Discuss the maintenance of altruism in the social amoeba Dictyostelium Essay

Discuss the maintenance of altruism in the social amoeba Dictyostelium doscoideum - Essay Example The separation of cheaters reduces the occurrence of cheating by the high genetic relatedness selection of cheaters according to the Kin-selection theory. In the social amoeba Dictyostelium Doscoideum which occurs in soil samples, the relatedness in natural groups is high enough to prevent the spread of destructive social cheaters. High relatedness can control a mutant that would otherwise at low relatedness destroy cooperation. The importance of relatedness is however challenged by the life cycle of social amoeba in the selection to prevent cheating. The altruism of amoeba is featured in the death of some amoeba to ensure the survival of the majority. When the bacterial source of food of amoeba that are naturally solitary organisms is depleted, they aggregate themselves to form a multicellular fruiting body where 25% of the cells die to form a stem that raises the remaining cells high enough for dispersal (Gilbert et al, 2007). The mixture of different clones creates the opportunity for cheaters and co-operators to form the group where they can cheat each other, for example in avoiding creating the stalk. Gilbert et al (2007) used mechanisms such as the estimation of relatedness in nature, searching for cheater mutants in nature and the examination of the cheating advantage of the fbxA . The relatedness is high in the co-operative groups of Dictyostelium Doscoideum since the organism forms fruiting bodies more often with organisms of the same kin. Fruiting bodies that were observed 92% were found to be of one clone (Gilbert et al, 2007). The high level of relatedness reduced the opportunity of cheaters gaining by avoiding forming the stalk which would be costly to the survival of the cells. The socially disruptive cheating mutant fbxA which cheats in chimeras was found to produce little or no spores on its own and hence it would be disastrous if allowed to spread. It would spread at low relatedness to reduce co-operation in the normal fruiting of cells and red uce the formation of spores which could result in extinction. Similarly, the mutant dimAÂ ­? is a social defector that fails to react to the signals to become part of the sterile stalk. The pleiotropic effect due to high relatedness of cells which occurs late during their development discourages cheating hence the dimAÂ ­? is usually unsuccessful. According to Khare et al (2009), some of the mechanisms that can be used to restrain cheating behaviour in nature include lowering the fitness of the cheater by intrinsic selection, pleiotropy of the cheater gene, the high genetic relatedness in natural populations, discrimination on the basis of kin as well as the evolution of the resistance to cheating. This is applied by a population of mutations that are able to resist cheating but this evolution is disadvantageous since it could result in new cheating strategies that could result in the demise of co-operation in these populations. In the research to find out whether it was possible to yield mutants that could resist cheating and still remain co-operative, Khare et al (2009) mixed different mutated cells and allowed them to develop into fruiting bodies and spores. They found that in a natural population of Dictyostelium Doscoideum the wild type allele was replaced during the development of the cells by a mutation that were predicted to be resistant to cheating. They also mixed wild type cells and mutant cells with cheater cells in a ratio 1:1 to

The Importance of English Language in India Essay Example for Free

The Importance of English Language in India Essay These regional languages differ from each other so much that it is not possible to communicate with people of other regions without a common language. Further, India is trying to maintain a good foreign policy. For all this, there is need of a common language i. e. , English. It is this language which is understood almost all over the region in addition to national language of Hindi, all schools and colleges teach English and mostly have it as a medium of instruction. 4 In today’s world, we have to get knowledge of advanced technologies and all kinds of branches of Science. There is an urgent need of such a common language which can be understood by youth all over India and the language in which all data and information is available. It is English only which can be rightly selected as the language to be studied by all of us from the very primary level. This language is a store house of social and political knowledge. Hence, study of English language is of great importance for a developing country like India. 190 English is a language having 300an international status and can provide the best medium to interact with outside world. In all international seminars or summits, all speeches or course material is in English. If India is to utilize these opportunities, and expand its universal view point, then English is the only language which should be learnt by all of us. 251 Further, a nation can remain intact only when its leaders can understand the people living in different regions and can communicate with them in effective and cordial manner. All leaders cannot understand more than ten to fifteen languages of various regions, however, they can easily understand the common language English. This language is important to inspire unity not only at the national level but at the international level. 317 Today, USA and other countries have made tremendous progress in the field of science and technology. In space technology, we are no match to them. The world is making progress in these fields at a terrific speed. To increase and encourage more research work in Science and Technology, we have to study all these subjects in detail. And for this the importance of English cannot be denied. 383 Every nation must develop and encourage its own language. However, in India we have diversity in languages and it is not possible for many years ahead to have a common language like Hindi. Under such circumstances, we cannot wait for long; otherwise we will be left far behind. As such, till such time one language is developed, we must learn and teach English from the beginning itself. Some subject like Science, Mathematics and technology books must be taught in English only. We now know that we have not been able to prosper like other countries of the world due to keeping ourselves away from English. It is this language which can uplift us not only within our own country but throughout the world. 506

Globalisation: Japan And Chinas Economy

Globalisation: Japan And Chinas Economy Globalisation is currently happening rapidly around the world, aiming to bring different ideologies and infrastructures from various countries and join them together and turn it to be worldwide interconnected. According to The United Nations ESCWA, globalisation is actually not a new phenomenon since it has already emerged in nineteenth century, but it started spreading bit by bit from the World War I until the third quarter of twentieth century and it has been defined in many certain ways such as economic field and social field. Globalisation can be defined as entrenched and enduring patterns of worldwide interconnectedness on physical, normative and symbolic ranges, causing distant happenings and developments and it may bring serious local impact towards affected countries. The original idea of globalisation is not trying to bring the new principles, materials or infrastructures to replace or take over the old one, just embed within more expansive sets of networks and interregional relations power (Held D. McGrew A. 2003, P.3). Today, the world has been slightly changed by globalisation, and it may keep changing in the future, many countries have benefit from globalisation, but also fall victim to it, therefore it is valuable to explain the effect brought by globalisation with the examples of China and Japan. China is actually one of the countries that fall victim to the globalisation, the major issue is unequal distribution of wealth which caused by local inflation, and numbers of other negative effect such as environmental pollution, and family member staying apart in the nation. China is the country that having the largest population size in the world, there are more then eight hundred labour force out of thirteen hundred million total population size currently in the country, ranking number one in labour force in the globe according to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. It is an undeniable fact that China nowadays is the world factory, many international firms are likely to manufacture and produce various variety of goods such as toys, clothes, computers, and vehiclesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ parts, but also perform different kinds of outsourcing in China, due its largest number of factory workers, good quality of the products and the low wages of factory worker. Outsource is various business processes in order to achieve a huge variety of business objectives ranging from decrease of cost to invention and business alteration(Mani D., et al, 2010); However, these factory workers not only working with low salary, but also have to work long hours and having no government welfare. The Chinese Government did not increase the lowest wages standard and trying to retain it instead even inflation has happened in the region in order to keep and gain more foreign companies produce goods and perform outsourcing in China. The inflation appeared because foreign investment increased in China therefore lead to a boom in the economy which causing local inflation. Meanwhile, the other simultaneous occurrences of workers earning retained low salary and working with no welfare, they have to spend more money for living because most of the goods in society have increased in price; by the time the economy has increased by more foreign investment, more workers are tend to work within these sort of careers, however, the number of jobs did not increase as the amount of workers increased, therefore more workers may be unemployed or underemployed (Kwong Leung T. Chack Kie W. 2003, P.16). Nevertheless, owners of local companies have earned more profits due to more foreign investment has been made in the country, but these owners did not provide higher salary to the workers while companysà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ profit increased. It is causing a current social problem in China that the rich gets richer, and the poor gets poorer, consequently engendered the issue of unequal wealth distribution as a result of globalisation. Secondly, increase in environmental pollution will be caused as a result of the increase in production in China. According to the World Health Organisation report in 2007, there were six hundred and fifty six thousand Chinese citizens killed by indoor and outdoor air pollution and another ninety five thousand and six hundred were killed by consuming polluted water. Variety of a large amount of chemicals and may be even toxic materials is possible to be discharged into the air, water and soil during the production process, acid rain is one of a very common effect due to these problems; meanwhile, after one manufacturing is finished, the discarded after-manufacture raw materials turned to be useless and majority of them will be piled up and place at a landfill, releasing detrimental substances and this is harmful to the local environment. It is able to be believed that this is another reason of China falls victim into globalisation. Thirdly, majority of factory workers came from different areas in China initiate the family crisis. Numbers of these workers were even moved from rural areas within the nations and working far away from home, this part of workers are willing and likely to work even earning low wages in the factory. Nonetheless, they still chose working there because comparatively the amount of money they earn as working in the factory is a lot more then the sum of they earn at home place and so from rural areas. It is possible for them to make the earnings to afford normal live in city, and even send money back home, therefore many workers like to work in a factory even with low wages. It is possible to say that this is another reason of China fall victim to globalization due to the family problem, and it is able to be widely believed that the given reasons and examples are capable to explain why China is one of a victim in consequence of globalisation. Japan is one of a country that can be said as benefiting during the globalisation process according to its exports of goods, services and technology toward many other countries around the globe and its culture and language exchange with the other countries. Base on the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Japan has stop rising rapidly until 2007 and start increasing less from 2008, and even more in 2009 as well. However, Japan is still the second largest economy around the globe, just behind the United States of America (International Monetary Fund Report, 2005). Japan has a huge amount of export with its vehicles, electric equipments, technologies. This is a fact that all these goods from Japan are currently using by different individuals in different countries. Japan has a very large quantity of export with the local products of vehicles and electronic devices. There are many famous vehicles manufacturing company has export products to the other countries, for instance, United States of America, India, Australia, China, Indonesia and some other nations; for electronic devices, for examples, computers, laptops, cameras, printers, mobile phones and various of other sort of electronic devices are extremely well-known around the world. The brands of these goods are very familiar in daily life, such as Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Sony, DoCoMo, Canon, Panasonic, Sharp. These are very common brands of motor vehicles and electronic tools. Japan is one of a member of G8 and it is the only single country which joined the group within Asia. Meanwhile, Japan is also one of a member of World Trade Organisatio, can be also called as WTO (Central Intelligence Agency World FactBook, 2010). This is showing that Japan is capable to trade with other nations and states. Hence, in the course of large amount of exporting goods such as motor vehicles and electronic devices, this raise up the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Japan most of the time and make Japan to be the second largest economy in the world for a long time. Japanese culture is another issue that is valuable to be mentioned. There are many different kinds of Japanese culture have keep spreading all over the world. For instance, gourmet culture, music culture, and some other sort of popular culture such as cartoons and anime have been spread around the world; For gourmet culture, it can be said without questions that sushi can be easily seen in the majority of developed countries, this lead to a Japanese food culture bring into the other places and increase the reputation; for music culture, a lot of music style and different types of genre of Japanese music are very music have been bought into the other nations especially Asia, hence, the musical manner imported towards other places and so increase to CDs sales in foreign market; for the popular culture such as cartoons and anime, some well known cartoons and anime are not only broadcasting in local Japan, but also broadcast in many other countries such as Asia countries, and a big amoun t of these cartoons and anime are selling in the other foreign nations as well. These is able to proof that Japanese popular culture have been spread and bought into the other places, and simultaneously increase the popularity and reputation about Japanese culture therefore raise up Japan local economy due to the demand of Japanese goods which are related to its culture have increased. For example, more Japanese chiefs and local Japanese raw materials for gourmet field are demanding more and more in other nations; Japanese music get into foreign markets therefore the export of Japanese music CDs can sell are at higher price because the demand enlarged; for culture of cartoons and anime, it is probably the same occurrence of music CDs, also the level of popularity and reputation increased, so increase its sales thus higher the demand and lastly improve the Japan economy. Nevertheless, other than the economical benefit in the globalisation, the introduction of mentioned different types of culture importing to other states, widened the areas that adopted Japanese c ulture and civilisations, so Japan has also benefited from globalisation in this area as well. Lastly, according to various categories of Japan exported goods has imported to other nations, the reputation of Japanese culture improved within the other nations, therefore, individuals in other countries getting more interested in Japan culture and so does Japan, too. Because of that, more tourists are likely and feel interested travelling to Japan, for this reason, the tourism level in Japan increase and bring up the economy with the expenses from the tourists and earnings from tourism; Consequently, it is possible to say that Japan has benefit from globalisation in the economic and cultural area since large amount of exports of goods and culture. In conclusion, globalisation is able to be said as happening in a fast pace around the world, it is advantageous to some countries, however it is disadvantageous to some of the others. For example, China is being disadvantaged as the result of regional inflation, and plenty of additional effects have been brought, for instance, polluting the environment, and causing some family members aloof from the families. These points are able to proof that China has fall victim from globalisation. On the other hand, Japan can be said as one of a country that being benefited due to globalisation with the reasons of great amount of export, such as motor vehicles, electronic instruments, and so do different sort of cultures including eating culture, musical culture and the cartoons and anime culture, and also increase in tourism, these caused an increase of Japan economy, so it could be believed that Japan is benefited from globalisation. Globalisation is aiming to develop society and bring the pr os together and share it to the whole world even though some cons might be brought to particular nations, but it is still a positive incidence to the community.

Water In the Middle East: Prospects for Conflict and Cooperation Essay

Reasons and origins of the conflict for water are dating back in the late 40s and the Arab-Israeli conflict. More precisely, the countries involved that represent potential conflict are Israel and Syria, as well as Israel and Palestine. For example, what can be mentioned here are Israeli aspirations to keep tight control over the economically important areas. This is directly linked to the water issues and diverting the water from one to another region. Other Arab countries are strongly opposing such shift as this will increase Israel’s industrial and agricultural capacities and, consequently, will encourage further Jewish immigration to the country. There have been plans to prevent such discourse, but Israeli`s military strikes have prevented these intentions back in 1965−1966 (Kershner, 2013). Even despite the fact that Israel and Jordan have settled their water disputes in the 1994 peace agreement (ibid), the water remains an important source of tension between Israel and Syria and, by default, between Israel and Lebanon. Water disputes are contributing towards failure of the peace talks between Israel and Syria in the 1990s, as well as those between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) (ibid). Many of the water resources in the peninsula have been under Israeli control and some of the construction works of the other countries have been the first significant attempts to challenge the above mentioned status quo. On the other hand, apart for the prospects for conflict, the role of the international community has been from great importance, as it is trying hard to impose a middle ground between the conflicting countries. It is clear that no final agreement is possible until there are agreed-upon borders betw... ...er. The University of Michigan, 1997. 11. Jordan Times, 1 June 1994. 12. Juusola, H. Water Conflicts in the Middle East. December, 2012. 13. Kershner, E. (2013). A Rare Middle East Agreement, on Water. New York Times, Middle East. 14. Middle East International, â„â€" 458, 10 September 1993. 15. Monday Morning. No. 448, September 2002. 16. Muhammad al-Baba Shaaban, Abdallah Khoury et al al-Dzhugrafiya. 1988, Beirut, page 55; US Army Corps of Engineers, Water in the sand: A survey of Middle East water issues. 17. Palace, Z. (2013) â€Å"Business and Water: New Channels for Breaking the Impasse in the Middle East?†. Business and water, panel summaries and transcripts. Forum 2000 18. PBS Online edition: â€Å"A Struggle for Water Resources in Middle East Conflict†. October, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2010/10/a_struggle_for_water_resources.html

Promoting Children’s Play, Learning and Development Essay

In this TMA I have met the ethical requirements of the E105. I complied with the ethical guidance published by BERA, 2011 under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) by informing parents and giving them the option to withdraw their child from participating; as some children were of an age where they had a limited understanding of the purpose of the investigation (BERA, Guidelines 16 – 21, 2011). I explained to parents and colleagues why I was carrying out the observations, and that I would comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 by making my findings anonymous and it will only read by my tutor. I reassured parents that the welfare of the children was paramount and would not be affected by my investigation. If for any reason their child refused to participate or became distressed, then I would immediately terminate my observation. I gained consent from children in a sensitive way and ensured that my investigation was not a hindrance in their care, learning & development. Activity 3. 13 (Block 3, pg 57) helped me in planning my method to approach children to gain their consent. Introduction This assignment is based on an investigation I carried at my setting on the play and learning experiences provided for four year olds. My key question on which I based my investigation was: How I could make children’s play and learning experiences fun and enjoyable? The United Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC) says that ‘Every child and young person has the right to rest, play and leisure’. (UNCRC, Article 31, 1989) Play can be interpreted in various ways however in the context of a setting; I understand play as an experience in which children have fun, enjoy and learn at the same time. Being the manager and room leader I have a major influence on the learning experiences provided for the children. I therefore decided to investigate the impact of my current planning and provision on children’s play experiences. In my observations I looked at children’s ‘disposition’ to the play experiences I had provided (Katz, 1993) cited in E100. I used the Leaven Involvement Scale for Young Children (Leavers, 1994) which highlights signals that help measure how involved a child is in the activity. A child would be involved and engaged with an activity if it was enjoyable and stimulating. In my discussion I analyse my practice based on the investigation and then discuss my changing values and beliefs and the impact it has had on my practice in relation to promoting children’s play, learning and development. [241 Words] Analysing my practice: In my setting I was finding it difficult to balance between focused and free play activities for four year olds in order to meet the ‘early learning goals’ set out by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, 2008), therefore I decided to investigate this area of my practice. I carried out ‘tracking observations’ (Block 3, pg: 52) on three children aged four, two boys and a girl, as there are more boys than girls at my setting. I observed each child using the suggestions made by Devereux J, Observing children (Reader 2, chapter 8) over a period of three days. I was a ‘complete observer’ during the first day of my observations so that maximum information could be attained. I was a ‘participant observer’ on the second and third day (Block 3, pg: 46). I wrote field notes during the observations, then added detail later using recommendations by Lofland and Lofland (1995) (Block 3, pg: 52). The emerging pattern in my observations on Day 1 was that all three children enjoyed undirected play, and were more involved in the experiences when it was self chosen. However on Day 2 and 3 they were equally involved in adult-led play experiences, when they were planned based on their interests seen on Day 1 and at the edge of their capabilities, ‘zone of proximal development’ (Vygotsky, 1962) (Block 3, pg: 24). (Appendix 2). Adam and Sara were often seen in the home corner. It seemed as though they had created their own play world, where they would not be disturbed. They were seen taking various resources to explore in the home corner. In observation1 (Appendix 1a, lines 8-13) the practitioner is seen demonstrating the socio cultural theory in the way she extends Adam and Sara’s learning by ‘scaffolding’ and ‘guided participation’ (Rogoff, 2003), She is being ‘sensitive to their zone of proximal development’ (Woodhead, 2008, pg: 162) (Block 3, pg: 24). John was seen engaging in imaginative play in the ‘mini world’ where he was imitating the sounds of the different animals as he was playing with them. (Appendix: 1h, lines 61-66). His play fits into the constructivist view where he is ‘actively engaged in testing and refining’ his understanding (mental mode). A similar view can be seen my observation (Appendix: 1f, lines 42-51), where John demonstrates what Piaget (1951) would call ‘discovery learning’ in the way he innovates a new painting technique. My organisation of the activity provided an experience for children where peer-peer interaction was encouraged (symmetrical relationship). There was scope for ‘cognitive conflict’. (Block 3. Pg 23), which was demonstrated by the way Sara and Adam learnt a new skill of painting from John (Appendix 1b& 1e). The ‘change of routine song’ sang by the practitioner (Appendix 1i, lines 68) demonstrated the behaviourist theory, ‘stimuli and response’ (Block 3, pg: 20). Hearing and watching the practitioner, John immediately knew that it was snack time. [483 Words] Changing values and beliefs: I used the ‘three-layer model’ and the RP cycle in Block 3, activity 3. 23 to help me unfold my underlying beliefs and practices with regards to how children learn. In ‘stage 1’ I believed that play is important for children in the early years and that children learnt best through play, however when exploring my practice, in ‘stage 2’ I found out that at my setting I lay great emphasis on adult let activities for 4 and 5 year olds. I saw their play as time passing in between the focused activities and disregarded this as an active opportunity for learning. When taking the role of a ‘complete observer’ during my investigation I realised how much children were learning during self chosen play experiences. During ‘stage 3’ of the RP cycle I found that the regular group sessions that I was arranging for the 4 and 5 year olds were far from play. In fact it mainly consisted of direct teaching with EYFS goals in mind. Children achieved some of the goals set; however they did not enjoy the activity (Appendix 2). It seemed as if the children were eager to complete the task so that they could go back to playing (Appendix 1c & 1g). At the end of the each session, I asked Adam, John and Sara what they liked most about their nursery day (Appendix 5). On the first day all three participants chose an activity that was self chosen; however on the second day, two of the participants chose focus activities and on the third day all the participants chose focus activities. This made me realise that planned focused activities were equally enjoyable if they were based on the interests of the children involved. This investigation gave me a better understanding of the EYFS principle: a ‘unique child’ (DCSF, 2008a). It made me realise how important it was to plan play experiences based on children’s interests; rather than on the ‘goals’ set by the EYFS. When I planned adult led play experiences on the second and third day based on my observations of each child’s interests; they were more involved in the activity and also achieved many of the EYSF goals. (See plan in appendix 3) My practice is similar to that described by Sexton L, 2012 on the tutor group forum, where I use a combination of all three theories in my practice but in different contexts. Gilchrist J. 2012, posting made me think about my practice in how she uses ‘children who are more able in our setting to support others who are more reluctant to take part and encourage them to learn from each other’. I currently use a constructivist view when planning focus activities for children based on their ages and abilities, ‘stages of development’ (Block 3. Pg 23); however if I was to use the Socio constructivist approach and mix group them, then there would be scope for ‘peer-to-peer learning’, where children would learn from the ‘more able other’ in a more social way. [507 Words] Changing practice: Using the ‘continuum of pedagogical approaches (DCSFa, 2009)’ (Block 3, pg: 27) I found that the play experiences I currently provided for 4 and 5 year olds were a mixture of ‘child-initiated’, ‘focused learning’ and ‘highly structured’ approaches however my main approach was ‘focused learning’ for 4 and 5 year olds. Observing children during my investigation made me see a wealth of knowledge and learning emerging from each other; which I previously overlooked. An example of this can be seen in appendix 1, where Adam and Sarah made the home corner into a shop and defined their roles as ‘shop keepers’. I underestimated children’s capabilities and their ability for independent learning. From my investigation, I saw the positive impact of focus activities when they were innovative and planned on children’s interests. This is also a requirement of the EYFS, ‘physical and mental challenges†¦active learning’ (Principle 4. 2, DCFS, 2008) I particularly liked the ‘painting outside’ that I saw on the DVD and set up a similar activity in the outdoor area. This encouraged participation of many children including some who generally did not take an interest in painting or ‘mark-making’. (Refer to Appendix 4, feedback from a colleague). I discussed some of the play experiences provided by other practitioners that I came across during my Block 3 reading with my staff during our weekly planning meeting; some of my staff acknowledged the enjoyment of children during the innovative play experiences that I had provided as I was ‘exploring my practice’. They shared positive feedback from parents of some of their key children who also noticed a change in their child’s learning experience. I used this as an opportunity to motivate my staff to research innovative play experiences for children. I recommended them to use the internet; particularly the ‘tes’ (teacher’s site for education resources) to access a range of creative play experiences for the foundation stage. During the meeting staff raised concerns that, having 35 children in the setting, it is not practical to plan play experiences based on each child’s interests; therefore we agreed on setting up a rota system, where two of each key person’s children are observed each week and their observed interests are used to plan play experiences for the following week, during which a second set of children would be observed I realised how important it was to observe children; yet it can be quite difficult for practitioners to do so regularly with other responsibilities; I therefore set up a rota system where they have observation days on which the staff member in only observing and does not get involved directly with the children unless required. Influenced by Anning A. and Edwards A. (2010) ‘Creating contexts for professional development’ in reader 2, chapter 24, I shared my findings with an Early Years Consultant from the local authority and arranged a staff training session to help us incorporate a more play based curriculum for children. [490 Words] Conclusion From my investigation and data analysis, I concluded that careful planning of play experiences, using innovative styles and taking children’s interests into consideration proved to be effective in providing an enjoyable learning experience for the children. I strongly believe that the planning cycle should start from observations of children rather than based on adult decided themes as was my practice previously. A balance of free play and focused activities is important to ensure that children enjoy their learning experience. Practitioners should take the lead from children and extend their learning by joining in their play, rather than direct teaching. Focus activities that were hands-on proved to be effective in providing an enjoyable learning experience for children and achieving the EYFS ‘early learning goals’ (DCSF, 2008) (refer to appendix 3) The physical organisation of the setting can give strong messages to children. It is important to give children the ‘free use of space’. ‘To be structured so they (the children) can be unstructured’ and ‘the freedom to control themselves’ (Hartley 1993:63) cited in Reader 2, pg 220. This can be seen in observation 1a where Sara and Adam were able to move the furniture to make their ‘shop’. [198 word] Self-reflection I found this assignment very interesting as it gave me an opportunity to step away from my role as a manager and look deep into the actual learning of individual children. I found it difficult deciding on which evidence to submit as I was limited to three pieces. [49 words] References: Anning A and Edwards A, (2010) Creating contexts for professional development in Miller, L. , Cable, C. , and Goodliff, G (eds) Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years, Abington, David Fulton in association with The Open University. British Educational Research Association (BERA, 2011) Ethical guidance for Educational Research, London, 2011 Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (2008) Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, Nottingham, DCSF Draper L and Duffy B, (2010) Working with parents in Cable, C. , Miller, L. and Goodliff, G (eds) Working with children in the Early Years, Abington, David Fulton in association with The Open University. Gilchrist J. (2012) ‘Blue group-week1 activity’, E105 11J Tutor group forums, 30th of January 2012 (online), http://learn. open. ac. uk/mod/forumng/discuss. php? d=836298 (Accessed 1st February 2012) Laevers F (1994) Effective Early Learning Programme: Child Involvement Scale, in Bertram T and Pascal C, Centre for Research in Early Childhood, Birmingham (online) http://www. decd. sa. gov. au/farnorthandaboriginallands/files/links/link_104984. pdf cited on 20th January 2012. Moss P, (2010) The democratic and reflective professional in Miller, L. , Cable, C. , and Goodliff, G (eds) Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years, Abington, David Fulton in association with The Open University. Paige-smith A and Craft A, (2010) Reflection and developing a community of practice in Miller, L. , Cable, C. , and Goodliff, G (eds) Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years, Abington, David Fulton in association with The Open University. Read M and Rees M, (2010) Working in teams in early years settings in Cable, C. , Miller, L. and Goodliff, G (eds) Working with children in the Early Years, Abington, David Fulton in association with The Open University. Robson S (2010) The physical environment in Miller, L. , Cable, C. , and Goodliff, G (eds) Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years, Abington, David Fulton in association with The Open University. Sexton L. (2012) ‘Blue group-week1 activity’, E105 11J Tutor group forums, 16th February 2012 (online), http://learn. open. ac. uk/mod/forumng/discuss. php? d=836298 (Accessed 18th February 2012) The TES-Education jobs, Teaching resources and magazine & forums. Website: www. tes. co. uk/ The Open University (2010), E105 Assessment Guide 2010, Milton Keynes, The Open University The Open University, E100 Early years practice: Practitioners and children 2010, Study Topic 3, Milton Keynes, The Open University. The Open University, E105 Developing reflective practice: key themes, 2010, Block 3, Milton Keynes, The Open University. The Open University (2010) E105 The early years: developing practice, ‘DVD 2: Painting outside, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Appendix1 Observation on Day 1: Adam 1a) 12:50 pm Home cornerEngagement according to Leuven scale (LS): 5 Adam gets some magnets from the resource cupboard and takes it to the home corner†¦ He then gets behind the drawer and says, ‘lets make a shop Sara. Come here’. He indicated to Sara to come next to him. A practitioner comes up to him and says, ‘why did you move the furniture? Put it back the way it was please. ’ He looks at Sara as he wants her to answer. When the practitioner physically starts to move the drawer back Adam speaks up saying: ‘we’re making a shop’. ‘Wow really! What kind of shop? ’ she asks. ‘Toy shop’ he replies. ‘Where is your till? ’ she asks. Adam quickly climbs over the drawer and gets the till from the outdoor area. He places the till on the drawer and gets behind it again. ‘We’re the shop keepers’ he says pointing to Sara. Practitioner gets some money and plays the role of a customer. ‘What are you selling in your shop? ’ she asks. ‘this’ says Adam pointing to a rectangular magnet block. ‘How much is it? ’ she asks counting some coins in her hands. ‘? 2’ says Adam, holding up two fingers. 1b) 1:15 pm: Creative/Paint area LS: 4 Adam watches Sara painting with the string. He asks practitioner for another sheet of paper. He takes the string and takes the string that was in the burgundy paint tray. He dips it in the yellow paint and holds it with both hands at the ends and makes straight line prints on his paper. 1c) 1:30 pm: Focus activity-adult led. LS: 3 Practitioner calls Adam and two other children for a literacy session. They go to the quiet room next door. She holds up a picture card and tells them to say what they see and sound out the letters that make the word and write it on their paper. Adam is able to correctly write the names of some of the objects. After the writing activity, the children had to group the cards according to the first letters. Each child was given a stack of cards and they had to place them correctly in each alphabet group. Adam was able to sort some of the cards in the correct group. When he heard John say ‘Finish’, he threw his cards down and ran for the door. 1d) 2:00 pm: Home corner/role-play LS: 5 Adam returns to the home corner with Sara. He takes play dough and two rolling pins. ‘Let make biscuits’ he tells Sara as he gives her a rolling pin. ‘He rolls out the play dough and goes to the resource cupboard and gets animal cutters. He cuts the rolled play dough and places them in the oven tray that I placed next to his table. He holds the oven tray, and tells ‘Sara to go and put the biscuits in the oven’. Observation on Day 1: Sara 1e) 1:15 pm: Creative/Paint area LS: 4 Sara leads Adam to the creative area. ‘lets go and paint’ she tells him. She gets an apron and sits opposite John. She watches him paint using string and follows his hand with her eyes as he continues making patterns. She then picks up another string and dips it in the red paint and making similar patterns on her paper. Observation on Day 1: John 1f) 1:10 pm: Creative/Paint area LS: 5 John dips the paint brush in the blue paint. Mixes the paint, and then pours some red paint into the blue and continues mixing. He then gets up and goes towards the resource drawers. He pulls open the ‘paint’ drawer. Looks inside, and then closes it again. He moves up and opens the animal drawer. Picks out an elephant, and then puts it back again. He then opens the beading drawer. He picks out two strings; one yellow and the other red. He goes back to the paint table and sits down on the chair. Pulls the chair closer to the table and puts the strings down next to the paint trays. He looks at Sarah, then at Adam. He then picks up the yellow string and dips it into the burgundy (paint he mixed earlier). He slowly pulls out the string, holding it at one end, and takes it over to the blank white sheet of paper next to him and moves the string in circular motion, forming a pattern. He dips the string again, holding onto one end and brings it back to his picture and continues making circular patterns. 1g) 1:30 pm: Focus activity-adult led. LS:2 John attempts to make marks and is able to correctly write the first letter of the objects. After 3 pictures he starts looking towards the door. Practitioner notices that he was not focusing on the activity so she directs a question at him. ‘John what is this? ’ she asks holding the picture card. ‘Car’ he says. ‘That’s absolutely right, now will you write car on your paper? ’ she asks. He correctly forms the ‘c’ and ‘a’. After the writing activity, the children had to group the cards according to the first letters†¦ John started placing his cards randomly in each group. He placed the ‘duck’ in the ‘a’ group, ‘pig’ in the ‘b’ group etc. ‘I am finished’ he said when he distributed the cards. It seemed as if he was rushing to get over the activity so that he could go back to the hall. 1h) 2:00 pmLS: 4 John plays with the animals that I had set up in the mini world. He holds up a cow and makes ‘moo†¦moo’ sounds as he moves it back and forth. He rearranges the blocks separating the animals. He places the sheep on the grassy area and the horses next to them divided by wooden blocks. He moves the pigs next to cow and makes the cow eat it, licking his lips and smiling as he does that. When a practitioner comes up and sits down next to him, he walks away. 1i) 2:30 pm- Snack time Practitioner starts to sing aloud: Everyone do this, everyone do this, just like me†¦. John stops and copies the practitioner placing his hands where she instructs. She then leads the children to the bathroom to wash their hands. John follows. He returns back to the hall and sits around the snack table, waiting for his plate. Appendix 2: Graph showing the engagement of children in adult directed/focused activities: Involvement Measured using Leaven Scale (Leavers, 1994) Appendix 3 Plan for focused/adult led activities that I conducted on Day 2 & 3 based on my observations on the first day. Adam, Sara and two other children sharing their interests: Day 2: Visit to the local toy shop, with clip boards, pen and paper. They were instructed to write a list of 10 items they would like to sell in their own toy shop. EYFS (DCSF, 2008) learning goals intended to achieve: ‘Attempt writing for different purposes, using features of different forms such as lists, stories and instructions’ ‘Use a pencil and hold it effectively to form recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed’ (CLL) ‘Count reliably up to ten everyday objects’ (PRSN) ‘Find out about, and identify, some features of living things, objects and events they observe’ ‘Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control’ (KUW) Day 3: A biscuit baking activity. EYFS learning goals achieved: PRSN, KUW, CLL, PSE, PD and CD John and two other children sharing his interest: Day 2: Large animal jigsaw Once complete, they were asked to write the names of the animals that were in the puzzle. They were then asked to write how many of each animal they could see. EYFS learning goals intended to achieve: PSE, PD, CLL, KUW and PRSN Day 3: Animal sound recognition Game that involved playing an animal sounds CD and guessing which animal it was for each sound. EYFS learning goals intended to achieve: KUW, CLL and PSE Key for symbols used: CLL: Communication, language and literacy, KUW: Knowledge and understanding of the world, PRSN: Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy, PD: Physical development, PSE: Personal, social and emotional development, CD: Creative development Appendix 4: Feedback from colleague: ‘The painting activity was so wonderful. I couldn’t believe Cameron actually got involved. I have been trying to get him to paint and make marks but he’s always refusing. ’ Appendix 5: Carpet time: I asked children which activity they enjoyed the most at the end of each session. Their responses were: Day 1-Adam: ‘playing with Sarah and making my shop’. Sara: ‘painting’. John: ‘painting’ Day 2-Adam: ‘Going to the toy shop’. Sara: ‘writing my shopping list’. John: ‘goldilocks story’ Day 3-Adam: ‘making biscuits’. Sara: ‘cooking biscuits’. John: ‘the animal game’ ———————– [pic] View as multi-pages TOPICS IN THIS DOCUMENT Active learning, Childhood, Plays RELATED DOCUMENTS Theories of Play, Development and Learning †¦ Theories of Play, Development and Learning Child development was previously largely ignored, and there was little attention to the progress which occurs during childhood and adolescence in terms of cognitive abilities, physical growth and language usage. However, researchers have found interest to study typical development in children as well as what influences development. Many theories have emerged which†¦ 4114 Words | 6 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Value of Play in Promoting Learning and Development in the Early Years †¦ Value of play in promoting learning and development in the early years Play is an essential part of every child’s life and is vital for the enjoyment of childhood as well as social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. Though play children learn about themselves and the world that surrounds them. They also learn to express themselves and form relationships with others†¦. 4114 Words | 3 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Promoting children’s development †¦ and interest if you hold your face close to theirs -loves skin-to-skin contact and tickles -Cry to make needs known -Laughing -Will smile at a face. -Begin to understand they exist separate to their carer. 3 Months -Watches hands and plays with fingers -Clasps and unclasps hands -Can hold a rattle for a moment -Lifts head and chest up -Waves arms and brings hands together over body -Recognises familiar routines such as bath time -Enjoys playing in water -†¦ 4114 Words | 7 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Meeting additional requirements for children’s care and learning development. †¦ Meeting additional requirements for children’s care and learning development. P1 Additional needs is a person with a physical, communication, sensory, behavioural or learning disability, or long-term/life-limiting condition. This can also include those with emotional health and wellbeing needs which puts an impact on their daily life including the even more significant mental health problems. Downs syndrome: Downs syndrome is a†¦ 4114 Words | 4 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Children’s Care, Learning and Development †¦ Outcome 1 Understand the importance of creative development Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. 1 Describe why creative development is important to children’s learning Creative development is important to a child’s learning because it helps them to use their mind and imagination and express their own ideas, and through playing with their friends it also helps them to understand that all†¦ 4114 Words | 3 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Promoting Development and Learning †¦ Promoting development and learning in early childhood is extremely important. â€Å"Learning starts in infancy, long before formal education, and continues throughout life. † All parts of the environment and everything or everyone a child comes in contact with will have an impact on their cognitive, emotional, and social development. In our early childhood programs, they use Developmentally Appropriate Practice to determine†¦ 4114 Words | 1 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Why Is Play with Siblings and Peers Important for Children’s Development? †¦ Why is play with siblings and peers important for children’s development? For some time play has been considered a vital activity for children in enabling them to develop and practice real social skills in a safe setting. Whilst interactions with adults can be very important it is often, due to the nature of the relationship, when children interact with peers and siblings that the potential for development through†¦ 4114 Words | 6 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Why Is Play with Siblings and Peers Important for Children’s Development? †¦ Why is play with siblings and peers important for children’s development? To provide my answer I will consider the nature and features of sibling and peer interactions and discuss the developmental significance of these relationships. I will draw upon research to support my rationale and explore the limitations of these accounts. I intend to conclude that children’s play is more than ‘A physical or mental leisure†¦ 4114 Words | 7 Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT CITE THIS DOCUMENT APA (2012, 05). Promoting Children’s Play, Learning and Development.

Storm Born Chapter Thirteen

â€Å"You're late,† I told him, trying to act like my robe wasn't lying out on the hallway floor. He glanced around, and I couldn't help a small breath of pleasure. Every ounce of him was charged and ready, that muscled body in a fighter's stance. His dark eyes held a hard, savage expression as he assessed for threats. He was magnificent. He looked as though he could have single-handedly torn apart an army then and there. I wrapped my arms around myself, from neither coldness nor modesty. â€Å"I was walking up your driveway and felt something†¦something dark.† His body relaxed, the animal fierceness in his eyes replaced by that smoky sensuality as he seemed to notice for the first time that I was naked. â€Å"A Gray Man. He had to go keep an appointment with Persephone.† Kiyo's lips twitched into a smile. â€Å"Were you in the shower?† â€Å"Sauna. I impaled him with a mirror.† â€Å"Nice.† We stared at each other, a thick tension building up in the air between us. â€Å"Well,† I said finally. â€Å"Thanks for checking in. You can leave now.† â€Å"Eugenie – â€Å" My confusion and lust took their rightful backseat to my indignation. â€Å"I have nothing to say to you. I don't want to say anything to you. Get out.† â€Å"Not until I've explained everything.† â€Å"Like what? How you wanted to get me pregnant, just like everyone else?† He blinked, clearly surprised. â€Å"I – what? No. Of course not. For Christ's sake, I used a condom.† â€Å"Yeah, I know. I was there.† I could hear the irrational sulkiness in my voice. â€Å"Why else would you have done it, then?† His eyes traveled from my face down my entire body, and then back to my face. â€Å"Why do you think?† I swallowed, attempting to ignore the warmth left from where his gaze had touched me. â€Å"Okay. I get the mechanics of it. But you can't sit there and tell me you being in that bar was a coincidence.† â€Å"No. It wasn't,† he said simply. I waited for more. â€Å"That's it?† He sighed and leaned against the wall. â€Å"I was asked by a friend to find you and mark you so we could keep track of you. I didn't know why; I had no idea who you were at the time.† â€Å"What? Someone told you to sleep with me?† â€Å"Er, no. That was my own, um, improvisation. I could have marked you other ways.† He smiled meaningfully. â€Å"But you were too charming and pretty.† â€Å"Hey! Don't use that fox sex magic on me. It's already caused enough trouble. Who told you to do that? To mark me?† The flirtatious smile disappeared. Silence. â€Å"Look, you're supposed to be the big honesty advocate. If you aren't going to play that way anymore, then I'm going to kick your ass out of here.† A glint of amusement flickered in his eyes. â€Å"I think I'd like that.† He paused. Finally: â€Å"No one you know. Her name is Maiwenn.† â€Å"The Willow Queen.† I took satisfaction in seeing his surprise. â€Å"I know more about the gentry than you think.† â€Å"Apparently. When she found out who you were, she wanted to watch you and find out where you stood on your fath – on the Storm King prophecy.† I met his questioning look with incredulity. â€Å"Are you seriously asking me? You think I want to see gentry take over the world?† â€Å"No, not really. But Maiwenn wanted to be sure on your position. She opposed Storm King before and has no desire to see an invasion. She'd rather put resources into the Otherworld, into staying there and making that home.† â€Å"Smart lady,† I said bitterly. â€Å"I wish they'd all stay there.† â€Å"Don't knock the Otherworld. It has its appeal.† â€Å"Yeah? So, what, you consider yourself one of them?† â€Å"I consider myself part of both worlds. It's who I am. It's who you are too.† â€Å"No. I'm not part of that world.† I stared past him without really seeing, suddenly feeling tired. â€Å"Sometimes I don't even feel a part of this world.† He crossed the distance between us and sat down on the bed. Those dark eyes brimmed with concern. â€Å"Don't say that.† I looked away so he wouldn't see my eyes getting wet. â€Å"I don't know what's going on anymore. Everything†¦everything's changed. I can't turn around without someone trying to rape me. I can't trust the people I love.† I turned back to him. â€Å"I can't trust you.† His hand reached out and touched my cheek. â€Å"Yes, you can. Eugenie, I didn't sleep with you to get you pregnant. I didn't even sleep with you just because you're hot – though that was a definite perk. I liked you. I still like you. I want us to have something.† He'd moved his hand down my neck, to my shoulder, and then to my upper arm. His fingers lazily traced the outline of Hecate's snake. Goosebumps rose on my flesh. â€Å"Don't look at me like that. I don't want to get pregnant.† â€Å"Contraceptive technology is a wonderful thing.† â€Å"I can't be involved with you.† â€Å"Why not?† The words hurt coming out. â€Å"Because†¦because of what you are†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The hand dropped. â€Å"I'm the same – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. The same as me. Kiyo, you've got to understand†¦. I've got a lot to deal with right now. I just†¦well, I just can't. Not yet. Maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I looked at him, at the kind and intelligent face, at the smoldering body so close to mine. â€Å"Maybe some day, we can†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Something on my face must have given away my feelings, that no matter how terrified of getting close to him I was, I still liked him and wanted him. The old mischievous smile appeared on his face, and his hand cupped my chin. He pressed his lips against my cheek. â€Å"Then let me be your friend,† he whispered. I closed my eyes and let his heat envelop me. â€Å"Friends don't breathe in my ear like that.† â€Å"We'll be special friends.† â€Å"Kiyo – â€Å" He drew back a little, still smiling. â€Å"Seriously, Eugenie. If we can't be lovers, I still want to be in your life. I want to help you through this. I want to protect you.† I stiffened, and my old snarkiness reared its head through the emotional miasma. â€Å"I don't need protection.† â€Å"Do you have any idea how bad it's going to get for you?† â€Å"I've handled it so far. I'll handle it again.† â€Å"God, you're amazing.† His spoke with admiration. â€Å"But you're also annoyingly difficult. Let someone help you. Let me help you.† I stared stonily ahead. His expression darkened. â€Å"They're going to come after you! Do you think I can just sit around when people are trying to hurt and rape you?† The heat in his voice seared me. He wasn't angry at me; he was angry for me. He regarded me in a way no one had ever looked at me before, an expression that said I meant so much to him that he would take on hell itself to protect me. That intensity wrapped around me. It thrilled me. It scared me. I didn't know what to do with it. Again, he read my face. This time, he pulled me over, crushing my body against his. I didn't fight it. â€Å"Let me help you,† he repeated. â€Å"How? You live an hour and a half away.† He pressed his face against my hair. â€Å"I'll commute.† â€Å"Oh for God's – â€Å" â€Å"I mean it. I know I can't be with you all the time, but I'll do what I can.† â€Å"You're going to trail me like a bodyguard or something?† â€Å"I'll do it as a fox if it makes you feel better.† I laughed in spite of myself, tightening my hold on him. I knew we shouldn't be locked in this kind of embrace, but honestly†¦after everything that had happened, it was comforting. And a turn-on too. But mostly comforting. â€Å"What's that like anyway?† â€Å"What's what like?† â€Å"Being a fox. Is it weird?† â€Å"I don't know. I've always been that way. It's the only thing I know.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦why not just stay human all the time?† â€Å"I'm stronger as a fox. Comes in handy in a fight.† â€Å"You're not too shabby as a human.† â€Å"Women think foxes are cute.† â€Å"Not that cute,† I grumbled. I could sense his smile. â€Å"It's a good way to let your instincts take over.† â€Å"Which instincts?† In one movement, he had me flipped onto my back. His hands held mine down while his body pressed against the rest of me. Those lips hovered a few breaths from mine. â€Å"All of them,† he growled. My breath was coming out in rapid bursts, and a voice in the back of my head was yelling, Hey! Remember how you don't want to be involved with Otherworldly people? I knew that voice was right, but it was kind of hard to pay attention when my body was melting against his and one of his hands had slid down to the side of a breast. â€Å"I don't think friends are supposed to lay like this.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"Or bodyguards.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Or veterinarians.† â€Å"That I disagree with.† He crushed his mouth to mine, and it was powerful and ravenous and furious and wonderful. I couldn't think or do anything coherent in that moment, only let him keep kissing me and kissing me. At last he broke away. He sat up, and I could see his body tremble. The look in his eyes was still hungry and yearning, and there was a visible struggle within him, a warring of two halves. One must have won, because he took a deep breath, and that animal need faded – slightly – from him. â€Å"I need to go,† he said at last. â€Å"I've got to work in two hours.† â€Å"Okay.† We stared at each other for a long time. I pulled a sheet up, letting it cover part of me. A grin lit his features. â€Å"Thanks. That helps.† He stood up and moved toward the door. â€Å"Hey, would you mind meeting Maiwenn? She wants to talk to you in person, see what you're like.† â€Å"You seem pretty chummy with her,† I said. The words came out sharper than I'd intended, but he looked unfazed. â€Å"She's a good friend. And I believe in her philosophies. She wants both our worlds left intact. So do I. She can be a good friend to you too.† â€Å"Is she strong enough to come over here?† He nodded. â€Å"If she'll do it, I'll meet her. I'm not really keen on going over there anytime soon.† â€Å"I'll tell her.† He took a few steps out the door, and this time I called to him. â€Å"Hey†¦Kiyo.† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"All these people and†¦things are coming after me because they think I'm going to be Damien's mother or something†¦but seriously, do you actually think any of it's true? Do you really believe this prophecy could happen? Roland – my stepdad – says prophecies are a dime a dozen in the Otherworld.† â€Å"They are,† Kiyo said slowly, a slight wrinkle between his eyes as he thought. â€Å"And most don't come true. But a lot do, a lot more than you'd think growing up here. The thing about prophecies is†¦well, people sometimes read the wrong things into them. Or, in trying to avert them, they only make the prophecy come true.† I shivered, half-wishing he would have just said prophecies were a bunch of crap. â€Å"You mean like Oedipus? How his father got rid of him to beat that prophecy?† â€Å"Exactly. Doing that only ended up making it happen.† Seeing my dark look, he smiled. â€Å"Hey, don't worry about it. I told you most don't come true. And besides, you're not trying to have kids, so there's nothing to worry about. Concentrate on the now.† I gave him a faltering smile back, hoping he was right. â€Å"Thanks.† He held my eyes for a few seconds before stepping out of the room, only to return a moment later with my burnt mirror. He set it on the dresser, regarding it with displeasure. â€Å"Sorry I wasn't here sooner.† â€Å"Hey,† I said, mustering some bravado, â€Å"I told you I can take care of myself.† Those dark eyes flashed. â€Å"I know. You're a dangerous woman.† I wasn't entirely sure if he referred to my fighting abilities or something else. When he was gone, I lay back in bed with a sigh, thinking I might not move for a week. Things just got weirder and weirder around here. Suddenly I felt a faint pressure build in the room. I sat up straight. Red eyes peered at me from a dim corner. â€Å"Volusian? I didn't summon you.† â€Å"You gave us permission to come if we acquired information.† â€Å"Yeah. I suppose I did. I didn't really think any of you would actually listen to me. What's up?† â€Å"I've come to tell you Otherworldly interest in you has increased.† I stared at him stupidly a moment, then pointed to the bloody athame I'd used on the Gray Man. â€Å"Gee, you think?† He shook his head. â€Å"More than these scattered attacks. Before, others were interested in you simply because of your heritage. Now, after seeing you†¦some are more excited still. They find you†¦attractive.† I could tell the concept baffled him. â€Å"Great. Now I'm fertile and hot. So what's this mean? Should I be expecting daily attacks?† â€Å"More like†¦organized attacks.† â€Å"Groups?† â€Å"Worse.† â€Å"Worse than a group of guys trying to have sex with me? How?† â€Å"For now, only creatures and gentry who can cross over in physical or elemental form will try. But we are weeks from Beltane, mistress. When the doors open†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Jesus,† I breathed. â€Å"Everything with a dick is going to come looking for me.† He didn't bother with a response. But when I said nothing more, he asked, â€Å"What will you do?† â€Å"What do you think? The same as I've been doing. I'll fight them off.† He stayed quiet, but I could feel his disapproval. â€Å"What else do you expect me to do? Submit?† â€Å"I expect you to not sit around and wait for the inevitable. You might as well be from one of the bride-by-capture societies. Always being on the defensive will get you nowhere; eventually someone will overpower you.† I laughed without really finding anything funny. â€Å"So, what, I go on the offensive? Head over and just start taking on random gentry and spirits?† â€Å"No. You start claiming your heritage. They attack you because you let them, because you kick at one and then wait for the next. You make yourself a victim, yet you are Storm King's daughter. In his day, his rule stretched farther than any of the current monarchs'. His kingdom may be gone now, but his legacy makes you royalty. If you acted like it, they wouldn't attack you so brazenly.† â€Å"I doubt they'd give up wanting to father Storm King's heir just because I started calling myself a queen or a princess.† â€Å"Oh, they'd still want you, but they would go about it differently. They'd approach you with respect. They would try to woo you. Now they only treat you with disdain. They treat you like the victim – the piece of flesh – that you have let yourself become.† I didn't really like the thought of a bunch of gentry bringing me flowers and chocolate, but I liked it better than rape. â€Å"Yeah, but joking aside, I can't just go in there and say, ‘Hey, I'm Storm King's daughter, treat me with respect.'† â€Å"Well,† he said dryly, â€Å"it would be a start. However, you will drive home your connection to him most when you stop relying on those.† He pointed at my weapons. â€Å"They make you human.† â€Å"I am human.† â€Å"You are half-human. If you want them to respect you as one of the gentry, you need to remind them of who you are. You need to draw on the power within you, on your father's legacy.† I thought about what Roland had said, about how he had purposely buried my power. Faint flickers of the vision came back to me, how I'd reached for power just before it ended. â€Å"No. I won't use gentry magic.† Volusian sighed. He pointed to the burnt mirror. â€Å"Mistress, why did you use that as a weapon?† â€Å"Because a Gray Man caught me unarmed.† â€Å"Had you been in full control of your magic, you would have needed no weapons. You could have destroyed him as soon as he crossed your threshold.† I tugged the sheet up and wrapped my arms around myself. The thought of power like that terrified me†¦and yet deep down, I saw its appeal. I didn't like being defenseless at twenty-six any more than I had at twelve. Volusian sensed this. â€Å"Your true nature knows I am right. It longs to be realized.† â€Å"If I give in to this nature, I'll become gentry.† â€Å"You'll never be fully gentry or human. That you must accept. You must simply take the best of each.† â€Å"Even if I wanted to do this† – I swallowed, still uncertain if I wanted the kind of power he was talking about – â€Å"I wouldn't know the first thing about tapping it. Roland can't teach me about gentry magic.† â€Å"Then you'll have to find a gentry teacher.† â€Å"Where will I find one who won't try to rape me first? I don't really have any friends over there.† â€Å"Don't you?† He looked at me expectantly. â€Å"You mean Dorian.† â€Å"Of all the rulers in the Otherworld right now, only he has ordered his people to leave you alone.† â€Å"Seriously? But why? He told me himself he wants to see Storm King's invasion happen.† â€Å"Most believe he gave the order simply because he wants you for himself. I, however, suspect he also probably acts out of some ridiculous sense of altruism – and his own pride. Of course, some of his people won't heed the warning, but you will find less of them attacking you than others. Like Aeson and his followers, for example.† Apparently Aeson was alive after all. I'd forgotten to ask Kiyo about that in the wake of all the other drama. â€Å"Still†¦Dorian made the attempt, huh?† I thought back to my encounter with him. Of all the gentry, he had been the one I almost felt comfortable with, which was startling, considering how odd he was. And he had helped me. â€Å"But I know he wants to have sex with me too. He didn't really make that a secret.† â€Å"Of course he does. Which is why he'll help you. He'll help you because he thinks it'll bring you to his bed. And because being close to you will impress his rivals and allies alike. They'll think you're lovers, even if you aren't. He'll like that.† You'll return to me. You won't be able to help yourself. I shivered, and Volusian continued: â€Å"You'll benefit as well. Go to him as an equal, and he will treat you as one. His attitude will go a long way to influence others.† â€Å"If I do this, I'll have come a long way from being feared by the gentry to cozying up with one for political reasons. That's quite a leap.† â€Å"Not really. Not if you consider how far you've come since your trip to Aeson's.† â€Å"That's an understatement.† I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"I don't know, Volusian. I still don't know if I'm ready to approach Dorian. I need to think about it.† â€Å"As my mistress wishes. But I would advise you to think fast. Decide before Beltane. Siding with Dorian will offer both magical and political benefits.† â€Å"Noted. Thanks for the update. And the advice.† He bowed, and I stood up to send him back. Before I did, I couldn't help messing with him. I was still naked, after all. â€Å"Hey, Volusian, you haven't been checking me out, have you?† He gave me his trademark bland stare. â€Å"I assure you, mistress, the only allure your bare flesh has for me is to remind me how easy it will be to slice open.† I laughed. If not for the fact he was actually serious, he'd be so much fun.