Sample Statement of Purpose for Recreation and Leisure Studies Essay Example for Free

Sample Statement of Purpose for Recreation and Leisure Studies Essay Sample Statement of Purpose for Recreation and Leisure Studies The Martial Art (wushu) and the Technique of Deep Breathing (qigong) constitute an integral part of Chinese traditional culture and one of the essential cultural legacies of the world civilization. Even now, those two ancient health-building techniques are still indispensable in facilitating people’s health. Yet, it is regretful to notice that they seem to have stopped developing in the modern era. I believe that the best way out of this dilemma is to integrate those two traditional health-building techniques with the latest research achievements of western recreational and leisure studies. I believe that by undertaking a Ph. D. program in recreation and leisure studies at your esteemed university, I will be well positioned to make contributions to this integration. I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate programs respectively at xxxxx Institute of Physical Education and xxxxxx University, arguably two first-rate sports universities in China. I first majored in the Chinese martial arts then in Chinese traditional Taiji and health Qigong. This systematic and rigorous educational background has given me a necessary academic foundation for your program. My 7-year education allowed me to not only learn the theories and the skills in my specialties but also gain insights into the essence of the wushu and qigong—the perfect union between the physical and the mental. In two programs, I was particularly fascinated by a number of courses such as Martial Arts Serial Exercise Training, Taiji Boxing, Health Cultivation Qigong, Yoga, Exercise Physiology, Sport Medicine, and Sport Anatomy. I benefited from the martial arts training, taiji boxing and qigong exercises by deriving the spirit of perseverance and the pursuit of an active and balanced life characterized by a tactful aggressive attitude. In this way, I maintained a tranquil state of benign physiological-psychological cycle. Energetic and aggressive, I made efforts to win academic successes one after another. Entering the xxxxx Institute of Physical Education as the third top student in my province in that year’s national university entrance examination, I maintained a leading position in my academic performance, not only winning scholarships (available only to the top 5%) every year but also receiving the honor of Outstanding Student, Outstanding Graduate and Excellent Intern. With top scores in the qualifying examinations for the postgraduate program, I was enrolled into Beijing Sport University. As a postgraduate, I had ample teaching assistant experience. First, I taught taiji boxing and health cultivation qigong to undergraduates. Then, because of my sound English proficiency and interpersonal skills, I worked as a teacher of taiji boxing and health cultivation qigong, on behalf of our university’s Foreign Affairs Section, to foreign students and taiji-qigong fans from France, Canada, the United States, Japan and African countries. In addition, I was a voluntary teacher offering free taiji-qigong trainings to the elderly people at Martial Arts Association of China Academy of Sciences and Beijing Ever-Green Geracomium. All those activities helped me accumulate important teaching experience and raise my service awareness. The research I have done in writing my undergraduate thesis and postgraduate dissertation is closely aligned with the program I am currently applying for. Entitled The National Characteristics of Chinese Martial Arts, my undergraduate thesis demonstrates the underlying cultural features and the healthcare medical effect of the martial arts—their ability to temper one’s psychology and cultivate one’s temperament in addition to their direct health cultivation through physical exercises. My Master’s dissertation focuses on the Philosophical Characteristics of Chinese Traditional Sport Health Cultivation Practices. By an in-depth analysis of the theoretical premises of Chinese traditional sport practices, such as â€Å"the supremacy of prevention†, â€Å"parallel development of internal and external mechanisms,† and â€Å"equal emphasis on mental and physical cultivation†, the dissertation offers an interpretation of the philosophical basis of those practices. I also examined how those philosophical principles are embodied in the actual practices. I applied an interdisciplinary approach in writing this dissertation, soliciting constructive comments from senior professors in Chinese medicine, arts, social sciences, and, of course, sports. My work experience since the completion of my Master’s program is related to sports administration as I have been working at the Center of Health Qigong Administration, State Administration of Sport. Our center is a governmental organization devoted to providing consultations to elderly citizens concerning sports activities and exercises. Apart from drafting major government policies, I have taken part in important academic activities over the past two years. I have been a member of a research team on two research projects sponsored by the State Administration of Sport and other relevant departments—Creating and Standardizing Certain Health Qigong Practices from Chinese Traditional Health Cultivation Forms and Evaluating their Physical Effect and Research into the Current State of Public Health Qigong Activities. For the first project, I have received the National Award for Sports Science and Technology Advances. In addition, I have co-authored four books published by the People Sports Publishing House, including Tendon Changing Classic of Health Qigong Practices (please refer to my Resume for detail). I have also attended important academic conferences, acted as research assistant and trainer. In this way, I have developed valuable practical experiences, enhancing my teaching, training and research abilities. In my proposed program, I am deeply interested in studying recreation and leisure. My work experience shows that Chinese traditional health cultivation practices like qigong and martial arts, themselves recreational and leisure events, have sound preventive and therapeutic effects. It is a pity that, without scientific guidelines, we have not made full advantage of those important resources. The underlying reason is that we have not been able to perform systematic and comprehensive research. Another reason is that, even though people now enjoy much more spare time than ever before, they have little idea how to spend their leisure and undertake recreation in an intelligent manner. I hope that I can help people understand the importance of the principle of â€Å"live well through healthy lifestyle. † I also hope that, through your program, I can continue to broaden my administrative knowledge so that I can ultimately facilitate recreation and leisure activities through government and community channels. I would like to apply for admission into the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation of xxxx University. Your program of Recreation and Leisure Studies offers an interdisciplinary study that encompasses a rich variety of subjects ranging from Recreation Management to Leisure Behavior. You have advanced facilities, mature curriculum and effective research methodologies, thereby providing a sound condition for me to carry out my studies and research. I would like to concentrate on Therapeutic Recreation, Recreation Administration, Recreational Sport Management, and Leisure Studies, Leisure and Health, Leisure and Healthy Lifestyles, Leisure and Aging, Sports for Seniors. I am particularly interested in Therapeutic Recreation because I hope to focus on exposing the socially underprivileged people, that is, the weak and the elderly, the patients of chronic and deeline diseases, the handicapped and the mentally retarded, to a satisfying leisure lifestyle by practicing yoga, taiji boxing, qigong, and martial arts. I wish that your program will develop me into a researcher, administrator, teacher and/or counselor in recreation and leisure who can treat and rehabilitate people in need by using recreational sports and therapeutic recreational services. My undergraduate and postgraduate specializations and my work experiences all point to my qualifications as a worthy candidate for your Ph. D. program. I believe that my Oriental background, especially my understanding of traditional Chinese philosophy and my skills in Yoga, Taiji boxing, Qigong and Martial Arts will be a unique contribution to the diversity of your program.

Breast Cancer Essay -- essays research papers

Breast Cancer: Risk Factors, Detection & Treatment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Among all American women who die when they are between the ages of forty and forty-five, the cause of death most likely to be listed on their death certificates is BREAST CANCER. Breast tumors are responsible for the greatest number of deaths among women, and breast cancer alone is the cause of almost one fifth of all cancer related mortalities. It results in the death of thirty seven thousand American women every year. Currently, there is no concrete answer as to how breast cancer is caused nor is their a cure for the disease. â€Å"Research over the past fifty years has narrowed the causes down to certain risk factors that are common amongst breast cancer patients. The disease can be detected somewhat early if one attends examinations. As for treatment, several methods have come into use, neither of them one hundred percent effective.† (Seltzer, 23)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The risk factors for breast cancer have been evaluated solely by researching the medical histories of those with the disease.† (Seltzer, 27) They have been assigned a specific order which ranges from greatest risk to the least amount of risk. The risk factors are having a family history of the disease, never bearing children, having a child after the age of thirty, having had a late menopause, age, obesity, and being a Caucasian. These risk factors are not however, totally conclusive. My mother, also being a victim of breast cancer had none of the above listed risk factors, but still developed the sickness. â€Å"Even if none of the risk factors applies to you, you must still be wary and attend regular examinations, because every woman is at risk.† (Subak-Sharpe, 42)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early detection of breast cancer is the key to surviving the illness. Once the tumor has grown too much, it is often too late. â€Å"Large tumors interact with lymph nodes which interconnect with the breast, facilitating the spreading of the disease, which in almost all cases, leads to certain death.† (Link, 144) There are essentially two methods of detection with breast cancer. They are self examinations as well as Mammography’s. Self examinations are essentially done by women on themselves, feeling the breast while searching for a lump or abnormalities. It is recommended by the American Cancer Association that a ... .... â€Å"Even though some patients illnesses prove resistant, the treatment is forty percent effective.†(Link, 110) Side effects with Radiation therapy are rare but include rib fracture, radiation induced Pneumonia, and Pericardial effusion(fluid around the heart). These side effects are due to the radiations proximity with the lungs, ribs and heart. The alternative to Radiation therapy is Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy involves using drugs in the fight against malignant, or deadly tumors. Pharmaceuticals such as Antimetabolites, Alkalating agents, and Antibiotics. These drugs are basically designed to flow through the body’s circulatory system, and then search for and destroy cancerous cells. Chemotherapy has about the same success rate as radiation therapy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, breast cancer is one of the most deadly cancers known to women around the world. Risk factors show who may be prone to developing the sickness, and as time goes by, more detection and treatment methods are developed. Hopefully one day, a cure can be found to eradicate this, and all cancers, but until that day, women will still have to deal with the detection, and treatment of breast cancer.

Working with Exceptional Children

The importance for an Educational Assistance in getting more general information about children with exceptionalities is needed because more schools across Canada are integrating more exceptional children into regular classrooms settings . According to a study that was done and revealed that in the mid 60’s there was about 1000 children with learning disabilities within the public school system, almost 20 years later, the numbers sky rocketed to be around 197,000 these numbers were mentioned in the EADP course. These numbers are still growing and the concept of inclusion was first implemented in the mid 1980’s. Many institutions were shut down and many of the children were either sent back home into their communities and in other cases where this wasn’t an option they were sent into group homes. In the classroom it change to where some student were sent to experience educational integration. The children would have the joy of the experience some of the school structure and activities which includes gym, arts, home economics and other program to suit their needs. With the process of mainstreaming the class sizes are increasing, therefore the teacher’s responsibilities are greater. This impacts educational assistants by having to upgrade their knowledge. The teacher’s responsibilities towards all students is to make them feel safe in the school environment. They are also responsible for planning a curriculum that will meet every students needs, to the child who are considered normal and to the children who are considered exceptional. In the teacher’s curriculum adaptation is needed so each child receives the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in their abilities. With the help of an educational assistant who has received general information about children with exceptionalities the teacher’s work load is alleviated. Knowledge helps the educational assistant effectiveness in interacting with children who are exceptional. The educational assistant will have a better understanding of the teacher’s needs and the needs of children with exceptionalities. There is a broad range of different exceptionalities so the educational assistant need to be flexible and learn how to deal basis. The educational assistant will know how to carry out the program that was adapted for the child without any long explanations from the teacher. The educational assistant, will facilitate the task and give the teacher more time to give one on one time to every individual student. Also knowing how to carry out the program will help to facilitate the integration of the child to the regular classes. The knowledge and importance of knowing how to take proper written documentation will ensure accurate and helpful data on the child progress. It will record on daily a basis which will help the teacher and the team to make adaptations in their intervention plan so that the child will be able to reach their long and short term goals. As a team player the educational assistant will have the knowledge and help play an important role with the teacher in implementing techniques of behaviour management which will increase effectiveness in the classroom. With time, peoples view and acceptance have changed making children with exceptionalities easier to integrate in the classroom . The demands of educational assistant have also changed with time . The task of an educational assistant has become more complex and they are now playing a bigger role and assuming more responsibilities. Having more general knowledge about exceptional children is essential. Well trained educational assistants are a key resource for teachers, children and the whole school system as they all work together as a team for the child.

Hurtful Love and Foolish Hope in Death of a Salesman Essay

nbsp;Hurtful Love and Foolish Hope in Death of a Salesmannbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; A father is an important role model in a young mans life; perhaps the most important. A father must guide his children, support them, teach them, and most importantly, love them. In the play Death of a Salesman, written by Arthur Miller, an aging salesman of 63, Willy Loman worked all his life for his children. Happy and especially Biff, his two sons, where his pride and joy and his reason for living. Willy tried as hard as he possibly could to provide for them, to support them, to mold them into men; but he failed. Willys greatest fault, perhaps, was his inability to see his sons for what they really were. Biff and Happy were never destined to†¦show more content†¦If only Willy would have recognized his son Biffs mediocrity instead of believing he was a great kid, Biff may have become a good man. No matter what Biff did, Willy would never believe it was because he was incapable of success. Unlike his older brother Biff, Happy did not receive the affection or attention he craved from his father. Willys preoccupation with his more attractive, better-liked son Biff, left Happy trailing in his siblings footsteps. Happy always tried to get his parents attention, hoping one day he could please them. Im losing weight, you notice, Pop? (29). Im gonna get married, Mom. I wanted to tell you. (68) Yet Willy never noticed his younger sons accomplishments. The lack of recognition from his father only made Happy try harder, but he could only do so much. Happy, not unlike his older brother Biff, was not a great man. In hopes to please his father, Happy also went into the selling business, but met little success. He was one of the two assistants to the assistant buyer and was miserable. Biff questioned Happy, Are you content, Hap? Youre a success, aret you? Are you content? (23), and Happy responds, Hell, no! Yet Happy stuck with his job, longing to one day please his father. Even aft er Willys death Happy did not give up on his quest. Im gonna show everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. Im staying right in this city, and Im gonna beat this racket! (138). Happy, still trying