Issue regarding water( Alberta) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Issue regarding water( Alberta) - Essay Example It called this the ‘Water for Life’ action plan (Alberta, 2010). With this goodwill from the government, it is surprising to see companies in Alberta engaging in practises that are seen to be opposite in nature to what the government is proposing. This is why this research has been conducted. It seeks to provide an assessment of water pollution in Alberta with a view of putting forth recommendations on how the same can be eradicated to ensure the sustenance of life in Alberta as water is indeed life. Water Pollution There are various causes of water pollution in Alberta, the main being human activities. Human industrial activities, the main being energy production, are seen to negatively affect the quality of water and its viability as relates to its conduciveness for human consumption. Energy is a requirement for the smooth running of operations in any region, but its production should not attain a superior status vis a vis the preservation of the environment. The compa nies in Alberta have set out to achieve energy production while destroying the water in Alberta, herein lies the problem. It is shocking that the Albertan government has put profits above the health of the people and the sustenance of the environment. This is made worse by the fact that the Canadian government has no set national standards that aim to protect the environment. This has led to an alarming trend of both air, land and water pollution whose effects are now being seen as vegetation growing on and the water coming from the contaminated areas is becoming toxic to both animal and human consumption (Committee, 2011). Companies have engaged in Hydraulic fracturing; which is the injection of fluids under high pressure into underground rock formations to access natural gas. The natural gas is easily accessed in this manner because injecting the fluids at high pressure causes cracks and fissures in the rocks which enables the gas to escape and be harnessed. This practice has been fought against because it happens not to be as fool proof as the companies would like the population to believe. This process does not guard against water pollution because the gas that is trapped in the rock makes it way via these cracks into water bodies. This has catastrophic effects because the gas renders the water dangerous for human consumption. This affected water is the same source that the citizens of Alberta use as drinking water as they get the same from surface water sources which include rivers, lakes and reservoirs which are thus polluted (Alberta, 2010). A recent study showed the presence of high levels of ethane, methane, and benzene in the water and one resident of Alberta stated "My water began dramatically changing, going bad. I was getting horrible burns and rashes from taking a shower, and then my dogs refused to drink the water. That's when I began to pay attention." (Nelson, 2010) Water is also used as a raw material in running the machines that work towards the production of oil and petroleum. Water is being absorbed by these companies at very high rates, causing the water level in Alberta to continuously fall because this same water that is

Effect of video games on people Essay Example for Free

Effect of video games on people Essay Video games are frowned upon by parents and seen as time-wasters, and worse, some education experts think that these games corrupt the brain. â€Å" Violent video games are easily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some young people become violent or display extreme anti-social behavior. But many scientists and psychologists find that video games can actually have many benefits – the main one is making kids smart,† stated by Rase Smart Kid website. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future. Video games change your brain, according to University of Wisconsin psychologist C. Shawn Green. Playing video games change the brain’s physical structure the same way as learning to read, playing an instrument, or orientate yourself with the help of a map. Much like exercise can build muscle, the powerful combination of concentration and surges of neurotransmitters can build the brain. Video games are not as bad as many envision them to be. There are many beneficial skills that can be drawn from video games that are not even taught by schools, these skills include strategy, perseverance, accuracy, quick thinking, problem solving and logic, multitasking, taking risks, situational awareness, and management. Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad is Good For You: How Todays Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter, calls this telescoping. Gamers must deal with immediate problems while keeping their long-term goals on their horizon. All gamers know that in order to get to your goal, you must get through everything else which may include traps and enemies. Facing strong enemies also requires a good strategy in order to defeat them whether its persistence or taking a new risk. A lot of games have multiple levels, for example Unblock Me. If a gamer fails one time, they will certainly play again and again to reach their destination or move onto the next level. Focus and planning is required most of the time. Action games, according to a study by the University of Rochester, train the brains of players to make faster decisions without losing accuracy. In today’s world, it is important to move quickly without sacrificing accuracy. Not only first person shooter games require accuracy but also action games. Whether it is tossing an apple in a bucket or swinging a wrecking ball at an abandoned building, both need accuracy to succeed. Sometimes the player makes fast decisions or analyses almost every second of the game giving the brain a real workout. According to researchers at the University of Rochester, led by Daphne Bavelier, a cognitive scientist, games simulating stressful events such as those found in battle or action games could be a training tool for real-world situations. The study suggests that playing action video games primes the brain to make quick decisions. Video games can be used to train soldiers and surgeons, according to the study. Importantly, decisions made by action-packed video game players are no less accurate. According to Bavelier, Action game players make more correct decisions per unit time. If you are a surgeon or you are in the middle of a battlefield, that can make all the difference. In strategy games, for instance, while developing a city, an unexpected surprise like an enemy might emerge. This forces the player to be flexible and quickly change tactics. One must hold off on building a unit and train troops instead to withstand the upcoming enemy. Most of the time if there are not enough troops trained, the player sacrifices a lot of their resources and must change to a different tactic once again. When kids play games such as The Incredible Machine, Angry Birds or Cut The Rope, they train their brain to come up with creative ways to solve puzzles and other problems in short bursts. When owning a business and something goes wrong or an unexpected situation occurs, the speed of a single correct decision will make a great impact and may save jobs for a lot of people. Winning in any game involves a players courage to take risks. Most games do not reward players who play safely. Taking risks does not mean that one must play recklessly and lose everything all at once if at the point of losing. Taking risks may very well be cautious as well. Taking risks means moving forward with anything a player can do whether it is making a move in one direction or the other, or even buying an item that may or may not help the player at all. In strategy games, players take different risks depending on the situation. One must analyze the situation prior to taking any risk. By doing so, the chances of winning are great than simply going about a routine. Defense News reported that the Army include video games to train soldiers improve their situational awareness in combat. Many strategy games also require players to become mindful of sudden situational changes in the game and adapt accordingly. Changes in combat require changing tactic or making new decisions. Sometimes they are for the better and sometimes for the worse. If the right decision is made in the right time, that has the potential to change almost everything. The player learns to manage resources that are limited, and decide the best use of resources, the same way as in real life. This skill is honed in strategy games such as SimCity, Age of Empires, and Railroad Tycoon. The way a player uses their resources in the early game will show in the late game how well their decisions really were. As far as video games go, they change a lot of things in the world today. Those that see the true power of video games will say that they do a lot of positive things. Those that do not understand video games, blame them for crimes and see them as very corrupting, often saying that they destroy lives. Video games have many good sides to them. For some people they are fun, for others they exercise the brain. It all depends on how you choose to look at games. The media is often opinion biased and not always true.

Looking At Different Aspects Of Foster Care Social Work Essay

Looking At Different Aspects Of Foster Care Social Work Essay A kinship care arrangement is an agreement that is commonly made between the parent of the child, the local authority and a close relative such as a grandparent or aunt on a short or long term basis, the kinship carer must be approved by Warwickshire Fostering Panel. Where the child is accommodated by the local authority that is often subject to an Interim Care Order the kinship agreement is reviewed under the Child in Need procedure s (Warwickshire County Council 2009). There is a six week timescale to complete the kinship assessment. The fostering team has the responsibility for completing this within the timescale set out in line with the Fostering Regulations 2002. A Viability Assessment which is Schedule 3 of the fostering regulation 2002 requires that there is a detailed report complete with references be submitted to the Fostering Panel for approval (Warwickshire Fostering Services 2002). As part of this assessment I had to complete a two part Health Safety Checklist Part One during initial visit and Part Two during the actual assessment, which is updated annually as part of the Foster Carer review. I was required to complete the initial 6 week Kinship Assessment on Arthur and Joan to be submitted to Warwickshire Fostering Panel approval, followed by submission to a Finding of Fact meeting in court. Jane is a 6 year old dual heritage female who lived close to Nuneaton centre with mother, Ruth 28 white female unemployed recovering heroin addict and her current partner Jason 35 year old unemployed white male with offending history for violence. The local authority have been involved with Ruth and her child since 2008 the police contacting social services to advise them that Ruths partner had been arrested for having indecent images of children on his computer and serious abuse of babies. Ruth was advised of this but did not appear to recognise the risk he presented to Jane. The courts ordered that Ruth should only have supervised contact due to this. Warwickshire Council convened a child protection conference which concluded that Jane be made subject of a child protection plan. Whilst the investigation into the neglect was ongoing, Jane stayed with her maternal grandfather Arthur and Joan his partner. Arthur is 58 year old football coach and Joan is a 62 year old retired book keeper and they live in a 3 bedroom house close to Ruth. A kinship referral was received by the Fostering Team to complete a viability assess Arthur and Joans ability to meet Janes needs as temporary carers. Jane is still subject of a child protection plan, as well as Looked After Child procedures and is subject of an Interim Care Order made in December 2009. The responsibility for completing the kinship assessment was given to the fostering team that I am on placement with and I was then asked to complete the assessment under supervision. This is the type of assessment that is completed when a child is looked after and placed on a statutory order. Jane is currently experiencing problems at school with bullying because of her skin colour and is in a minority. Jane is being teased because her hair is not the same as other children. I feel that Jane has not recognized that her mother is white and her father black. Arthur has stated that although she is not white she is his granddaughter and he doubts whether Jane even recognises her skin colour as significant. It is important for the Fostering Social Worker to have access to all case files relating to the child when completing the viability assessment so that the assessment demonstrates the level of commitment the grandfather and his partner have and have had to the child (BAAF, 2009). Farmer and Moyers (2005) suggest: Kinship care occupies an uneasy position on the boundary between the public and private spheres of caring and this leads to a situation where some kin carers struggle to care for needy children with low levels of support and financial help. Janes maternal grandfather has shown incredible commitment including being willing to give up his fulltime job to be able to meet Janes needs. This is causing tension in the relationship between Arthur and Joan as this will significantly reduce their income. She has also expressed concerns at not always being able to cope with the high demands of Jane and how this has brought her relationship with Arthur to breaking point at times. When childs behaviour is causing a disruption, kinship carers (as opposed to foster carers) tend to be more willing to persevere with the difficulties faced by the child (Broad and Skinner, 2005, Colton et al, 2008: 38). It is important that when examining Kinship Care that the outcome for the child is measurable, this could be in terms of regular contact with the birth parent with less supervision. Legislation has a propensity towards securing long term placements, children who were placed with their grandparents were the least likely to experience disruption when compared with other family or friends (Hunt et al, 2008). Some placements continued with little monitoring or supervision from the social worker. In other instances social workers had allowed professional standards to fall well below what would have been acceptable to another child. This can cause the child rights to be compromised as they will not receive a service that they are entitled to (Farmer Moyers, 2005). An assessment involves assembling full and accurate facts about a service users circumstances and it is essential during the assessment process that person being assessed is fully engaged with the assessment and as the assessor I am in continuous consultation with my supervisor. The information collected must be recorded in a systematic way to give a clear and accurate understanding of needs and a possible plan of action (Smale Tuson, 1993). The viability assessment must pay close attention to the circumstances around the reason why the kinship arrangement is needed. Arthur and Joan realise that if they do not take on the role of carers then Jane is likely to be placed with unrelated foster carers. The assessment includes the family to look at creating a kinship arrangement that will at best be acceptable to the child, the local authority should consider the childs extended family as an alternative to the mainstream fostering system when completing the assessment. The Childrens Act 1989 directs that where the child is looked after by the local authority the child should be placed with a relative, friend or significant other (www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk accessed 16/01/2011) if this is a viable option. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 directs that relatives must be considered in care proceedings and in line with Public Law Outline which emphasizes the importance of robust judicial case management. The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 has led to developments that promote the childs welfare and are likely to increase the use of placements with family members. Over a 15 year period from 1989 to 2005 there has been a gradual increase in the numbers of children in care that are fostered with family and significant others, from 6 per cent to 12 per cent of looked after children in England (Department of Health, 2006; DfES, 2004). If a child is looked after by the Local Authority and is placed with a family member or significant other for a p eriod exceeding 6 weeks then the carer should be approved as a foster carer by the Local Authorities Fostering Panel (Warwickshire Council 2009). The Local Authority must have a clearly defined role in enabling the parent of the child to have some input in the care arrangements of their child in accordance with section 20 of the Childrens Act 1989. Where the local authority places children in kinship care arrangements they also must assess the kinship carer(s) in line with existing legislation that applies to unrelated foster carers therefore have responsibilities to ensure that the kinship carers receive financial support in line with boarding out regulations (Warren-Adamson, 2009). The Munby judgement in 2002 set a precedent that local authorities must treat kinship carers in the same way as non related foster carers. This means that Warwickshire County Council must assess Arthur and Joan as kinship carers even though they may well already be looking after the child at the point the assessment starts. The difficulties I experienced as the Fostering Social Worker completing the assessment was mainly around the support, training and payment of Kinship Carers. The research also found that Kinship Carers are unlikely to challenge parents legally for the kinship of the child because it can have a negative impact on the parents relationship with the Kinship Carers. One of the implications highlighted by the research document was that Kinship Carers are unlikely to go for Special Guardianship Orders due to the reduced payments and support. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) research found that kinship carers may resent the intrusion the assessment process will entail into their lives by statutory services and feel they are being monitored and placed under surveillance (JRF, 2002). The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found that unsatisfactory placements with family and friend lasted significantly longer than with unrelated carers (Farmer Moyers, 2008). Local Authorities are required under the Childrens Act 1989 to operate a policy of less intrusive intervention when intervening with families. Argent (2009) draws attention to the assumption that social workers from non ethnic backgrounds tend to assume that families from Black Minority and Ethnic groups would rather manage the kinship without outside help or they do not understand the process. Argent highlights that some minority groups have a strong sense of kinship without any legal or statutory intervention. There are four types of kinship care these are determined by the legal status of the child that is being accommodated Fostered with a family or friend; Residence Order; Living with family and friends and a Special guardianship order. The viability assessment I undertook was to assess whether Arthur and Joan were suitable to go on to the next stage of the assessment, the Special Guardianship Order. Special Guardianship Orders were introduced in the Adoption and Children Act 2002 to encourage flexibility with regards to the length of the placement. This order recognizes that long term fostering or adoption might not be an option and that this type of order gives parental responsibility until the child is 18. At present there is not a legal requirement for Warwickshire Council to explore Kinship but the legal framework implies that it is a preferred option to private fostering. A family group conference is called with a view to exploring the potential of a family member becoming a kinsh ip carer (Hunt et al, 2008). The aim of the Viability Assessment is to make certain that Janes needs remain central to the assessment (Hunt et al, 2008). Milner and OByrne (2002) suggest that assessments can be divided into a number of stages: Preparation: I gathered information from case notes and other reports that have previously been written, in consultation with the Janes social worker we agreed on who to interview with regards to people that are a part of the extended family or wider support network and would be in contact with Jane. Preparing for the interview I ensured that I had the essential questions and an explanation of the interview purpose along with timescales for the viability process. Collecting data: I checked on sources of written information for factual accuracy. Weighing the data: I identified gaps, consulted colleagues and began to identify any key facts or themes. Analysing the data: I considered relevant research evidence and theory. Using the data: I analysed the data and formed an opinion as to whether Janes needs would be met by Arthur and Joan. The outcome of the above process was to make a recommendation to the court. Along with the viability assessment was the health and safety of the property that the child will be living in also had to be assessed. . I had to think about how the separate pieces of information interlink and about their impact on the grandfather. It has been suggested it is important to avoid subjectivity and not to dismiss information that does not fit with preconceived assumptions: Taking information for granted and not checking. Getting stuck with one perspective, and failing to recognise alternative explanations. Stereotyping situations and solutions to them. Making assumptions about age, culture, disability or any aspect of a service users life. The way its done here approach fitting service users into the routine response of the agency instead of focusing on the client. Using the assessment process to ration resources or disguising their absence, in other words, assessment becomes resource-led rather than needs-led (Milner and OByrne, 2002). Smale and Tuson (1993) propose three models of assessment: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The questioning model: where the worker is seen as expert and follows a set format of questions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The procedural model: in which the worker gathers information in order to see if agency criteria are met à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The exchange model: in which the service user is seen as expert in his or her own situation and the worker helps to provide resources and seeks to maximise potential. In conclusion, I realise that people change and as a social worker I need to be aware that new information may emerge that causes situations change, so I have to consider the impact it has on the assessment. Although the assessment is often viewed as a separate stage to the intervention, it is also a continuous process and there is a need to constantly re-assess throughout the intervention (Milner and OByrne, 2002). I used a Task Centered Model for completing the Viability Assessment as it was a short term (6 weeks) problem solving approach with a clear beginning, middle and end, and has a specific timeframe to complete the assessesment and submit it to the court. I adopted a Solution Focused approach in my intervention as it worked with Arthur and Joan to help them to look at their strengths and to find their own solutions to challenges they may face. A Solution Focused approach enables people to see better futures, it can be used to focus on the positives whilst also accepting that their strengths which are Arthur and Joans commitment to meeting Janes needs for as long as she needs them and fact that this can be used as a platform for future long term planning. In practice I found it difficult to choose a single model as I realized I would be using all three in this case. Firstly, the Viability Assessment for kinship involved me in the role of expert with a set format of questions, and secondly, I was conscious of the criteria for kinship to enable me to ask appropriate supplementary questions but lastly, I feel that the exchange model reflects the values of anti-oppressive practice in that Arthur is placed in a position of control and so that the process meets his expectations as well as mine as the assessing social worker. However, as social workers operating within a statutory setting we must recognize that there are pressures to conform to questioning or procedural models. To work in an anti-oppressive manner is to incorporate necessary questioning, schedules and scales into an assessment that respects Arthurs expertise in caring for Jane (Smale and Tuson, 1993).

The Full Cupboard of Life Essay -- essays research papers

The Full Cupboard of Life is the fifth book in a delightful series of books by Alexander McCall Smith. The series started with The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency. Situated in Botswana, a country where the traditional values are slowly diminishing but life, as a whole rolls on. There are three main characters in the book; Mma Ramotswe, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni and Mma Makutsi. Mma Ramotswe is the star of the series and Botswana's No.1 Lady Detective. She started her agency after her father Obed Ramotswe, who was a good man and knew cattle like no other, died and left her the herd. She sold most of the cattle which enabled Mma Ramotswe to buy a house in Zebra drive and start her 'world famous' No.1 Ladies detective agency. Mma Ramotswe was in danger of being swamped by paperwork but luckily Mma Mak...

Morfosintaxis

The absence of l. It is and it cannot be confused with the finite I O for all persons in the present except for 3rd peers. Sing. The distinction of the bare infinitive in English main clauses is as follows: the verb immediately after a modal whether the verb is an auxiliary or a lexical verb, will always show absence of l. She might pass the test similarly, the verb after dummy do will also always show absence of l.They do like white coffee Simple(x) sentence : the sentence that consist of Just one clause, which means that there is only one lexical or main verb (V), though V can of course be preceded by Auxiliaries. Simple sentence is thus synonymous with 1 main clause. The Department rejected the proposal Complex sentence: the sentence that consist of 1 main clause, plus 1 or more subordinate clauses. A complex sentence contains therefore several lexical or main verbs (V), one for each clause that actually occurs, and in turn each of these verbs can aka its own Auxiliaries.One of th ese verbs (V) will be the main verb of the overall structure, and the other verbs (V) will be subordinated to the former. They all liked the way he behaved The first verbal form of a main clause (whether it is V or Qua is obligatorily a finite verb. By contrast, the verbal form of a subordinate clause can be finite or non-finite. Four basic types of simple(x) sentences: declarative sentences negative affirmative interrogative sentences exclamation sentences imperative sentences (typically) affirmative.

Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Essays

Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Essays Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Paper Theme of Childhood in The Prelude and The Schoolboy Paper Romanticism, a literary trend during the period between 1780 and 1830, was heavily influenced by the social and political changes of the era experienced in Great Britain. These changes were a catalyst in literature as writers, in particular poets, produced highly influential and memorable work. Within these works major themes could be detected such as childhood for example. Both William Wordsworth and William Blake produced some of the most memorable poetic literature of the Romantic period that reflected the nature of childhood. The set extract has been taken from William Wordsworth autobiographical poem, The Prelude. Within these verse paragraphs, the reader is given an insight of Wordsworth upbringing, who as the speaker of the poem recollects his childhood memories. As such the reader is able to detect the magnificence of childhood that Wordsworth believed was fundamental in his growth as a poet. The Prelude makes use of iambic pentameter which in conjunction with enjambment, the long uninterrupted sentences provide the fluency of a conversation, a natural speech pattern which the reader can relate. The extract opens with the speakers account of growing up in that beloved Vale (l.309), Wordsworth attended Hawkshead Grammar School in Esthwaite from 1779 -to 1788, (Owens Johnson, 1998, page 428). While a formal education took place, nature provided a symbolic education, Fosterd alike by beauty and by fear (l.307), and as such adopting the role of a substitute parent, therefore nurturing the speaker as a child. The speaker narrates how he would wander half the night (l.315), setting traps and becoming a fell destroyer (l.319). The metaphor symbolises the first stems of guilt the speaker experiences. The tone of the poem becomes more urgent with the speakers repetition of hurrying, (l.320-321), as the progresses at a quicker reflecting the urgency of the speaker. There appears to be a hidden force in nature, the speaker feels trouble to the peace, (l.323) as he is overcome to take the bird of anothers toils (l.327). Fear and guilt overcome the speaker as the forces of nature pursuing him provide a spiritual element. With the solitary hills (l.329) and low breathings (l.330) a symbolic metaphor become apparent reflecting the child speakers developing conscience and the relationship with nature. The relationship with nature has been forged, will progress further in the future. The presentation of metaphor is once again created as the speaker describes stealing a birds nest. This destructive act will have long term consequences, a fate the speaker is well aware of. However, it is only when the speaker is hanging upside down that he is finally able to see nature in a different light, the sky seemd not a sky Of earth, and with what motion movd the clouds! (L.350 to 351). Reminiscing over these childhood exploits the adult speaker of The Prelude, reflects philosophically upon the effect of the incidents that he found terrifying as a child. Personification of a dark Invisible workmanship (l.353-354), the speaker considers there was a force consciously developing him. The early miseries, regrets, vexations, lassitudes, (l.357-358), of the childhood game have ensured the speaker has matured, learning to respect the natural world. With this in mind the speaker continues with the personification of nature, the tone and language towards the natural environment becomes religious. Nature nurtured the child to frame A favord being (l.364), developing the mind, heart and soul of the later poet. William Blakes The Schoolboy is an example from the collection of Songs of Experience. The poem discusses the issue of a formal education, which Blake disagreed with strongly believing children should discover the enjoyment of childhood and therefore gain an education through life experiences. The provocative poem reflects William Blakes own concerns regarding childrens welfare through the poetic devices of metaphor, rhyme and imagery. The Schoolboy consists of six stanzas, each with fives line. It is clear that from the first stanza that the poem has a set rhyme scheme of ABABB, which is continued throughout the poem a direct contrast to Wordsworth verse paragraphs in The Prelude. The poem opens with the speaker waking on a summer morning, the use of positive words such as love, rise and morn, (l.1) suggest an upbeat tone to the poem. However, an ambiguity is quickly followed as The distant huntsman winds his horn (l.3), a sense of threat detected with the horn as the warning sound. The natural world is clearly a source of inspiration to the speaker. The birds and trees mentioned in to the first stanza later develop as significant metaphors as The Schoolboy progresses. Blake establishes an idyllic scene, where the speaker lives in mutual harmony with nature as the skylark sings (l.4) with the speaker on this summer morning. This idyllic harmony shatters as the tone of the poem changes in the second stanza. With the speakers But (l.6), providing a link between the first and second stanza, the scene transforms from the peaceful countryside to the forbidding environment of the schoolroom. The repetition of in a summer morn (l.1, l.6) in the first and second stanza establishes a parallel link providing a comparison that shows an enlightening contrast of joy in the first instance, and melancholy in the second. With the speakers description of the teacher, a cruel eye, (l.7), further deepens the despair the child feels with the forced education, the sighing and dismay portraying the broken spirit that is visible to the reader. Entrapment experienced by the speaker becomes a focal point in third stanza. As noted previously, the natural world provides significant metaphors in The Schoolboy. Drooping (l.11) of the speaker evokes an image of a wilting plant, rather than of a child sat at his desk. The posture of the speaker reflects the state of a plant outside the protective environment of a bower (l.14); the speaker is clearly separated from the natural environment that stimulates his mind. The lessons taught by the teacher have stifled the speakers spirit with its dreary shower, (l.15). Metaphors are once again employed in the fourth stanza as the speaker continues, How can the bird, that born for joy, Sit in a cage and sing? (l.16-17). Children have been denied the joys of nature and are forced to sit in the classroom, which is therefore the metaphorical cage. Blake believed children were not allowed to enjoy the freedom of their youth with a formal education. This education does more harm than good as the fears of punishment is what drives the system and no genuine passion for learning is instilled into the child whose droop his tender wing, And forgets his youthful spring, (l.19-20). The final stanzas of The Schoolboy illustrate how brutal the education system can be to a child as the metaphors of plants and seasonal changes play an important theme. The buds are nipped, And blossoms blown away, And if the tender plants are stripped (l.21-23), connects the metaphor of a caged bird from the fourth stanza. Neither the flower nor the bird feel happy feels happy with the separation from the outside world, in parallel with the speaker who also feels the isolation from nature. This bleak image is continued into the final stanza of the poem, as the speaker talks of the vanishing summer season ending on the fearful line When the blasts of winter appear? (l.30), once again exposes the melancholy of the schoolroom. The poems composed by Wordsworth and Blake are both highly emotional in terms to the theme of childhood. While the styles of poem are contrasting, the poets have used symbolic metaphors to convey the importance of childhood and in turn the readers response to each poem. Wordsworths The Prelude relates the importance of spots of time, (Bygrave, 1996, page 12), a powerful impression that is a deep source of inspiration to an adult in later. In the case of The Prelude, Wordsworth advocates his childhood exploits as showing him the true magnificence of nature, and in turn the education that he learnt through the physical activities that he enjoyed as a child. While in comparison William Blakes The Schoolboy, brings restrictions of a formal education to the forefront of the poem. The strict rules of a teacher not only causes apprehension of a child but also restricts that lessons a child can learn from life experiences, therefore reducing the quality of childhood. The Schoolboy sympathises with children from poorer social backgrounds who are restricted to the classroom, rather than enjoying the books in the wonder of nature, as Blake believed was imperative. With these opinions formed it is imperative to note that both poets have conveyed a sense nature reflect freedom to grow not only as poets but as well happy child and later adults.