Americas Culture Essays -- Cultural Society Multiculturalism Essays

America’s Culture America is cultural diversity. It is not home to one race or one culture. The building of American history was done through Irish, Black, Japanese, Korean, and many other cultures combined. The people of these various backgrounds came together for a common cause. To attempt create the society that they believed was better than there original origin’s way of life. Many of these founders undertook great hardships and some even death to create something that some people many times overlook or take for granted. If you look at our American society as a whole, you will notice that many Americans share certain beliefs and even customs in common. From the objects in our houses to the food we eat and the clothing they wear. Being American has become more than just a place of birth on a passport. America is a way of life. It is a culture all of its own. Some may argue that America is simply the place where you can live freely and safely, but not a true culture or origin because some bel ieve that one’s true culture is the culture of the society that grandparents of years past had before migrating to the United States. But, I see America as more than just that. I am proud of my family’s heritage and what traditions we do continue, but I believe that my family has become greatly assimilated to the "Mainstream Culture" of America. I define "Mainstream Culture" as the "American way of life," The standards and traditions that society has developed on how Americans should live. I do not see this as a negative happening. It is an inevitable idea that happens to every immigrant family that has been newly introduced to the United States. Immigrants do not forget their ethic culture, they simply adapt. Bhararti Mukherjee... ...nd something that has become respected though out the world. There is a sense of pride that comes along with saying that you come from such a great country. Let’s hope that this great culture that exists in this great country never stops being taught. Bibliography Bray, Thomas. "Memorial Day and Multiculturalism." Detroit News 24 May 1998. 16 pars. 15 September 2000 . Kitchens, Marshall "Discussion Board." Oakland University; 2000. Http://www.oakland.edu/~kitchens Mukherjee, Bhararti. "Two Ways to Belong in America." BorderTexts: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1999. 116-119. Takaki, Ronald. "A Different Mirror." BorderTexts: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers. Ed. Randall Bass. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1999. 589-596.

Career Study: Dental Assistant

Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARYiv Introduction1 Facts and Findings2 Occupational Inventory2 Work environment2 Perks. 3 Market trends. 3 Personality Fit4 Stress level/mental strains. 4 Personality traits recommended/required. 4 Personal interests and passions. 5 Future Potential5 Continuing education requirements. 5 Advancement Opportunities. 5 Conclusion6 References7 List of Figures Figure 1 Gender of Dental Assistants3 Figure 2 Current Wages Earned for Dental Assistants3 Figure 3 Estimated Yearly Growth of Dental Assistant Jobs in Alberta4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe career area of dental assistant does, in many ways, relate directly to the skills and knowledge learnt in the Administrative Office Professional program (APRO). Skills such as computer knowledge, bookkeeping, customer service, human relations, reading and writing, verbal communication, and active listening are an essential part of being a dental assistant. APRO students already obtain these skills. This report shows how be coming a dental assistant is a great career choice for APRO students. With only an additional eight to ten months of training, an APRO student could become a ental assistant and earn a great wage, as well as acquire many sought after job perks. Job perks of a dental assistant include Monday to Friday daytime hours, free dental care, monthly or yearly bonuses, and medical benefits. Dental assistants primarily work in dental offices; however, there are jobs available in health care units and hospitals as well. The research that was conducted for this report consists of both primary and secondary sources. The primary research sources include an interview of a local dental assistant, as well as the researcher’s own experience and knowledge.Secondary sources of research include Google searches, ALIS website, STATS Canada, and APRO text books. The three main aspects covered in this report are as follows: 1) Occupational Inventory a. Work environment b. Perks c. Market trends 2) Per sonality Fit d. Stress level/mental strains e. Personality traits recommended/required 3) Future Potential f. Continuing education requirements g. Advancement opportunities Potential Career Choice: Dental Assistant Introduction Weekends off, daytime hours, decent wages, free dental care, medical benefits, and yearly bonuses! These, in many cases, are the perks that career seekers are looking for.Look no further. These, among others, are the perks the career of dental assistant has to offer. One might think that dental assisting has nothing to do with the tasks or skills learnt in the Administrative Office Professional program (APRO); however, there are many duties involved in dental assisting that relate directly to APRO knowledge. Skills such as computer knowledge, bookkeeping, customer service, human relations, reading and writing, verbal communication, and active listening are essential in a dental assisting career. As an APRO student, one obtains those skills.However, an APRO st udent would need to further their education. A dental assistant training program is needed to pursue a career in dental assisting. This training program would typically only be an additional eight to ten months over and above the APRO program. The APRO program is a good foundation as it gives students many of the basic skills needed to be successful in any program or career area. The dental assistant program differs by educational institution, but for the most part, prerequisites include a 30-level of English (which all APRO students already have), biology, and chemistry. Dental assisting is a very diverse career.One never knows what sort of situation or emergency may arise. For example, an appointment may be as simple as a routine check-up or a filling, and may be as complicated as a tooth breaking off at the gum line during an extraction which can lead to dental surgery. Duties of dental assistants are as diverse as the job itself. Duties will change from office to office, and day to day, but will include tasks such as: * Prepare patient, sterilize and disinfect instruments, set up instrument trays, prepare materials, and assist dentist during dental procedures * Take and prepare dental diagnostic x-rays Record treatment information in patient records * Take and record medical and dental histories and vital signs of patient * Provide postoperative instructions prescribed by dentist * Assist dentist in management of medical and dental emergencies * Instruct patients in oral hygiene and plaque control programs * Apply protective coating of fluoride to teeth * Schedule appointments, prepare bills, and receive payment for dental services, complete insurance forms, and maintain records using computer or manually Because dental assisting does entail working in someone’s mouth, it may not be appealing to everyone.However, dental assistants are a vital part of the heath care profession. Most people have, at some point in time, experienced the excruciating pai n of a tooth ache. Without dentists and dental assistants, one would have to suffer through the pain, or extract the tooth one’s self. One might choose dental assisting as a career if one enjoys working in an office environment, prefer daytime hours, and the medical field is of interest to them. There are many perks associated with being a dental assistant such as wages and bonuses.Dentistry is a rapidly growing field, therefore leaving many new jobs available both now and in the future. One who enjoys helping others, and wants to make a difference in the lives of many, would be satisfied in the career of dental assisting. Dental assisting is a relatively low stress-level job. Because life-long learning is a required part of being a dental assistant, one must have a love of education and be committed to life-long learning. This report will look at the occupational inventory of dental assisting, including work environment, job perks, and market trends.It will also look at the personality fit for one interested in seeking a career in this area. The personality fit will include such information as the stress level of the job, personality traits required/recommended, and potential interests and passions one might have. Finally, this report will look at the future potential of this career choice for APRO students. The future potential will share information such as continuing education requirements and advancement opportunities. The facts and findings in this report are based on both primary and secondary sources.The primary sources include an interview with a dental assistant. I chose to interview a local dental assistant who works at Dr. Lo’s office here in Brooks, Alberta. The researcher will also be using her own experience and knowledge as primary research. The secondary research consists of Google searches, ALIS website, STATS Canada, and APRO textbooks. Facts and Findings Occupational Inventory Occupational inventory is an especially important aspect of a career because it looks at things such as work environment, career perks, and market trends.These specifics can help one decide if a certain career, in this case dental assisting, is right for them. Work environment. Dental assistants have a variety of different working environments to choose from. Dental assistants work as part of a dental health care team. Their duties can vary and can include working as chair-side assistants, intra-oral assistants, administrative assistants, community health assistants, sterilization assistants, research assistants, or treatment coordinators. Dental assistants can also work in dental sales and insurance or dental education.However, dental offices are the primary employer of dental assistants, with 97% of dental assistants working in dental offices. Typical hours of dental offices are Monday to Friday, 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. Some offices, however, are open during the evenings and weekends to accommodate a larger portion of the population. As shown in Figure 1, according to STATS Canada 2011, 99% of dental assistants are women. In larger offices, one can expect to work alongside many women. In smaller offices, on the other hand, one can expect to work closely with the dentist and a few other staff. Figure 1 Gender of Dental AssistantsPerks. There are several perks in the career of dental assistant. These perks may include good wages, good hours, free dental care for one’s family, yearly or monthly bonuses, and paid continuing education. As shown in Figure 2, according to the 2011 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Dental Assistants’ occupational group earned between $15. 00 and $34. 00 per hour (2011 Alberta Wage and Salary Survay, 2011). Therefore, the average wage of dental assistants in Alberta is around $26. 40 an hour. As stated previously, most dental office hours are Monday to Friday, with daytime hours.In many cases, dental offices provide their staff with free dental care for both the employee and the employee’s family. Many offices offer incentives in the form of either monthly or yearly bonuses. If the office is busy and makes over a certain amount of money in a month or year, a percentage of the excess money will be awarded to staff according to seniority and hours worked. Because dental assistants are required to keep up-to-date with their education and skills, most dental offices pay for continuing education. Figure 2 Current Wages Earned for Dental AssistantsCurrent Wages Earned for Dental Assistants| Wages| Low (5th percentile)| High (95th percentile)| Average| Median| Starting| $15. 00| $27. 00| $21. 82| $23. 00| Overall| $21. 00| $32. 57| $26. 40| $27. 00| Top| $25. 24| $34. 00| $30. 14| $30. 47| Figure 2 Figure 2 Market trends. Over 4,100 Albertans are employed in the Dental Assistants’ occupational group. It is expected to have an annual average growth of 3. 2%, which is above average. (Dental Assistant's Occupation Group, 2012) It is expected that about 131 new positions will be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boomer generation will be retiring over the next few years. Figure 3 shows the estimated yearly growth of dental assistant positions available in Alberta over the next few years. Figure 3 Estimated Yearly Growth of Dental Assistant Jobs in Alberta Personality Fit Being happy and comfortable at work is very important. One usually spends more time at work than they do anywhere else. Therefore, the personality fit of a given career, specifically dental assisting, is crucial.Personality fit for a career includes the stress level and mental strains, personality traits recommended, and personal interests and passions. Stress level/mental strains. Dental assistants can come across some stressful situations. Sometimes, a procedure does not go as planned, leaving it up to the dentist and dental assistan t to determine what to do next to ensure the safety and well-being of the patient. Although this may not be a regular occurrence, a dental assistant must have critical thinking ability and work well under pressure.When an appointment runs over time, this often leaves the next scheduled patient waiting longer than anticipated for his/her turn. This can sometimes lead to a stressful situation if the patient who is waiting does not understand the situation. Overall, most dental assistants have a low- to moderate-level of stress in their everyday work. Personality traits recommended/required. Dental assistants are required to work closely with their patients and co-workers. In order to communicate well with both patients and co-workers, one should be kind, patient, outgoing, an active listener, and organized.The ability to stay calm while under pressure and during emergencies is essential. Because dental assistants work side by side with dentists, one must be a team player and pay close attention to detail. It is the dental assistant’s job to know what the dentist needs next. Personal interests and passions. One who has a passion for helping others and for making a real difference in people’s lives may enjoy being a dental assistant. One should also have a general interest in the medical field. Dental assistants require continuing education; therefore, life-long learners would be satisfied in this career. Future PotentialIn many cases, employees want to be able to advance within their career area. Therefore, looking at the future potential of a career, in this case dental assistant, determines whether or not it is for him/her. Future potential information includes continuing education requirements and advancement opportunities. Continuing education requirements. Dental assistants must maintain their competency through the CADA Continuing Competence Program (CPP) (Dental Assistant Registration Process, 2012). This program assesses, maintains, and moni tors ongoing knowledge, skills, attitudes, and judgments of professional dental assistants.According to the Alberta Government, dental assistants must do the following activities each year in order to keep their Continuing Competence current: * Complete one hundred (100) hours in the dental field, or three hundred (300) in the past three (3) years * Review the Competency Profile * Complete the Competency Self-Assessment * Complete a Proposed Learning Plan by the renewal deadline * Undertake appropriate Learning Activities to complete your proposed Learning Objectives * Keep the proof of your completed Learning Activities.At least once in every five years you will be asked to send in Verification of Learning documents and Completed Learning Plans. CADA will want to see evidence of two completed Learning Objectives for each year Advancement Opportunities. Depending on the size of dental office, there are advancement opportunities for dental assistants. Although a dental assistant is a dental assistant, there are different skill sets and knowledge levels involved. If a dental assistant has furthered his/her education with advanced courses in specialty areas, for example, he/she would make a higher salary.Also, some dental assistants move on to be administrative managers of the dental offices where they work. Conclusion Based on the facts and findings in this report, dental assistant is a great career choice for APRO students. With only an additional eight months of training, an APRO student can have the opportunity to be a vital part of the health care system by becoming a dental assistant. Many of the skills already learnt in APRO are essential in the career area of dental assisting.If one loves to work with people, is outgoing, patient, and loves helping others, dental assisting may be for him/her. If one chooses this career path, one can look forward to good pay, hours, and benefits. References 2011 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey. (2011). Retrieved February 25 , 2013, from ALIS: www. alis. ca Dental Assistant's Occupation Group. (2012). Retrieved February 25, 2013, from Statistics Canada: www. statcan. gc. ca Dental Assistant Registration Process. (2012, May). Retrieved February 25, 2013, from Government of Alberta: http://www. albertacanada. com/Dental_Assisant_May_2012. pdf

Ancient Maya Civilization Classic Era

The Maya culture began sometime around 1800 B.C. and in a sense, it has not ended: there are thousands of men and women in the Maya region still practicing traditional religion, speaking pre-colonial languages, and following ancient customs. Still, the Ancient Maya civilization reached its peak during the so-called â€Å"Classic Era† from around 300-900 A.D. It was during this time that the Maya civilization achieved its greatest achievements in art, culture, power, and influence. The Maya Civilization The Maya civilization thrived in the steamy jungles of present-day southern Mexico, the Yucatà ¡n Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras. The Maya were never an Empire like the Aztecs in central Mexico or the Inca in the Andes: they were never unified politically. Rather, they were a series of city-states independent from one another politically but linked by cultural similarities such as language, religion, and trade. Some of the city-states became very large and powerful and were able to conquer vassal states and control them politically and militarily but none was ever strong enough to unite the Maya into a single Empire. Beginning in 700 A.D. or so, the great Maya cities fell into decline and by 900 A.D. most of the important ones had been abandoned and fell into ruin. Before the Classic Era There have been people in the Maya region for ages, but cultural characteristics that historians associate with the Maya began appearing in the area around 1800 B.C. By 1000 B.C. the Maya had occupied all of the lowlands currently associated with their culture and by 300 B.C. most of the great Maya cities had been founded. During the late Preclassic Period (300 B.C. – 300 A.D.) the Maya began building magnificent temples and records of the first Maya Kings began to appear. The Maya were well on their way to cultural greatness. Classic Era Maya Society As the Classic era dawned, Maya society was clearly defined. There was a king, royal family, and a ruling class. The Maya kings were powerful warlords who were in charge of warfare and who were considered to be descended from the gods. Maya priests interpreted the movements of the gods, as represented by the sun, moon, stars, and planets, telling the people when to plant and do other daily tasks. There was a middle class of sorts, artisans, and traders who enjoyed special privilege without being nobility themselves. The vast majority of Maya worked in basic agriculture, growing the corn, beans, and squash that still make up the staple diet in that part of the world. Maya Science and Math The Classic Era Maya were talented astronomers and mathematicians. They understood the concept of zero, but did not work with fractions. The astronomers could predict and calculate the movements of the planets and other celestial bodies: much of the information in the four surviving Maya codices (books) concerns these movements, accurately predicting eclipses and other celestial events. The Maya were literate and had their own spoken and written language. They wrote books on specially prepared fig tree bark and carved historical information into stone on their temples and palaces. The Maya used two overlapping calendars which were quite accurate. Maya Art and Architecture Historians mark 300 A.D. as the starting point for the Maya Classic era because it was around that time that stelae began to appear (the first one dates from 292 A.D.). A stela is a stylized stone statue of an important king or ruler. Stelae include not only a likeness of the ruler but a written record of his accomplishments in the formed of carved stone glyphs. Stelae are common at the larger Maya cities that thrived during this time. The Maya built multi-storied temples, pyramids, and palaces: many of the temples are aligned with the sun and stars and important ceremonies would take place at those times. Art thrived as well: finely carved pieces of jade, large painted murals, detailed stonecarvings, and painted ceramics and pottery from this time all survive. Warfare and Trade The Classic era saw an increase in contact between the rival Maya city-states - some of it good, some of it bad. The Maya had extensive trade networks and traded for prestige items such as obsidian, gold, jade, feathers and more. They also traded for food, salt and mundane items like tools and pottery. The Maya also fought bitterly with one another. Rival city-states would skirmish frequently. During these raids, prisoners would be taken to be used as slaves or sacrificed to the gods. Occasionally, all-out war would break out between neighboring city-states, such as the rivalry between Calakmul and Tikal in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. After the Classic Era Between 700 and 900 A.D., most of the major Maya cities were abandoned and left to ruin. Why the Maya civilization collapsed is still a mystery although there is no shortage of theories. After 900 A.D., the Maya still existed: certain Maya cities in the Yucatà ¡n, such as Chichen Itza and Mayapan, thrived during the Postclassic era. The descendants of the Maya still used the writing system, the calendar and other vestiges of the peak of Maya culture: the four surviving Maya codices are thought to have all been created during the postclassic era. The different cultures in the region were rebuilding when the Spanish arrived in the early 1500s, but the combination of the bloody conquest and European diseases pretty much ended the Maya renaissance. Sources: Burland, Cottie with Irene Nicholson and Harold Osborne. Mythology of the Americas. London: Hamlyn, 1970. McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. New York: Norton, 2004. Recinos, Adrian (translator). Popol Vuh: the Sacred Text of the Ancient Quichà © Maya. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1950.