the 195 younger female adults was 20.90 (SD= 3.26), whereas the mean age of the 139 older females was 60.64 (SD= 7.73). Materials A shorter version of the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale was used to measure participants attitudes towards seeking psychological help. The scale for each statement ranged from 0 (disagree) to 3 (agree). The scale contained 10 statements, some of which expressed negative attitudes towards seeking psychological help and other expressed positive attitudes. Reverse scoring was needed for the statements which expressed negative attitudes towards seeking psychological help so that a higher score represents a more positive attitude. The statements which represented positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help did not have to use reverse scoring. The maximum possible score was 30 which represented the highest positive attitude towards seeking professional psychological help, whereas the minimum possible score was 0, which represented the lowest support for seeking professional psychological help. A demographic sheet was also attached to the Attitudes Towards Seeking Psychological Help Scale. The demographic sheet questioned for information such as date of birth, age, sex, occupation, country of birth and whether the participant has had no, little or a lot of counselling prior to completing the scale. Procedure The shorter version of the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale was provided to all students attending Victoria University who are enrolled in Psychology 1B. Psychology 1B students were instructed to make an additional three copies as they each needed to survey four people. Each Psychology 1B student needed to survey two males and two females, however one participant from each gender needed to be either 18 years of age to 30 years of age and the other needed to be over 55 years of age. The participants were not allowed to complete the survey if they were a psychologist or a psychology student. The unit coordinator of Psychology 1B derived the mean age and mean attitude score towards seeking psychological help for the following categories: (a) young male adults, (b) young female adults, (c) older male adults and (d) older female adults. Results An analysis of the mean attitude scores towards seeking psychological help for each of the four participant categories were used to determine whether the hypotheses were supported. The mean attitude scores towards seeking professional psychological help for all four participants categories are presented in Table 1. Table 1 The mean attitude scores towards psychological help seeking Males Females Younger (18-30) 15.13 18.36 (5.56) (5.01) Older (55+) 14.74 19.78 (6.76) (6.07) Total 14.96 18.95 (6.11) (5.52) Note. Numbers in brackets are the standard deviations of each mean attitude score. The results from Table 1 indicates that females have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help with a mean of 18.95 (SD=5.52) as compared to males who scored a mean of 14.96 (SD=6.11). This finding supported the hypothesis that females have a more positive attitude towards seeking psychological help than males. From the table, it is also evident that older participants have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help with a mean of 17.24 (SD=6.90), as compared to younger adults who scored a mean of 16.82 (SD=5.52). This result did not support the hypothesis younger adults have a more positive attitude towards seeking psychological help than older adults. In terms of counselling history, a no counselling history was mostly reported. Of the 653 participants, 418 participants had never had counselling before with a mean of 15.76 (SD=5.98), 203 participants have had little counselling before with a mean of 18.69 (SD=5.71) and 32 participants have had a lot of counselling with a mean of 22.44 (SD=5.62). Discussion In this study, two of the three hypotheses were supported. Both hypotheses (a) females have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help than men and (b) individuals who had previously sought psychological help would have more positive attitudes towards psychological help seeking were supported in this study. However, the hypothesis (c) younger adults will have more positive attitudes towards psychological help seeking than older adults was not supported. A gender difference in attitudes towards psychological help seeking is one of the most consistent findings in the literature (Ang, Lim Tan, 2004). In the present study, the results suggested that females had more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help than men. This finding supports the results of previous research of Vogel, Wester and Larson (2007) where they researched factors that inhibit seeking help. In their study, Vogel, Wester and Larson (2007) found that gender role plays a part in psychological help seeking. This was evident as men were more likely to think that they would be stigmatized for consulting a psychologist or counsellor. Women in contrast, are more open towards seeking psychological help and feel comfortable and less ashamed. However, because gender role is recognised by so many people, women may feel that they are expected to act reverse to a man. In this study, females may have felt that it would only be normal for them to have positive attitude s towards seeking help as compared to men because they are usually classified as weaker and softer than men. To address this limitation in further research, participants should be given the opportunity to make a statement or comment on why they believe their gender should and should not seek psychological help. This may further help explain gender role which is defined as one of the most common factors that prevents seeking psychological help. On the other hand, a previous history or experience seeking psychological help indicated that participants were more likely to have more positive attitudes towards psychological help seeking than those people who have not sought help. Deane and Todds study (1996) supports the findings of this study as their results were very similar. For example, approximately 35% of participants have had little or a continuation of therapy in this study which is similar to the 40% of participants in Deane and Todds study (1996). In this study, participant needed to mark whether they had never had counselling before, have had little counselling or have had a lot of counselling. This approach used to determine whether a previous history encourages a positive attitude towards psychotherapy could have been used more effectively to find out the duration of therapy and for those who have had no counselling; to find out whether something is inhibiting them from seeking psychological help or if they simply do not need it. In future research, participants who have received psychotherapy both short term and long term should be questioned about the duration of psychotherapy they have had. On the other hand, participants who have not received psychotherapy should be given the opportunity to further elaborate on their choice of not seeking help. The results did not support the hypothesis that younger adults will have more positive attitudes towards seeking psychological help than older adults. These findings differ from those of previous studies (e.g., Mackenzie, Gekoski Knox, 2006; Vogel, Wester Larson 2007) in which respectively reported that older adults attitudes towards seeking psychological help are generally positive and younger adults are reluctant to help seeking due to a certain avoidance factor; social stigma. This could be due to the way researchers from previous studies tested their participants to determine their attitudes. In some studies, participants may have been tested for their opinions on psychological help seeking, whereas others may have been tested on their actual use of a psychotherapy service. In this study, participants were tested to determine their opinions towards seeking psychological help, whereas other studies may have tested peoples attitudes after using the service. Future research should mention what their participants are tested for so that other researchers are able to correctly support or find differences in their findings. A further limitation of the study was that the participants were not given the opportunity to provide statements about how they feel about seeking psychotherapy as a quantitative scale measure was used to determine their attitudes towards seeking psychological help. Therefore, their responses were restricted using the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale survey. Future research should also employ a qualitative measure to help support the results produced from a quantitative measure. Overall, the results of the study suggest that gender role does impact attitudes towards seeking psychological help as one gender consistently showed more positive attitudes towards help seeking. The results also suggest that older adults have more positive attitudes towards psychological help seeking than younger adults. It may be that adults in the present are exposed to a positive interpretation of psychotherapy which encourages them to view seeking psychological help more positively. Also, the results of the study suggest that a previous history of psychotherapy will make an individual view psychological help seeking with a positive attitude. This may be because the individual learns that the therapy is beneficial and outweighs their reasons for avoiding during psychotherapy.

Hamlet Essay :: essays research papers

Death can be harsh. Death can be punishing. Death can be for the most, sad. As most people see death, it brings tough and hard emotions to their minds. Most don’t understand that death should be celebrated. They believe that once they die they never see them again. This idea that death is the end, has haunted the human life for all of eternity. Death brings cold thoughts to a person, which makes them miserable. The passing away of a beloved person, can be extremely dangerous through the different ideas and attitudes that come with death. This is what came to be in the play Hamlet. The characters put their emotion into death and some of the different out puts toward death were surprising. Throughout Hamlet, the attitudes toward death are astonishing between the characters the Ghost, Claudius, and Hamlet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ghost had an obvious approach towards death. For instance, when he visited Hamlet telling him how he was murdered, he states, â€Å"Doomed...till the foul crimes done in my days are burnt and purged away.† (I:v:15-18) Suppressed by death, the Ghost felt abhorrence of the harsh evilness that he had to go through. He also showed his anger for the process of passing away, and death’s backstabbing ways. In addition, when he explained to Hamlet his murder, he exclaims, â€Å"...by a brother’s hand of life, of crown, of queen at once dispatched...O horrible, O horrible, most horrible!†(I:v:81-87) Here, the ghost implied that he loved life, and tells how easily death, in general, can bring you down to an all time low emotional state. An analogy to prove this is that the ghost felt his life was complete, so in the analogy he is sitting around a room with all of his goods around him. Then a glass box falls on top of him and he cannot have hi s goods anymore, although he can see them all and want them so much. There is no doubt that the feelings of death of the ghost were quite low and hated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  King Claudius had an uncertain view on what he thought death of. For example, after the king sees the play, he admits that he killed Hamlet’s father for, â€Å"My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.† (III:iii:59) Claudius felt that death was his only way to power, and power, to him, was like being a god. He just saw death as a little spec in the way, thus meaning he believes deceasing isn’t that big of a deal.