INTRODUCTION
Juvenile delinquency refers t the law-violating behaviour of persons, legally defined as persons. Legally, juvenile delinquency encompasses two distinct types of behaviour. These are criminal activities committed by youths (robbery, cultism, murder, examination malpractice, rape) and activities prohibited to children, such as truancy, escape from home; curfew violations or incorrigibility also known as status offences. As a legal concept, the definition of Juvenile delinquency varies over time in different nations.
THE EXTENT OF DELIQUENCY
Juvenile delinquency is a major social problem in our society today. Using EdoState as a pointer, the issue of juvenile delinquency is so alarming that the Federal Ministry of Education published the state as harboring the highest cases of examination mal-practice, in the Vanguard Newspapers of March 1st 2007. However, it is impossible to calculate the extent of the problem accurately in the entire Nigerian society, but research studies indicate that more than 90% of the Nigeria Juvenile sometime during their minority committed acts for which they could be adjudicated delinquent. So a large proportion of Juvenile delinquent acts are undetected or unreported and are hidden from public view.
CAUSES OF DELINQUENCY
Many theories have been developed to explain juvenile delinquency. These theories generally have taken one of the three major approaches. The biological approach attempts to explain why individuals become delinquent by referring to body type or physical dysfunction. The psychological approach focuses on the development of mental dysfunction and learning on behavioural patterns. The sociological approach concentrates on the influences in the social environment that shape the individual’s behaviour.
However, popular ideas about the causes of juvenile delinquency emphasize the social environment. Thus, unstable family life, drug abuse, failure to achieve academic excellence, viewing horror and amorous home video film clips; weakening of religious bonds-emphasis on materialism instead of state of holiness, youth inferiority complex and sibling influence. All these, have bad support, as explanation for delinquency. It may interest us to know that it appears that one or more of these factors may contribute to delinquency, but none stands alone as a primary cause.
SOLUTION
The solution to the problem of juvenile delinquency is multidimensional. Therefore, it would naturally follow that many aspects to the cure of this social problem will emanate. Four major areas (family, church, Government and Nature/Nurture) will be briefly analyzed below to give adequate explanation to the issue.
THE FAMILY
Without mincing words, it should be noted that parents are the victim of unwholesome social circumstances. Most of them are frequently unable to control the demoralizing conditions to which their children are exposed and bever fully dominate the child’s volitional life. Yet while the entire burden of blame should not be placed on the shoulders of parents, regardless of therse conditions, parents should be aware of, and accept their vitally important measure of responsibility. They should not relax in their effort to counsel their children towards realistic goals as against many cases, where some parents do pamper their children to be wayward. Imagine parents advising their children to be “rugged” as the means to an end in Nigeria or the hush-hush movement to seek greener pasture abroad especially among the girls.
So, parents should display adequate love so that they can communicate well with their children. This is vital for the child’s happiness and social adjustment.
THE CHURCH
Churches in our communities are making a major contribution to counteract delinquency. They have, and will continue to be a major source of contribution to the general social welfare. However, the activities of some church leaders need to be curtailed or re-evaluated by their faithful. Think of the idea of preaching materialism instead of eternity and incessant collections of all sorts of levies to the embarrassment of the worshippers. All these do not allow our juveniles to adjust well in the society.
THE GOVERNMENT
Although, there are social centres for educating youths against juvenile delinquency, like the youth centre along Akpapava street, Benin City, much need to be done by government.
The government agencies such as the police force need to be alive to their responsibility. Many juveniles with criminal cases are granted bail without precautions as a result of bribery. Many cultists especially from influential homes benefit from this unwholesome act of the police.
Government should create jobs for the idle youths. Many juveniles go into crime as a result of having nothing to occupy them. Graduates should be occupied with jobs otherwise their frustration will further compound the depression of the younger youths, who may thereby take to crime.
NATURE/NURTURE CONTROVERSY
The nature vs. nurture debate takes on a new identity when dealing directly with treating or rehabilitating juvenile delinquents. The debate on this issue is between sickness and sin. Is juvenile delinquency the result of an inborn sickness (nature) or is it the result of bad child up brings by the parents and child (Nurture)? Those in favour of delinquency being a sickness are looking up to science to find a medical cure or some genetic link that can be altered to keep the child from ever becoming delinquent.
CONCLUSION
The problem of juvenile delinquency is unprecedented in the society, hence the stakeholders should out all hands on deck to check the menace, otherwise, the society stands the risk of great catstrophy in the near future in the hands of maladjusted youths.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
THE GUIDANCE COUNSELLOR AS AN AGENT OF POSITIVE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOCIETY.
Guidance is a broad term usually applied to a total school programme of activities and services aimed at assisting pupils make and carry out adequate plans and to achieve satisfactory adjustment in life. It is the process of helping individuals to understand themselves and their world.
Hence, individuals well guided will become more effective, more productive, and happier and more fulfilled persons in life. Councelling on the other hand, is a person to person relationship in which one person who is the professional helps another, who is the client; to resolve an area of conflict in the person’s life. He thus succeeds in making the person an independent person.
The professional that carries out the above mentioned roles is the guidance counsellor. His job can be broad-based, that is he deals with more than one person or a group of persons at a time, or it could be on one-on –one basis. In whichever case, his job is to guide and/ or counsel the individual or client such that he or she becomes more useful to himself and the society at large.
The guidance consellor plays his or her role in the various facets of the society, viz: the home, school church/mosques and under society.
In the home, the parents, elder brothers, sisters and relatives play the role of the guidance counsellor to the younger ones, even though they are not professional counselors.
They teach them the basic tenets of living, how to carry out domestic chores, family and general greetings, how to show courtesy and respect for elders, etiquettes etc. the children or younger ones are also either cautioned, advised or spanked whenever they go wrong depending on the gravity of the offence.
In the school, the child has the opportunity of meeting a professional guidance counsellor, although where there is no such one, the career master, who might have received some minimal training, or the teacher, particularly the head teacher or principal plays the role of the counsellor.at the school level, the child is exposed to three major areas of counseling-Educational, career Choice/ vocational and personal/ social.
The educational aspect of counseling involves teaching the child how to go about his/her studies, simply put, study habits. This includes encouraging the child to plan a personal time- table for his/her own use, time allocation on such time- table, number of subjects to study a day, how to assimilate what he/her reads, observing siesta, preparing for examinations and ensuring examination success etc.
There roles come to the fore due to the fact that many students are no their own not organized, but when assisted, they do better.
Also in the school, the students are exposed to career choice, or better called, vocational guidance. This starts with helping the students on subject choice, certificate class or final year examinations. They are taught to choose subjects that are related or go together which can thus help them to study certain courses, or follow a particular career in life.
The students are also guide on the essence of knowing their interests in life and matching same with their abilities. Therefore, it will be foolish for a child who is gifted in Arts subjects to start thinking of becoming Engineers, a medical doctor, an Agriculturist or study any of the sciences. So also, it will not be proper for the a child gifted in science subjects to start thinking of reading law, political science, communication Arts e.t.c.
Actually, the aforementioned science happens everyday in our schools, because of ignorance, peer group influence and recognition or prestige attached to certain courses or careers in the society.
Also, some courses are said to be more lucrative than others. The students have to be guided so that they do not run into problems while studying courses they are not cut out for or end up pleasing friends, parents, relatives and the society and displeasing themselves.
It must be mentioned here that there have been cases of individuals who got well established in certain careers in life and with a lot of financial and material benefit, but due to lack of job satisfaction, got disenchanted, and abandoned the so called lucrative or prestigious jobs for business politics or some other things in life. Some even took the bold step of going back to retain in what on e may call their “proper area” of calling. To avoid this colossal waste of time, energy and resources therefore, the counsellor must effectively play his role in the school system.
Students as adolescents have their peculiar problems which could be domestic, peer group influence, cultism, drugs crimes, understanding their own biological make- up, especially as they grow up and observe certain changes in themselves, health issues, sexuality issues especially as they affect dating, sex pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease (STDs), HIV/AIDS, trafficking of children and women within and outside the country etc. these concern the social personal aspects of the child’s life and he/she has to be well guide and counseled so as not to fall a victim to any or a combination of some of them, which of course would be detrimental to his/her life.
In the churches or mosques and in some cases, professional counseling clinics, adults receive spiritual counseling from pastors lived or are yet to settle down with a life partner are also counseled on how to go about solving their problems.
Today the society has become so complex, full of so much pressures and hence stress, arising from job, business relationships, infrastructural inadequacies such as bad roads, irregular electricity supply. High school fees, high cost of accommodation (house) and transportation, feeding e.t.c, that so much pressure is put on the adults that are expected to provide these things for both the immediate and extended family. It therefore behoves on these adults to seek professional advice from the guidance counselor so that they can avoid the maximum stress and other negative consequences that go with these hustle and bustle of every day modern life.
From the fore-going, it goes without saying that the counselor role is not just important, but a sine que non in the society, if they are encouraged to play these roles and well patronized by those who should, most of the problems encountered today will become things of the past.
Guidance counselor, as professional have been trained in the intricacies of getting to the roots of the problems, that is diagnosis, and proffering probable solutions to them. In some cases, there may be the need to refer extreme cases to medical doctor, psychiatrists or even dieticians etc, as the case may be .With these roles, the guidance counselor is a great agent of positive change and development in the society.
EFFECTIVE STUDY HABITS
The two major terms in this topic are “effective’ means practical and workable procedure that yield expected result.
The phrase “study habit” means a study pattern that cannot easily be given up, a learnt or acquired behaviour sustained over a given period of time. Your study habit or study behaviour is a systematic behavioural pattern developed and specifically directed at achieving the best result. Let me state categorically that good study habit is synonymous with academic achievement. Effective study habit therefore is the cornerstone of academic success.
A student in an institution of learning is likened to an athlete in a race who runs to win the prize. There is need to strive to emerge the winner Ist Corinthians 9vs 24-27. if you are not steadfast and leave the track you cannot win the race so it is with a students in a college, if you relax you cannot pass in good grades if you pass at all. The implication of the above is that you should read in such a way as to be the best student.
Factors that affect effective study habits
1. Lack of absolute concentration and attention: if you are restless you can hardly concentrate and this will negate effective study.
2. Massed reading i.e. reading only when examination is one week or few days to be taken. This causes confusion in the brain
3. Individual differences: Do not copy others instead identify your best study habit and suitable study skill and follow.
4. Procrastination: unsteady habit of reading not working consistently, you need to persevere to achieve.
5. In order to improve your study behavoiour you should first of all analyses your study behaviour, find out the likely obstacles by keeping record on how you study the first week of the term. Record how much time you read spend on effective study not time spent on glancing at your books. Effective study requires actively being involved while reading with your writing materials- biro, pencil, jotter, dictionary, relevant textbooks and not books.
6. make sure you distribute your leaning by having a personal reading timetable which you must follow. Try and have a specific study place. Do not read on the bed otherwise you sleep off. Time yourself to see the actual period you concentrate without distractions.
Effective study requires hard work and determination. A lazy student cannot be a scholar 2nd Thes; 3vs 10. Interest is also an important factor. Educational psychologists realized that if you do not have interest in anything you are doing, you do not achieve success. Your attitude or feeling towards a particular subject automatically affects your achievement. So develop keen interest in your studies and put maximum effort and your God given talent will be made manifest.
It is expected that any well- meaning student who is in an institution of learning should be studious so as to achieve the primary aim or goal of seeking admission into the institution. In order to excel and distinguish oneself there is need to spend a lot of time studying and develop a healthy attitude toward plays an important part in directing and controlling human behaviour or pattern. Your study behaviour will depend on your attitude. Some students develop negative attitude toward some subjects based on what others say about the course and that will affect the attitude and eventually results in poor performance. For instance such student lack internal locus of control. If a student has already categorized himself as a failure he has a poor self-concept and this will affect his study behaviour and consequently his/her performance. To study effectively, you may decide to plan your personal reading time-table with the hints below;
SOME HINTS ON PLANNING PERSONAL - STUDYTIMETABLE.
1. First of all map out the available time for reading after you have stayed for maximum f two weeks and studied your environments. For instance take note of the time you spend eating, sleeping, recreation and for lecture. Eccl 3vs 1.
2. Plan what to read in the available hours. At least study two different subjects a day and do that as a matter of routine whether exam is at the corner or not.
3. Handle assignments immediately and be ready to submit before the last day given by the lecturer.
4. Read any lesson taught that day immediately and fill in the gaps you did not understand while taking the notes.
5. Allot more reading hours to subjects you consider more difficult to understand you may spend an hour to read a subject area to understand it well and two or more hours for another. This guides you in allotting time to your courses diary weekly.
You can also decide to learn these skills and choose appropriate techniques tat suit you for effective study habit to be achieved. john (2000) reiterated that a prospective scholar should obey all rules of the institution of leaning as well as the laws of learning in order to excel in exams. Study skill can be acquired through obeying laws of learning such as Thorndike’s law of readiness, exercise and effective study skills may be organized according to four general stages of learning.
Ist Stage of learning is receiving information or stimuli through the sensory registers from books, lectures or presentations- study skills necessary at this stage are listening and reading.
2nd Stage of learning input or acquisition stage: this entails organization of the incoming information. Study skills that facilitate this include; note taking, outlining, listening and asking oneself questions about the material.
3rd Stage learning-retention or storage of information; this involves practicing or rehearing the organized material. Study skill that facilitate this are writing and discussion f learnt material.
4th Stage of learning- recall or out put stage- this entails actual remembering or application of information. Skills required include writing and test taking.
However, for effective study, students should adopt the study- type reading
Study-type reading connotes active reading for a purpose. The reader has to be highly selective in order to choose from a whole mass of printed matter, the information or ideas that must be remembered. He then constructs and rephrases the writer’s ideal in his own way in order to retain it in his/her code information in the brain.
Studying as a skill is reading with a strategy already learnt or laid down for the purpose of achieving good result. The rate at which individuals gain understanding varies and this depends mainly on the approach to or technique of reading among other factors. Basically , we all read but we do not all study. Studying is critical reading.
Learning is a process of gaining knowledge or insight through the practice of what has been taught. A student has learnt well if he/ she perform better after examinations. For instance, a student who exhibits bad reading too deceitful statements.
Reading/ Study Techniques.
Technique simply means method of carrying out task expertly. In this case, you are to learn how to read or study assessed. The psychology of reading and studying has its basis or adherence to the principles of education psychology. The learner is made to learn specific rules guiding efficient study and practice them until it becomes a habit when fully imbibed and the individual exhibits the behavior spontaneously. As earlier mentioned, human learning follows three main stages- acquisition, retention, and recall. The recall of learnt material when needed depends on how it was retained or stored in the long- term or short- term memory. In turn, if at the time the material was acquired it makes retention and recall difficult when needed.
As earlier mentioned, our focus is on the study- type reading which makes for efficiency. The following are examples of reading techniques.
1. Brain storming group studying technique
2. Prof Robinson’s SQ3R reading technique
3. The creative studying technique
1. Brain Storming Group Study: this study group should be maximum of 6 students with a group leader. Participants should be students of the same class, who are preparing for the same examination. The time, topic to b e discussed should be planned before hand. Every participant is expected to be actively involved in the decision.
2. SQ3R Study Technique: this is a very popular study technique that has been widely used and tested among students over the years with resounding success.
S stands for Survey
Q stands for Question
R stands for read and jot down
R stands for Recite.
R stands for review.
First of all, the student should survey the material he/she is to study, be familiar with the key points and the scope to cover. The objective is to have a general overview of what is required to be read or studied.
Then you can generate likely questions that could arise from the headings for e.g. in this lecture the likely question that could be asked by mere looking at the topic is “what are reading techniques?” “What is effective Study habit?” These questions form a guide to your reading for facts in order to answer the questions.
Read the material carefully to adopt the study-type and jot down the salient points as you read with reference posed by yourself. Then close your book and try to recite by recalling what has been studied and written down. This helps you to self –evaluate yourself and see how much you can recall, write down the points recalled in the paper. You may notice that you could not recall all, and then you review the passage to fill in the missing information.
3. CREATIVE STUDY TECHNIQUE: There is no hard and fast rule about which reading technique to adopt or not to. What is important is the one that suits a particular individual or group of individuals. Through practice, you will be able to identify the one or ones that suit you and you revolve a creative study technique that is rewarding. The essence is for you to study in away as to make retrieval easy.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, a student who values the worth of being educated and who has an intrinsic motivation to achieve would definitely strive to achieve by applying all the rules of learning and working hard consistently. Most great people today started from a low, poor but diligent and hardworking background read Prov. 22vs 29. We should pray, workhard,trust and obey God and also obey the reading and examination rules instituted by those put into authority by God, Titus 3vs 1. Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good manner 1 cor. 15vs 33. Do not be involved in examination malpractice it is evil. The Bible says have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness rather expose them. Eph. 5vs11$12. Remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge, Prov. 1vs 7. God bless you as you strive diligently to win the race in your academic pursuit in Jesus name, Amen.
Hence, individuals well guided will become more effective, more productive, and happier and more fulfilled persons in life. Councelling on the other hand, is a person to person relationship in which one person who is the professional helps another, who is the client; to resolve an area of conflict in the person’s life. He thus succeeds in making the person an independent person.
The professional that carries out the above mentioned roles is the guidance counsellor. His job can be broad-based, that is he deals with more than one person or a group of persons at a time, or it could be on one-on –one basis. In whichever case, his job is to guide and/ or counsel the individual or client such that he or she becomes more useful to himself and the society at large.
The guidance consellor plays his or her role in the various facets of the society, viz: the home, school church/mosques and under society.
In the home, the parents, elder brothers, sisters and relatives play the role of the guidance counsellor to the younger ones, even though they are not professional counselors.
They teach them the basic tenets of living, how to carry out domestic chores, family and general greetings, how to show courtesy and respect for elders, etiquettes etc. the children or younger ones are also either cautioned, advised or spanked whenever they go wrong depending on the gravity of the offence.
In the school, the child has the opportunity of meeting a professional guidance counsellor, although where there is no such one, the career master, who might have received some minimal training, or the teacher, particularly the head teacher or principal plays the role of the counsellor.at the school level, the child is exposed to three major areas of counseling-Educational, career Choice/ vocational and personal/ social.
The educational aspect of counseling involves teaching the child how to go about his/her studies, simply put, study habits. This includes encouraging the child to plan a personal time- table for his/her own use, time allocation on such time- table, number of subjects to study a day, how to assimilate what he/her reads, observing siesta, preparing for examinations and ensuring examination success etc.
There roles come to the fore due to the fact that many students are no their own not organized, but when assisted, they do better.
Also in the school, the students are exposed to career choice, or better called, vocational guidance. This starts with helping the students on subject choice, certificate class or final year examinations. They are taught to choose subjects that are related or go together which can thus help them to study certain courses, or follow a particular career in life.
The students are also guide on the essence of knowing their interests in life and matching same with their abilities. Therefore, it will be foolish for a child who is gifted in Arts subjects to start thinking of becoming Engineers, a medical doctor, an Agriculturist or study any of the sciences. So also, it will not be proper for the a child gifted in science subjects to start thinking of reading law, political science, communication Arts e.t.c.
Actually, the aforementioned science happens everyday in our schools, because of ignorance, peer group influence and recognition or prestige attached to certain courses or careers in the society.
Also, some courses are said to be more lucrative than others. The students have to be guided so that they do not run into problems while studying courses they are not cut out for or end up pleasing friends, parents, relatives and the society and displeasing themselves.
It must be mentioned here that there have been cases of individuals who got well established in certain careers in life and with a lot of financial and material benefit, but due to lack of job satisfaction, got disenchanted, and abandoned the so called lucrative or prestigious jobs for business politics or some other things in life. Some even took the bold step of going back to retain in what on e may call their “proper area” of calling. To avoid this colossal waste of time, energy and resources therefore, the counsellor must effectively play his role in the school system.
Students as adolescents have their peculiar problems which could be domestic, peer group influence, cultism, drugs crimes, understanding their own biological make- up, especially as they grow up and observe certain changes in themselves, health issues, sexuality issues especially as they affect dating, sex pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease (STDs), HIV/AIDS, trafficking of children and women within and outside the country etc. these concern the social personal aspects of the child’s life and he/she has to be well guide and counseled so as not to fall a victim to any or a combination of some of them, which of course would be detrimental to his/her life.
In the churches or mosques and in some cases, professional counseling clinics, adults receive spiritual counseling from pastors lived or are yet to settle down with a life partner are also counseled on how to go about solving their problems.
Today the society has become so complex, full of so much pressures and hence stress, arising from job, business relationships, infrastructural inadequacies such as bad roads, irregular electricity supply. High school fees, high cost of accommodation (house) and transportation, feeding e.t.c, that so much pressure is put on the adults that are expected to provide these things for both the immediate and extended family. It therefore behoves on these adults to seek professional advice from the guidance counselor so that they can avoid the maximum stress and other negative consequences that go with these hustle and bustle of every day modern life.
From the fore-going, it goes without saying that the counselor role is not just important, but a sine que non in the society, if they are encouraged to play these roles and well patronized by those who should, most of the problems encountered today will become things of the past.
Guidance counselor, as professional have been trained in the intricacies of getting to the roots of the problems, that is diagnosis, and proffering probable solutions to them. In some cases, there may be the need to refer extreme cases to medical doctor, psychiatrists or even dieticians etc, as the case may be .With these roles, the guidance counselor is a great agent of positive change and development in the society.
EFFECTIVE STUDY HABITS
The two major terms in this topic are “effective’ means practical and workable procedure that yield expected result.
The phrase “study habit” means a study pattern that cannot easily be given up, a learnt or acquired behaviour sustained over a given period of time. Your study habit or study behaviour is a systematic behavioural pattern developed and specifically directed at achieving the best result. Let me state categorically that good study habit is synonymous with academic achievement. Effective study habit therefore is the cornerstone of academic success.
A student in an institution of learning is likened to an athlete in a race who runs to win the prize. There is need to strive to emerge the winner Ist Corinthians 9vs 24-27. if you are not steadfast and leave the track you cannot win the race so it is with a students in a college, if you relax you cannot pass in good grades if you pass at all. The implication of the above is that you should read in such a way as to be the best student.
Factors that affect effective study habits
1. Lack of absolute concentration and attention: if you are restless you can hardly concentrate and this will negate effective study.
2. Massed reading i.e. reading only when examination is one week or few days to be taken. This causes confusion in the brain
3. Individual differences: Do not copy others instead identify your best study habit and suitable study skill and follow.
4. Procrastination: unsteady habit of reading not working consistently, you need to persevere to achieve.
5. In order to improve your study behavoiour you should first of all analyses your study behaviour, find out the likely obstacles by keeping record on how you study the first week of the term. Record how much time you read spend on effective study not time spent on glancing at your books. Effective study requires actively being involved while reading with your writing materials- biro, pencil, jotter, dictionary, relevant textbooks and not books.
6. make sure you distribute your leaning by having a personal reading timetable which you must follow. Try and have a specific study place. Do not read on the bed otherwise you sleep off. Time yourself to see the actual period you concentrate without distractions.
Effective study requires hard work and determination. A lazy student cannot be a scholar 2nd Thes; 3vs 10. Interest is also an important factor. Educational psychologists realized that if you do not have interest in anything you are doing, you do not achieve success. Your attitude or feeling towards a particular subject automatically affects your achievement. So develop keen interest in your studies and put maximum effort and your God given talent will be made manifest.
It is expected that any well- meaning student who is in an institution of learning should be studious so as to achieve the primary aim or goal of seeking admission into the institution. In order to excel and distinguish oneself there is need to spend a lot of time studying and develop a healthy attitude toward plays an important part in directing and controlling human behaviour or pattern. Your study behaviour will depend on your attitude. Some students develop negative attitude toward some subjects based on what others say about the course and that will affect the attitude and eventually results in poor performance. For instance such student lack internal locus of control. If a student has already categorized himself as a failure he has a poor self-concept and this will affect his study behaviour and consequently his/her performance. To study effectively, you may decide to plan your personal reading time-table with the hints below;
SOME HINTS ON PLANNING PERSONAL - STUDYTIMETABLE.
1. First of all map out the available time for reading after you have stayed for maximum f two weeks and studied your environments. For instance take note of the time you spend eating, sleeping, recreation and for lecture. Eccl 3vs 1.
2. Plan what to read in the available hours. At least study two different subjects a day and do that as a matter of routine whether exam is at the corner or not.
3. Handle assignments immediately and be ready to submit before the last day given by the lecturer.
4. Read any lesson taught that day immediately and fill in the gaps you did not understand while taking the notes.
5. Allot more reading hours to subjects you consider more difficult to understand you may spend an hour to read a subject area to understand it well and two or more hours for another. This guides you in allotting time to your courses diary weekly.
You can also decide to learn these skills and choose appropriate techniques tat suit you for effective study habit to be achieved. john (2000) reiterated that a prospective scholar should obey all rules of the institution of leaning as well as the laws of learning in order to excel in exams. Study skill can be acquired through obeying laws of learning such as Thorndike’s law of readiness, exercise and effective study skills may be organized according to four general stages of learning.
Ist Stage of learning is receiving information or stimuli through the sensory registers from books, lectures or presentations- study skills necessary at this stage are listening and reading.
2nd Stage of learning input or acquisition stage: this entails organization of the incoming information. Study skills that facilitate this include; note taking, outlining, listening and asking oneself questions about the material.
3rd Stage learning-retention or storage of information; this involves practicing or rehearing the organized material. Study skill that facilitate this are writing and discussion f learnt material.
4th Stage of learning- recall or out put stage- this entails actual remembering or application of information. Skills required include writing and test taking.
However, for effective study, students should adopt the study- type reading
Study-type reading connotes active reading for a purpose. The reader has to be highly selective in order to choose from a whole mass of printed matter, the information or ideas that must be remembered. He then constructs and rephrases the writer’s ideal in his own way in order to retain it in his/her code information in the brain.
Studying as a skill is reading with a strategy already learnt or laid down for the purpose of achieving good result. The rate at which individuals gain understanding varies and this depends mainly on the approach to or technique of reading among other factors. Basically , we all read but we do not all study. Studying is critical reading.
Learning is a process of gaining knowledge or insight through the practice of what has been taught. A student has learnt well if he/ she perform better after examinations. For instance, a student who exhibits bad reading too deceitful statements.
Reading/ Study Techniques.
Technique simply means method of carrying out task expertly. In this case, you are to learn how to read or study assessed. The psychology of reading and studying has its basis or adherence to the principles of education psychology. The learner is made to learn specific rules guiding efficient study and practice them until it becomes a habit when fully imbibed and the individual exhibits the behavior spontaneously. As earlier mentioned, human learning follows three main stages- acquisition, retention, and recall. The recall of learnt material when needed depends on how it was retained or stored in the long- term or short- term memory. In turn, if at the time the material was acquired it makes retention and recall difficult when needed.
As earlier mentioned, our focus is on the study- type reading which makes for efficiency. The following are examples of reading techniques.
1. Brain storming group studying technique
2. Prof Robinson’s SQ3R reading technique
3. The creative studying technique
1. Brain Storming Group Study: this study group should be maximum of 6 students with a group leader. Participants should be students of the same class, who are preparing for the same examination. The time, topic to b e discussed should be planned before hand. Every participant is expected to be actively involved in the decision.
2. SQ3R Study Technique: this is a very popular study technique that has been widely used and tested among students over the years with resounding success.
S stands for Survey
Q stands for Question
R stands for read and jot down
R stands for Recite.
R stands for review.
First of all, the student should survey the material he/she is to study, be familiar with the key points and the scope to cover. The objective is to have a general overview of what is required to be read or studied.
Then you can generate likely questions that could arise from the headings for e.g. in this lecture the likely question that could be asked by mere looking at the topic is “what are reading techniques?” “What is effective Study habit?” These questions form a guide to your reading for facts in order to answer the questions.
Read the material carefully to adopt the study-type and jot down the salient points as you read with reference posed by yourself. Then close your book and try to recite by recalling what has been studied and written down. This helps you to self –evaluate yourself and see how much you can recall, write down the points recalled in the paper. You may notice that you could not recall all, and then you review the passage to fill in the missing information.
3. CREATIVE STUDY TECHNIQUE: There is no hard and fast rule about which reading technique to adopt or not to. What is important is the one that suits a particular individual or group of individuals. Through practice, you will be able to identify the one or ones that suit you and you revolve a creative study technique that is rewarding. The essence is for you to study in away as to make retrieval easy.
CONCLUSION.
In conclusion, a student who values the worth of being educated and who has an intrinsic motivation to achieve would definitely strive to achieve by applying all the rules of learning and working hard consistently. Most great people today started from a low, poor but diligent and hardworking background read Prov. 22vs 29. We should pray, workhard,trust and obey God and also obey the reading and examination rules instituted by those put into authority by God, Titus 3vs 1. Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good manner 1 cor. 15vs 33. Do not be involved in examination malpractice it is evil. The Bible says have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness rather expose them. Eph. 5vs11$12. Remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all knowledge, Prov. 1vs 7. God bless you as you strive diligently to win the race in your academic pursuit in Jesus name, Amen.
FIGHTING CULTISM IN OUR SCHOOLS
FIGHTING CULTISM IN OUR SCHOOLS
I don’t intend to sound too academic in this discourse. Rather, I intend to raise some moral questions, which I believe will be sufficient food for thought to every respectable and responsible parent. Cultism has for so long reared its ugly head in our society. It has not stopped ravaging the very embryo of our future. Several attempts have been made and are still being made to curb this hydra headed monster cultism. The questions is how much success have we registered from this noble fight? In the 70s and to a reasonable content in the 80s, cultism was principally a phenomenon identifiable in tertiary institutions and references to it in campus were d one in whispers but cultism has become a nebulous institution shrouded in secrecy and suspicion for every tom, dick and Harry. Not only do we find traces of cultism even in junior secondary school and primary schools, school drop out, wheel barrow pushers, apprentice to another but a few found solace in this unholy venture.
It is most regrettable those even some members of the society rather than think positively on how to come out of the wood, use these cultists to administer jungle justice. There had been many cases where creditors employ services of cultist to force a debtor to pay the debt owned. Well, this you may say, is an indication of how much confidence the society has in the Nigerian police force. Isn’t this unfortunate? The most disturbing aspect of this phenomenon is that the cultists are predominantly adolescent, the preparatory stage for responsible adulthood. A daring cultist is no doubt a potential armed robber. Let us really ask ourselves, why do the youth join cult? One of the many reasons why do the youth join cult for social security within the organized system. The desire to feel secured within the social circle drives many young boys and girls into cultism. This grew in the young a gangsteristic tendency, which ultimately culminates in clashes of titans within the school circle. A potent reason is the tendency to be seen to be coping socially in spite of the psychological defect. Therefore, this is an obvious manifestation of inferiority complex. Poverty and ignorance equally play a part where a student goes to school with little or nothing to sustain him for the semester. The tendency to flow along with a room mate who is affluently endowed to secure for him a flock of follower who ultimately remain at his beck and call is rife. Many a good students have fallen victim this way. In addition, parents have contributed in no small measure to the cause of student falling prey to cultism. Many parents have been found to be non-challant, and grossly irresponsible in this respect. Now, let’s come to think of it, what moral justification has a parent who belongs to a cult to question his/her word’s enlisting with a cult group? A good number of our parents belong to a cult group? A good number of our parents belong to one cult or the other. One can now.
Understand why some parents pay lip service to the war against cultism. Dear parent, if you must be seen fighting a just war, do relinquish your membership of that cult you belong. After all, charity begins at home. Most parents are concerned with enrolling their wards in the school. The ward’s study habit use of lecture time, the type of friends he keeps remains essentially irrelevant to them. With this attitude, how can we nurture the child to blossom? You must know that your child is like a seed planted that needs watering and tending, if you must get better yield. Let us show more concern on our children. How often do you go to your child’s school to check how he’s coping socially and academically? How many of your child’s friend do you know? Not just knowing them, but their parental back-ground.
Coming to the school; has the teachers seen their job beyond the classroom? It must be borne in mind that the teacher’s duty is not just to teach how to read and write but should take up the holistic responsibility of the total character transformation of his students.
In curbing the tide of cultism, counseling has been identified as one of the potent tools. The time when counselors sit in the office and expect students to come has faded out. Good enough, the Counseling association of Nigeria has developed a counseling curriculum for school. The counselor should go to the classroom to teach counseling. It is only through this, the entire students can be reached. It is gratifying to note that some schools have included guidance and counseling on the time table. This is a very good step.
It is the duty of the school counselor too to ensure that extra curricular activities in school are revived and made functional to the extent that all students must be involved in at least time extra curricular activities. Such activities like games, debating, man O’war, drug fire club, anti HIV/AIDS club and a host of others should be encouraged.
The fight against cultism shouldn’t be treated with child’s gloves. It is one of the indices that are deterministic of our future well-being. The parents, the school, the government and the society in general should see it as a challenge and a just war.
I don’t intend to sound too academic in this discourse. Rather, I intend to raise some moral questions, which I believe will be sufficient food for thought to every respectable and responsible parent. Cultism has for so long reared its ugly head in our society. It has not stopped ravaging the very embryo of our future. Several attempts have been made and are still being made to curb this hydra headed monster cultism. The questions is how much success have we registered from this noble fight? In the 70s and to a reasonable content in the 80s, cultism was principally a phenomenon identifiable in tertiary institutions and references to it in campus were d one in whispers but cultism has become a nebulous institution shrouded in secrecy and suspicion for every tom, dick and Harry. Not only do we find traces of cultism even in junior secondary school and primary schools, school drop out, wheel barrow pushers, apprentice to another but a few found solace in this unholy venture.
It is most regrettable those even some members of the society rather than think positively on how to come out of the wood, use these cultists to administer jungle justice. There had been many cases where creditors employ services of cultist to force a debtor to pay the debt owned. Well, this you may say, is an indication of how much confidence the society has in the Nigerian police force. Isn’t this unfortunate? The most disturbing aspect of this phenomenon is that the cultists are predominantly adolescent, the preparatory stage for responsible adulthood. A daring cultist is no doubt a potential armed robber. Let us really ask ourselves, why do the youth join cult? One of the many reasons why do the youth join cult for social security within the organized system. The desire to feel secured within the social circle drives many young boys and girls into cultism. This grew in the young a gangsteristic tendency, which ultimately culminates in clashes of titans within the school circle. A potent reason is the tendency to be seen to be coping socially in spite of the psychological defect. Therefore, this is an obvious manifestation of inferiority complex. Poverty and ignorance equally play a part where a student goes to school with little or nothing to sustain him for the semester. The tendency to flow along with a room mate who is affluently endowed to secure for him a flock of follower who ultimately remain at his beck and call is rife. Many a good students have fallen victim this way. In addition, parents have contributed in no small measure to the cause of student falling prey to cultism. Many parents have been found to be non-challant, and grossly irresponsible in this respect. Now, let’s come to think of it, what moral justification has a parent who belongs to a cult to question his/her word’s enlisting with a cult group? A good number of our parents belong to a cult group? A good number of our parents belong to one cult or the other. One can now.
Understand why some parents pay lip service to the war against cultism. Dear parent, if you must be seen fighting a just war, do relinquish your membership of that cult you belong. After all, charity begins at home. Most parents are concerned with enrolling their wards in the school. The ward’s study habit use of lecture time, the type of friends he keeps remains essentially irrelevant to them. With this attitude, how can we nurture the child to blossom? You must know that your child is like a seed planted that needs watering and tending, if you must get better yield. Let us show more concern on our children. How often do you go to your child’s school to check how he’s coping socially and academically? How many of your child’s friend do you know? Not just knowing them, but their parental back-ground.
Coming to the school; has the teachers seen their job beyond the classroom? It must be borne in mind that the teacher’s duty is not just to teach how to read and write but should take up the holistic responsibility of the total character transformation of his students.
In curbing the tide of cultism, counseling has been identified as one of the potent tools. The time when counselors sit in the office and expect students to come has faded out. Good enough, the Counseling association of Nigeria has developed a counseling curriculum for school. The counselor should go to the classroom to teach counseling. It is only through this, the entire students can be reached. It is gratifying to note that some schools have included guidance and counseling on the time table. This is a very good step.
It is the duty of the school counselor too to ensure that extra curricular activities in school are revived and made functional to the extent that all students must be involved in at least time extra curricular activities. Such activities like games, debating, man O’war, drug fire club, anti HIV/AIDS club and a host of others should be encouraged.
The fight against cultism shouldn’t be treated with child’s gloves. It is one of the indices that are deterministic of our future well-being. The parents, the school, the government and the society in general should see it as a challenge and a just war.
DRUG ABUSE
DRUG ABUSE
Becomes associated with physical, psychological, social or legal harm.
There are other forms of abuse.Drug misuse: inappropriate use
Drug dependence – A state, psychic or physical, resulting from the adaptation of the body to presence of a drug of abuse characterized by behvioural and other responses that always include a compulsion to take drug on a continuous of periodic basis in order to experience no discomfort of its absence.
Drug abuse is an important factor in disruption of family and social relationships. Drug abuse could lead to: accidents, crimes, violence, and disease and illness suicide.
Heavy drinking is a risk factor for disease. The cost of mobility, mortality and damage to vehicles and properties associated with the consumption of alcohol in developing countries is far larger than all aids from various sources.
Drug abuse and institutions of learning. This is a key factor in academic and social problems in secondary and tertiary institutions, in addition to “cultism: students who abuse drug are likely to perform poorly. Sometimes they dropout of school. It is a pity that the effectiveness of the response to the drug problem varies from country to country.
The drugs that are commonly abused in Nigeria are Alcohol, valium and lexotan, cocaine, hearoin after drinking alcohol it is quickly absorbed into the blood stream. The blood alcohol concentration depends on
a. The amount consumed in a given time
b. The drinker’s size, sex and metabolism
c. The type of alcohol and the amount of food in the stomach
On the average adult, alcohol is metabolized at the rate of 85gms per hour, also depending on sex, size and genetic factors. Susceptible individual’s wants to repeat the drug using experience and a majority for these individuals will continue to abuse the drug. Natural rewards such as food, water sex, and nurturing allow humans and other organism to feel pleasure when eating, drinking, procreating and being nurtured. Such pleasurable feelings reinforce the behaviour so that it will be repeated. Each of this behaviour is essential for the survival of the species. All drug of abuse stimulate the brain reward entry to produce pleasurable feelings.
The intensity of the pleasurable feelings depends on how strongly a particular drug of abuse stimulates the brain reward centre. The intensity of pleasurable effect produced by a drug of abuse is referred to as its reinforcing effect or addition potential.
Problems associated
· Pyhsical health problems
· Cognitive deficits psychological problems
· Legal problems
· Employment/School problems
· Spiritual problems.
Prevention: Drug abuse prevention is an entire intervention process towards discouraging, stopping and management of drug abuse like alcohol, tobacco, tea, kolanut, etc. prevention is an on-going process that must relate to each emerging generation drug abuse prevention is the promotion of appropriate lifestyles and norms that discourage drug use. Then development of social and physical environments that facilitate drug free life style.
One thing is certain, before an effective drug abuse prevention programme for a community or society can be set up, there has to have been a sufficient awareness based upon the trends of drug abuse, the target population or the prone population and the factors which are the most prominent in causing drug abuse. These among others form the bedrock for planning and implementing an effectice prevention strategy or programme.
We can point out various factors which have been demonstrated to inevitably lead to non-medical use of drugs at either a group or individual level. A number of these factors are social, political, cultural, psychology etc in nature. Each target population has its own peculiarities.
In conclusion, I must say that everyone should be involved in the development, planning and implementation of any drug abuse prevention programme. In order to plan a prevention programme for an identified population, the age sex, socio economic characteristics and geographical distribution should be described.
If the drug problem is ever to be solved, it must be addressed segments and levels of society.
The fight against drug abuse is a community concern that requires a community response. The problem must be faced in the homes, schools, shops, the play grounds, workshops in the youth clubs and any other meeting places. In order to cut across and to meet the needs of all these segments, school administrators, businessmen, labour leaders, police and custom officers, youth clubs, leaders, parents and social workers, need to develop a total commitment and dedication to the cause, other wise, many of our people will perish.
Becomes associated with physical, psychological, social or legal harm.
There are other forms of abuse.Drug misuse: inappropriate use
Drug dependence – A state, psychic or physical, resulting from the adaptation of the body to presence of a drug of abuse characterized by behvioural and other responses that always include a compulsion to take drug on a continuous of periodic basis in order to experience no discomfort of its absence.
Drug abuse is an important factor in disruption of family and social relationships. Drug abuse could lead to: accidents, crimes, violence, and disease and illness suicide.
Heavy drinking is a risk factor for disease. The cost of mobility, mortality and damage to vehicles and properties associated with the consumption of alcohol in developing countries is far larger than all aids from various sources.
Drug abuse and institutions of learning. This is a key factor in academic and social problems in secondary and tertiary institutions, in addition to “cultism: students who abuse drug are likely to perform poorly. Sometimes they dropout of school. It is a pity that the effectiveness of the response to the drug problem varies from country to country.
The drugs that are commonly abused in Nigeria are Alcohol, valium and lexotan, cocaine, hearoin after drinking alcohol it is quickly absorbed into the blood stream. The blood alcohol concentration depends on
a. The amount consumed in a given time
b. The drinker’s size, sex and metabolism
c. The type of alcohol and the amount of food in the stomach
On the average adult, alcohol is metabolized at the rate of 85gms per hour, also depending on sex, size and genetic factors. Susceptible individual’s wants to repeat the drug using experience and a majority for these individuals will continue to abuse the drug. Natural rewards such as food, water sex, and nurturing allow humans and other organism to feel pleasure when eating, drinking, procreating and being nurtured. Such pleasurable feelings reinforce the behaviour so that it will be repeated. Each of this behaviour is essential for the survival of the species. All drug of abuse stimulate the brain reward entry to produce pleasurable feelings.
The intensity of the pleasurable feelings depends on how strongly a particular drug of abuse stimulates the brain reward centre. The intensity of pleasurable effect produced by a drug of abuse is referred to as its reinforcing effect or addition potential.
Problems associated
· Pyhsical health problems
· Cognitive deficits psychological problems
· Legal problems
· Employment/School problems
· Spiritual problems.
Prevention: Drug abuse prevention is an entire intervention process towards discouraging, stopping and management of drug abuse like alcohol, tobacco, tea, kolanut, etc. prevention is an on-going process that must relate to each emerging generation drug abuse prevention is the promotion of appropriate lifestyles and norms that discourage drug use. Then development of social and physical environments that facilitate drug free life style.
One thing is certain, before an effective drug abuse prevention programme for a community or society can be set up, there has to have been a sufficient awareness based upon the trends of drug abuse, the target population or the prone population and the factors which are the most prominent in causing drug abuse. These among others form the bedrock for planning and implementing an effectice prevention strategy or programme.
We can point out various factors which have been demonstrated to inevitably lead to non-medical use of drugs at either a group or individual level. A number of these factors are social, political, cultural, psychology etc in nature. Each target population has its own peculiarities.
In conclusion, I must say that everyone should be involved in the development, planning and implementation of any drug abuse prevention programme. In order to plan a prevention programme for an identified population, the age sex, socio economic characteristics and geographical distribution should be described.
If the drug problem is ever to be solved, it must be addressed segments and levels of society.
The fight against drug abuse is a community concern that requires a community response. The problem must be faced in the homes, schools, shops, the play grounds, workshops in the youth clubs and any other meeting places. In order to cut across and to meet the needs of all these segments, school administrators, businessmen, labour leaders, police and custom officers, youth clubs, leaders, parents and social workers, need to develop a total commitment and dedication to the cause, other wise, many of our people will perish.
EMERGENT BEHAVIORAL TRENDS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE EDUCATION OF FEMALE SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
EMERGENT BEHAVIORAL TRENDS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE EDUCATION OF FEMALE SCIENCE STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
As Africans approach the next millennium, the educational focus should be targeted at increased female participation and advances in science, technology, engineering and the medical sciences. African women have been erroneously perceived as incapable of pursuing careers in the sciences, which has been debunked by distinguished African female scientists and an ever increasing number of female science is a demanding one that encompasses heavy academic work load, laboratory practical, field trips and continuous experimentation, which elect from students, the highest level of concentration, studiousness, and commitment.
There are disturbing signals from the behavioural trend of female students that could potentially impact negatively on their performance. They include increasing cases of drug abuse, gross misconduct, examination malpractice, cultism, unwanted pregnancy, prostitution and the attendant health hazards of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS, and because they are unable to cope with the demand of their courses, they indulge in these negative behaviours. These factors have generated some interesting statistics, for instance in the 2002/2003 academic session, female involvement in examination malpractice show that 66.67% of them were science students, as compared to 33.33% for female Arts students. In the 2004/2005 session female science students constituted 82.02% of female expulsions and rustication.
This study aims at highlighting the danger of those emerging factors and seeks to find out if female science students are more vulnerable to their grave consequences. The study tries to investigate if choice of course, that is, Mathematics and science/Arts is tolerant of these behavioural trends in terms of performance level of female undergraduate students. The study examines the relationship between these behavioural factors and their effect on the performance of female science students. This study also looks at possible ways of tackling these problems in order to improve the performance of girls in science.
Counselors should advocate for action-oriented, innovative, performance enhancement pilot programme that will make science teaching more interesting to female students in tertiary institutions. A “challenge and reward” policy has been found to improve performance in science and is therefore recommended.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
The term stress has become common in our society. Nearly everyone experiences stress on a day – today basis. It is an individualized, personal response to situations and circumstances that create pressures. It is a normal and perhaps necessary part of our lives, hence it has become one of the primary concerns of a counselor/psychologist.
Selye, (1975), defined Stress as the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it. “The demand” can be threat, a challenge or any kind of change which requires the body to adapt. The response is automatic and immediate, it has physical and emotional effect on us, which can either be good/positive (“eustress”) when it helps us perform better or help comple us to action, or bad/negative (“distress”) when it causes upset or makes us sick.
CAUSES OF STRESS
Stress can be caused by anything that requires you to adjust to a change in your environment. Your body reacts to those changes with physical, mental and emotional responses. We all have our own ways of coping with changes, so the causes of stress can be different for each person. There are external and internal causes of stress.
EXTERNAL STRESSORS INCLUDE:
· Physical environment; noise, bright light, heat, confined spaces.
· Social (interaction with people); rudeness, bossiness or aggressiveness on the part of some one else.
· Organization; rules, regulations, deadliness.
· Major life events; death of a relative, lost job, promotion, new baby, lack of job security, wages not commensurate with levels of responsibility, excessive time spent away from one and family
· Daily hassles; commuting, misplacing keys, mechanical breakdowns.
INTERNAL STRESSORS INCLUDE;
· Lifestyle choices; caffeine, not enough sleep, overloaded schedule.
· Negative Self – talk pessimistic thinking, self – criticsm, over – analyzing.
· Mind traps: unrealistic expectations, taking things personally, all or nothing thinking, exaggerating, rigid thinking.
· Stressful personality traits: perfectionists, workaholic, pleaser.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
Manifestations of stress are numerous and varied but they generally fall into four categories:
Physical: Fatigue, headache, insomnia, muscle ache/stiffness, heart palpitations, chest pains, abdominal cramps, nausea, trebling cold extremities, flushing or sweating and frequent colds.
Mental processes: Decrease in concentration and memory, indecisiveness, mind racing or going blank, confusion, loss of sense of humour.
Emotional (Feeling): Anxiety, nervousness, depression, anger, frustration, worry, fear, irritability, impatience, short temper.
Behavioural: placing, fidgeting, nervous habits increased eating, smoking, drinking, crying, yelling, blaming and even throwing things or hitting.
Management of stress:
Identifying stress and being aware of its symptoms in our lives is not sufficient for reducing its harmful effects. Just as there are many causes of stress, there are many possibilities for is management. However, all require effort toward change.
The first step in learning to manage our tress related reactions better is to become more aware of the things that may be particularly stressful for us individually, we must learn to recognize in ourselves those thing that cause emotional and physical reactions. Recognizing such elements and understanding real cause of discomfort will enable us feel more in control.
We need to accept that there are events that we cannot control. There is need for self-tolerant, understanding and acceptance that we constantly have to adapt to changes, losses, and things we cannot change. Be assertive instead of aggressive. “Asset” your feelings, opinions or beliefs instead of becoming angry, combative of passive.
Learn to notice and moderate your physical reactions to stress by using relaxation and regular exercise (at least 30 min three times per week) in addition use stress reducing drugs as prescribed by a physician. Another important step involves building your physical reserves by eating well – balanced meals, maintain your ideal weight, avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine and other stimulants, mix leisure with work, take breaks, get enough rest and sleep.
Moreover, maintain your emotional reserves by developing some mutual supportive friendship/relationships, pursue realistic goals, goal setting, and time management, expect some frustrations, failures and sorrows always be kind and gentle with yourself: be a friend to your self.
Summary
Experiencing stress is an on going and normal part of living. We are constantly called on to adapt to changes within ourselves. You do not need to psychologist, clergy or friend may be just what you need to help you handle stress.
The term stress has become common in our society. Nearly everyone experiences stress on a day – today basis. It is an individualized, personal response to situations and circumstances that create pressures. It is a normal and perhaps necessary part of our lives, hence it has become one of the primary concerns of a counselor/psychologist.
Selye, (1975), defined Stress as the non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it. “The demand” can be threat, a challenge or any kind of change which requires the body to adapt. The response is automatic and immediate, it has physical and emotional effect on us, which can either be good/positive (“eustress”) when it helps us perform better or help comple us to action, or bad/negative (“distress”) when it causes upset or makes us sick.
CAUSES OF STRESS
Stress can be caused by anything that requires you to adjust to a change in your environment. Your body reacts to those changes with physical, mental and emotional responses. We all have our own ways of coping with changes, so the causes of stress can be different for each person. There are external and internal causes of stress.
EXTERNAL STRESSORS INCLUDE:
· Physical environment; noise, bright light, heat, confined spaces.
· Social (interaction with people); rudeness, bossiness or aggressiveness on the part of some one else.
· Organization; rules, regulations, deadliness.
· Major life events; death of a relative, lost job, promotion, new baby, lack of job security, wages not commensurate with levels of responsibility, excessive time spent away from one and family
· Daily hassles; commuting, misplacing keys, mechanical breakdowns.
INTERNAL STRESSORS INCLUDE;
· Lifestyle choices; caffeine, not enough sleep, overloaded schedule.
· Negative Self – talk pessimistic thinking, self – criticsm, over – analyzing.
· Mind traps: unrealistic expectations, taking things personally, all or nothing thinking, exaggerating, rigid thinking.
· Stressful personality traits: perfectionists, workaholic, pleaser.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
Manifestations of stress are numerous and varied but they generally fall into four categories:
Physical: Fatigue, headache, insomnia, muscle ache/stiffness, heart palpitations, chest pains, abdominal cramps, nausea, trebling cold extremities, flushing or sweating and frequent colds.
Mental processes: Decrease in concentration and memory, indecisiveness, mind racing or going blank, confusion, loss of sense of humour.
Emotional (Feeling): Anxiety, nervousness, depression, anger, frustration, worry, fear, irritability, impatience, short temper.
Behavioural: placing, fidgeting, nervous habits increased eating, smoking, drinking, crying, yelling, blaming and even throwing things or hitting.
Management of stress:
Identifying stress and being aware of its symptoms in our lives is not sufficient for reducing its harmful effects. Just as there are many causes of stress, there are many possibilities for is management. However, all require effort toward change.
The first step in learning to manage our tress related reactions better is to become more aware of the things that may be particularly stressful for us individually, we must learn to recognize in ourselves those thing that cause emotional and physical reactions. Recognizing such elements and understanding real cause of discomfort will enable us feel more in control.
We need to accept that there are events that we cannot control. There is need for self-tolerant, understanding and acceptance that we constantly have to adapt to changes, losses, and things we cannot change. Be assertive instead of aggressive. “Asset” your feelings, opinions or beliefs instead of becoming angry, combative of passive.
Learn to notice and moderate your physical reactions to stress by using relaxation and regular exercise (at least 30 min three times per week) in addition use stress reducing drugs as prescribed by a physician. Another important step involves building your physical reserves by eating well – balanced meals, maintain your ideal weight, avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine and other stimulants, mix leisure with work, take breaks, get enough rest and sleep.
Moreover, maintain your emotional reserves by developing some mutual supportive friendship/relationships, pursue realistic goals, goal setting, and time management, expect some frustrations, failures and sorrows always be kind and gentle with yourself: be a friend to your self.
Summary
Experiencing stress is an on going and normal part of living. We are constantly called on to adapt to changes within ourselves. You do not need to psychologist, clergy or friend may be just what you need to help you handle stress.
COUNSELING ON FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CAREER
COUNSELING ON FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CAREER
Career choice has been and is still a mind-bugging issue to young people of all generations. So, many put off the decision till they have to complete their University Matriculation Examination (UME) forms while others discuss the issue with other people except a professional guidance counselor who is trained in skills relating to career decision making with which he/she helps the client.
The counselor, on his own part, must update his/her knowledge on the issue in order to guide his/her clients properly. There is the need therefore, to continuously revisit the various factors that can and do affect career choice of individuals with a view to ensuring that young school leavers approach the issue realistically and with confidence.
There are several factors that are worth considering when choosing a career and in summary some of them include interest, ability, financial resources, values, personality, remuneration and son on. Interest is a basic factor in career choice. This should however be tested and not individual to weather the storms he/she might encounter during or after training in that chosen career.
Ability/aptitude is another important factor which must be considered. Some occupations require educational preparations of various educational qualifications while some others require work. The must be counseled to be realistic in assessing his/her ability with regard to the career of choice. For instance, a student who has phobia for Mathematics and other subjects involving calculations cannot be expected to do well in engineering courses no matter how interested he/she is in becoming an engineer. Financial Resources available to a person can also affect the choice of a career as it is common knowledge that some courses are more expensive than others in terms of the finance required undergoing training. It is therefore no out of place to consider how affordable a career is before going into it.
Expected benefits whether financial or otherwise is a factor to consider, as the ability to earn money to take care of oneself and family is one of the reasons why people work. The career chosen should of necessity be able to enable one live a financially fulfilling life no matter how humanitarian it might be Retirement benefits should also be considered.
Values of the individual and in some cases that of his/her family do influence choice of career. This explains why some people resign from high-paying jobs for lesser ones that will give them time to raise their families, engage in religious or social work and other things which are of more value to them.
The curriculum to which one has been exposed in school goes a long way in affecting one’s choice of career. Students from schools with well-equipped laboratories, qualified science teacher and libraries stocked with science text books are more likely to go into medicine and science courses than those from schools without such facilities.
The personality type of the client should also be looked into in choosing a career as some occupations may require certain personality traits from a person unlike others. Those who go into education with the intention to teach must be people who are active, tolerant and patient people not passive and introverted personalities. Parental factor. These and some other factors which should not be ignored by the counselor and the client should be exhausted before the final decision about which career to choose is taken by an individual. Parents should consult the counselors while guarding their children and should not force them into their own career interests
COUNSELING ON FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CAREER
COUNSELING ON FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A CAREER
Career choice has been and is still a mind-bugging issue to young people of all generations. So, many put off the decision till they have to complete their University Matriculation Examination (UME) forms while others discuss the issue with other people except a professional guidance counselor who is trained in skills relating to career decision making with which he/she helps the client.
The counselor, on his own part, must update his/her knowledge on the issue in order to guide his/her clients properly. There is the need therefore, to continuously revisit the various factors that can and do affect career choice of individuals with a view to ensuring that young school leavers approach the issue realistically and with confidence.
There are several factors that are worth considering when choosing a career and in summary some of them include interest, ability, financial resources, values, personality, remuneration and son on. Interest is a basic factor in career choice. This should however be tested and not individual to weather the storms he/she might encounter during or after training in that chosen career.
Ability/aptitude is another important factor which must be considered. Some occupations require educational preparations of various educational qualifications while some others require work. The must be counseled to be realistic in assessing his/her ability with regard to the career of choice. For instance, a student who has phobia for Mathematics and other subjects involving calculations cannot be expected to do well in engineering courses no matter how interested he/she is in becoming an engineer. Financial Resources available to a person can also affect the choice of a career as it is common knowledge that some courses are more expensive than others in terms of the finance required undergoing training. It is therefore no out of place to consider how affordable a career is before going into it.
Expected benefits whether financial or otherwise is a factor to consider, as the ability to earn money to take care of oneself and family is one of the reasons why people work. The career chosen should of necessity be able to enable one live a financially fulfilling life no matter how humanitarian it might be Retirement benefits should also be considered.
Values of the individual and in some cases that of his/her family do influence choice of career. This explains why some people resign from high-paying jobs for lesser ones that will give them time to raise their families, engage in religious or social work and other things which are of more value to them.
The curriculum to which one has been exposed in school goes a long way in affecting one’s choice of career. Students from schools with well-equipped laboratories, qualified science teacher and libraries stocked with science text books are more likely to go into medicine and science courses than those from schools without such facilities.
The personality type of the client should also be looked into in choosing a career as some occupations may require certain personality traits from a person unlike others. Those who go into education with the intention to teach must be people who are active, tolerant and patient people not passive and introverted personalities. Parental factor. These and some other factors which should not be ignored by the counselor and the client should be exhausted before the final decision about which career to choose is taken by an individual. Parents should consult the counselors while guarding their children and should not force them into their own career interests
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I WANNA BE A... CAREERS FOR KIDS!
SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND PREVENTION OF HIV/AIDS DISEASE: THE ROLES OF PARENTS, GUARDIANS, TEACHJERS AND COUNSELLOR
SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND PREVENTION OF HIV/AIDS DISEASE: THE ROLES OF PARENTS, GUARDIANS, TEACHJERS AND COUNSELLOR
The subject matter of sex education and sexually transmissible disease should be imparted to the child early in life well before the child enters into primary school. Most children come to know about sex on their own as early as the age of five years and so provision should be made as early as possible to educate the child sequential on sexuality. It is therefore the responsibility of the parent to inculcate good habits in their children and assist them to develop positive attitudes towards sex and highlight its associated problems. In our country, most parents are conservative in their outlook to sexual issues. Sequel to this Scio-cultural dilemma, our youths do not feel equally safe to discuss their sexuality with their parents. This is because of our imbibed social values and negative attitude to sex, which leaves the child in suspense as to what sex is all at out. Most often, children and adolescents find themselves forced into their first sexual experience with little or no information about the consequences. They are often obsessed with shame, anxiety and guilt as a result of such experiences and these could lead to physical and emotional harm, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmissible disease like HIV/ AIDS.
It is the apparent gap in communication between our youngsters and their parent’s guardians, teachers and counselors that has laid the foundation that paved way to a host of high risk sexual behaviours such as homosexuality, lesbianism, incestuous acts, prostitution, rape, contraceptive use etc.
These indecent sexual behaviour culminates into deadly disease hat have constituted I health hazards to the uniformed adolescents.
Most of these problems would have been forestalled if parent and all concerned had done their duties at the right time. Rather, w resorts passing the buck in the face of the ugly consequences. Children and adolescents are encouraged to secure abortion of unwanted pregnancies since there are clinics that attend to them, condoms are sold in every pharmacy shop so the average adolescent that there is always a way out of the problem.
It should be noted that the issue of sexuality and reproduction is very central to human life; therefore there should be a concerted effort to prepare the budding adolescent on how to cope well with these issues. Where this is left undone, children/ adolescent have other sources of information that would be misleading and encourage their engagement in risky behaviours with ‘issued’ safety. The available sources of information on sexual matters to our adolescent are as follows (1) films and movies, radio, peers, friends, relations, magazines, novels, school, churches, mosques. Recently, through the internet children freely browse all sorts of indecent and pornographic films which predispose them to experiment with their bodies. The parents, teachers, guiding and counselors should carefully vet these sources, otherwise, the child may be thrown into confusion. The accurate and reliable information received by children from their parents early in life, empower them to resist any contradictions new knowledge might create.
Role of parent, Guardians, Teachers and Counsellor.
It is important that adolescents’ behaviour should be consciously modified early in life to identify with the need or pre- marital chastity. Adequate coping skills should also be inculcated gradually from child hood. It is important to emphasize here that the parents should not only pay attention to education the girl- child in these issues to be neglect of the boy- child which has been the practice. Both boys and girls need sex education equally since, without the boys’ persuasion in most cases, the girls will not become victims. Although today research evidence shows that the trend has changed; girls seem more anxious to have the boys meddle with them. Let the children/ adolescent know the consequences of such risky behaviour and enable them to develop constructive activities that will occupy them. Let the children know quite early in life what Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) means and how it is transmitted. Tell them that AIDS is real and the only sure way to prevent getting the disease is abstinence from pre-marital sex, self control and adequate knowledge refer children to documented information on AIDs. World Health Organization’s conservative estimate revealed that more than 5,000 people become infected with HIV daily. In addition, 80% of the daily additional rate of HIV infection occurs in developing countries of which Nigeria is one. In sub-Saharan Africa about 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. Cite many cases of AIDS victims that have died that are known to them. Encourage them to listen to programmes organized on Aids through the media. This will help them to develop skills that will enable them to resist the temptation to indulge in pre marital sex, since more than80% of the infection is transmitted through blood donation- the blood must be screened, the instruments must be sterilized before you accept any form of treatment in hospital e.t.c. The counselors through the personal- social information service will work out planned programmes to educate the youth on issues that are central to their well being. Adolescent need to be trained on acquisition of assertive skills to know they have aright to say no to the unholy demand of the opposite sex.
This paper has demonstrated that it is the primary responsibility of the parents to educate their children on sexuality irrespective of gender. There is need to embark on an open air seminar on the issues of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmissible infections in all corners of our social Community the markets, churches, mosques, schools, etc. such seminars will be conducted and addressed in local languages to educate the parents and custodians of our children. Seminars and workshops should be organized for teachers and counselors to equip them with the knowledge and skills requisite for sex education of the children and adolescents. The education of adolescents about sexuality and other sexually transmissible diseases should be a joint enterprise of the custodians of children. However, parents have a larger share in this task, since effective sex education should be introduced quite early in life.
The counselor’s role; the counselor in the school system should be in a position to train the children to develop assertiveness skill to know their right and be able to make informed decisions regarding their sexual life. Counselors should enlighten the adolescents on the risk involved in indiscriminate sex and the need for abstinence until marriage. Discuss the devastating situation faced by HIV/AIDS victims during group counseling, find out factors that predispose young people to sexual promiscuity and lead them to learn through rationalization the hard experience of others.
The subject matter of sex education and sexually transmissible disease should be imparted to the child early in life well before the child enters into primary school. Most children come to know about sex on their own as early as the age of five years and so provision should be made as early as possible to educate the child sequential on sexuality. It is therefore the responsibility of the parent to inculcate good habits in their children and assist them to develop positive attitudes towards sex and highlight its associated problems. In our country, most parents are conservative in their outlook to sexual issues. Sequel to this Scio-cultural dilemma, our youths do not feel equally safe to discuss their sexuality with their parents. This is because of our imbibed social values and negative attitude to sex, which leaves the child in suspense as to what sex is all at out. Most often, children and adolescents find themselves forced into their first sexual experience with little or no information about the consequences. They are often obsessed with shame, anxiety and guilt as a result of such experiences and these could lead to physical and emotional harm, unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmissible disease like HIV/ AIDS.
It is the apparent gap in communication between our youngsters and their parent’s guardians, teachers and counselors that has laid the foundation that paved way to a host of high risk sexual behaviours such as homosexuality, lesbianism, incestuous acts, prostitution, rape, contraceptive use etc.
These indecent sexual behaviour culminates into deadly disease hat have constituted I health hazards to the uniformed adolescents.
Most of these problems would have been forestalled if parent and all concerned had done their duties at the right time. Rather, w resorts passing the buck in the face of the ugly consequences. Children and adolescents are encouraged to secure abortion of unwanted pregnancies since there are clinics that attend to them, condoms are sold in every pharmacy shop so the average adolescent that there is always a way out of the problem.
It should be noted that the issue of sexuality and reproduction is very central to human life; therefore there should be a concerted effort to prepare the budding adolescent on how to cope well with these issues. Where this is left undone, children/ adolescent have other sources of information that would be misleading and encourage their engagement in risky behaviours with ‘issued’ safety. The available sources of information on sexual matters to our adolescent are as follows (1) films and movies, radio, peers, friends, relations, magazines, novels, school, churches, mosques. Recently, through the internet children freely browse all sorts of indecent and pornographic films which predispose them to experiment with their bodies. The parents, teachers, guiding and counselors should carefully vet these sources, otherwise, the child may be thrown into confusion. The accurate and reliable information received by children from their parents early in life, empower them to resist any contradictions new knowledge might create.
Role of parent, Guardians, Teachers and Counsellor.
It is important that adolescents’ behaviour should be consciously modified early in life to identify with the need or pre- marital chastity. Adequate coping skills should also be inculcated gradually from child hood. It is important to emphasize here that the parents should not only pay attention to education the girl- child in these issues to be neglect of the boy- child which has been the practice. Both boys and girls need sex education equally since, without the boys’ persuasion in most cases, the girls will not become victims. Although today research evidence shows that the trend has changed; girls seem more anxious to have the boys meddle with them. Let the children/ adolescent know the consequences of such risky behaviour and enable them to develop constructive activities that will occupy them. Let the children know quite early in life what Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) means and how it is transmitted. Tell them that AIDS is real and the only sure way to prevent getting the disease is abstinence from pre-marital sex, self control and adequate knowledge refer children to documented information on AIDs. World Health Organization’s conservative estimate revealed that more than 5,000 people become infected with HIV daily. In addition, 80% of the daily additional rate of HIV infection occurs in developing countries of which Nigeria is one. In sub-Saharan Africa about 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. Cite many cases of AIDS victims that have died that are known to them. Encourage them to listen to programmes organized on Aids through the media. This will help them to develop skills that will enable them to resist the temptation to indulge in pre marital sex, since more than80% of the infection is transmitted through blood donation- the blood must be screened, the instruments must be sterilized before you accept any form of treatment in hospital e.t.c. The counselors through the personal- social information service will work out planned programmes to educate the youth on issues that are central to their well being. Adolescent need to be trained on acquisition of assertive skills to know they have aright to say no to the unholy demand of the opposite sex.
This paper has demonstrated that it is the primary responsibility of the parents to educate their children on sexuality irrespective of gender. There is need to embark on an open air seminar on the issues of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmissible infections in all corners of our social Community the markets, churches, mosques, schools, etc. such seminars will be conducted and addressed in local languages to educate the parents and custodians of our children. Seminars and workshops should be organized for teachers and counselors to equip them with the knowledge and skills requisite for sex education of the children and adolescents. The education of adolescents about sexuality and other sexually transmissible diseases should be a joint enterprise of the custodians of children. However, parents have a larger share in this task, since effective sex education should be introduced quite early in life.
The counselor’s role; the counselor in the school system should be in a position to train the children to develop assertiveness skill to know their right and be able to make informed decisions regarding their sexual life. Counselors should enlighten the adolescents on the risk involved in indiscriminate sex and the need for abstinence until marriage. Discuss the devastating situation faced by HIV/AIDS victims during group counseling, find out factors that predispose young people to sexual promiscuity and lead them to learn through rationalization the hard experience of others.
THE RACE IS ON THE EDGE
The time is moving fast, the second is ticking away towards the midnight, is there any path that remains? Is there still any authority to follow? yes and that is JESUS CHRIST. The end is at hand as the kingdom of God draws near, the signs of the son of man is on the whole universe. The world is running upside down, the creatures of God of their creator, rather have decided to remove on their own way and because of these the scripture says “for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God Roman 3:23.
The world is full of evil, corruption jealousy us, attracters of the wrath of God, lovers of evil, rather than lovers of God, lovers of pleasures and money, lovers of themselves, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, having the form of goodliness but denying its power (1 timothy 3:1-5)
The day of the SON OF MAN is at hand and so let the that call upon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity, (ii timothy 2:19). As the world we are in it is showing the evidence of its signs, we Christians are bound to be watchful and prayerful as we see the day drawing near. The world as we can see is coming together, through the advance of science and technology indeed we are in the world of computer age, when everything is being done through the help of computer and also through the computer the computer world is being corrupted more and more and Christians are bound to take heed least they will be misled.
Thank God for the saving grace in the name of JESUS, the holy one of God. As the scripture says “ for the grace of God that bring salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age (Titus 2:11-12) as we wait for the glory ahead , we ought to be renewing our strength and this can be done through praying and fasting, as the scripture says “ they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall flew like an eagle and will never be weary (Isaiah 40:31) we also, need to be encouraging one and another in the Lord, as some are wearied due to the situations of life and by so doing many faiths will be built up and will also be strengthened. As JESUS wish is that faith will be found on earth I then, he shall come back to take away his begotten, those he purchase with his precious blood. Those he has gone to prepare a place in the kingdom of his dear father (John 14:1-3) so brethren let us not grow weary in doing good for it pays.
MARANATHA HE COMETH SOON!!!!
The world is full of evil, corruption jealousy us, attracters of the wrath of God, lovers of evil, rather than lovers of God, lovers of pleasures and money, lovers of themselves, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, having the form of goodliness but denying its power (1 timothy 3:1-5)
The day of the SON OF MAN is at hand and so let the that call upon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity, (ii timothy 2:19). As the world we are in it is showing the evidence of its signs, we Christians are bound to be watchful and prayerful as we see the day drawing near. The world as we can see is coming together, through the advance of science and technology indeed we are in the world of computer age, when everything is being done through the help of computer and also through the computer the computer world is being corrupted more and more and Christians are bound to take heed least they will be misled.
Thank God for the saving grace in the name of JESUS, the holy one of God. As the scripture says “ for the grace of God that bring salvation has appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age (Titus 2:11-12) as we wait for the glory ahead , we ought to be renewing our strength and this can be done through praying and fasting, as the scripture says “ they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall flew like an eagle and will never be weary (Isaiah 40:31) we also, need to be encouraging one and another in the Lord, as some are wearied due to the situations of life and by so doing many faiths will be built up and will also be strengthened. As JESUS wish is that faith will be found on earth I then, he shall come back to take away his begotten, those he purchase with his precious blood. Those he has gone to prepare a place in the kingdom of his dear father (John 14:1-3) so brethren let us not grow weary in doing good for it pays.
MARANATHA HE COMETH SOON!!!!
FACTS OF LIFE
THE MASTER OF ONE’S FATE
Fate can be defined as power looked upon as controlling all events in a way that cannot be resisted (destiny). The future is decided by fate for something or somebody. This description is gotten from oxford dictionary.
Fate can be said to be “destiny” that is to say that, it is what God had purposed or ordained one to be in life. Destiny shapes and forms ones life, it directs and guides ones future. Destiny is that which happens to someone, thought of as determined in advance by fate. Destiny delayed is not destiny denied. This means that destiny may take time to be achieved but it does not mean that it cannot occur or come to pass again. Everything about life is a matter of time and it will mature.
The master of one’s fate can be said to be determination. One thing is for one to be destined to become somebody in future another thing is for the person to work towards it. If one is not determine to work towards his or her future, that person will eventually not become what her or she is meant to become in life, because effort is needed to be apply before success will finally arrival.
There are many forces working against some people in life and if they do not fight against such forces, they may not be able to arrive at their destiny, which their future holds for them. So, one thing is to work towards your destiny no matter what they circumstances around is portraying.
Ones family background does not conclude how far one will go life, environment whether good or bad does not conclude as well what people had said about someone is not a concluding factor, what matters is one readiness and determination to be fulfilled in life. Determination is the number one key to one’s success in life as regard to fulfillment of destiny.
PRINCIPLE THAT CAN CHANGE ONE’S DESTINY
Destiny as said before is the power believed to control events and can also be described as that which happens to somebody thought of as determined in advance by fate.
Destiny as seen can be good or bad, some people’s destines had nothing to write home about but as things are destines are bound to change, it can be change from good to bad or from bad to good.
When one look into his/her life and get to understand to success is far from his/her life what is left for him/her to do is to determine to press on to his/her goal, no matter what the situations around are pointing at. But one thing is that every bad situation can be change through prayer and determination for a turn around. It also implies making decisions towards. It decision is the ability to decide and act accordingly, the quality of being decided.
A good destiny may turn out to be bad if the person is not determined to make it in life. And this can be caused by laziness, lack of initiative and undecided ness in life, A lazy, uninitiative and undecided person in life may turn out not arriving at his/her destiny in life. A successful life is full of determination eagerness, initiatives, decisive and hardworking.
As we known that all things is constant to change except change. One should put all effort to fulfill a good and wonderful destiny and any destiny that seems to portray negative should be change through determination and decisions of life.
TURNING DESIRE INTO GOLD
Desire can be described as a strong longing, something that is wished or longed for, and it can also be describe as a request. Every living soul has desires which they will like to accomplish in life.
People desire to be great in life, to be a hero, to make impacts into their society, to make names for themselves. All these can be seen as wishes, desires or aspirations in life.
After these desires, wishes or aspirations, comes the determination and hardworking towards accomplishing them. The person need to decide on how to make his/her desires wishes or aspirations to come into reality and work towards the decision and see that it was eventually accomplished. As this is done, the person’s desires can be said to have been turn to Gold. Now, it is no longer a desire, wish or aspiration but an accomplishment or an achievement in life.
For instance, if one desired to be a professor in life, as the person move from one level of education to another and finally reach to the pick of education, the person must determine, decide and make up his/her mind to spend much time into reading and studying and also be into researches for better prove of his/her ideas and must also determine to be an author of many writings as well. By so doing his /her desire to be a professor will be accomplished finally. And such desire can be said to be been turn into gold.
So it is applicable to every other desire wishes or aspirations in life, there must be determination to turn it into gold (accomplishment), making decisions on how to accomplish it and finally working very hard towards your decisions for better actualization.
THE MASTER OF ONE’S FATE
Fate can be defined as power looked upon as controlling all events in a way that cannot be resisted (destiny). The future is decided by fate for something or somebody. This description is gotten from oxford dictionary.
Fate can be said to be “destiny” that is to say that, it is what God had purposed or ordained one to be in life. Destiny shapes and forms ones life, it directs and guides ones future. Destiny is that which happens to someone, thought of as determined in advance by fate. Destiny delayed is not destiny denied. This means that destiny may take time to be achieved but it does not mean that it cannot occur or come to pass again. Everything about life is a matter of time and it will mature.
The master of one’s fate can be said to be determination. One thing is for one to be destined to become somebody in future another thing is for the person to work towards it. If one is not determine to work towards his or her future, that person will eventually not become what her or she is meant to become in life, because effort is needed to be apply before success will finally arrival.
There are many forces working against some people in life and if they do not fight against such forces, they may not be able to arrive at their destiny, which their future holds for them. So, one thing is to work towards your destiny no matter what they circumstances around is portraying.
Ones family background does not conclude how far one will go life, environment whether good or bad does not conclude as well what people had said about someone is not a concluding factor, what matters is one readiness and determination to be fulfilled in life. Determination is the number one key to one’s success in life as regard to fulfillment of destiny.
PRINCIPLE THAT CAN CHANGE ONE’S DESTINY
Destiny as said before is the power believed to control events and can also be described as that which happens to somebody thought of as determined in advance by fate.
Destiny as seen can be good or bad, some people’s destines had nothing to write home about but as things are destines are bound to change, it can be change from good to bad or from bad to good.
When one look into his/her life and get to understand to success is far from his/her life what is left for him/her to do is to determine to press on to his/her goal, no matter what the situations around are pointing at. But one thing is that every bad situation can be change through prayer and determination for a turn around. It also implies making decisions towards. It decision is the ability to decide and act accordingly, the quality of being decided.
A good destiny may turn out to be bad if the person is not determined to make it in life. And this can be caused by laziness, lack of initiative and undecided ness in life, A lazy, uninitiative and undecided person in life may turn out not arriving at his/her destiny in life. A successful life is full of determination eagerness, initiatives, decisive and hardworking.
As we known that all things is constant to change except change. One should put all effort to fulfill a good and wonderful destiny and any destiny that seems to portray negative should be change through determination and decisions of life.
TURNING DESIRE INTO GOLD
Desire can be described as a strong longing, something that is wished or longed for, and it can also be describe as a request. Every living soul has desires which they will like to accomplish in life.
People desire to be great in life, to be a hero, to make impacts into their society, to make names for themselves. All these can be seen as wishes, desires or aspirations in life.
After these desires, wishes or aspirations, comes the determination and hardworking towards accomplishing them. The person need to decide on how to make his/her desires wishes or aspirations to come into reality and work towards the decision and see that it was eventually accomplished. As this is done, the person’s desires can be said to have been turn to Gold. Now, it is no longer a desire, wish or aspiration but an accomplishment or an achievement in life.
For instance, if one desired to be a professor in life, as the person move from one level of education to another and finally reach to the pick of education, the person must determine, decide and make up his/her mind to spend much time into reading and studying and also be into researches for better prove of his/her ideas and must also determine to be an author of many writings as well. By so doing his /her desire to be a professor will be accomplished finally. And such desire can be said to be been turn into gold.
So it is applicable to every other desire wishes or aspirations in life, there must be determination to turn it into gold (accomplishment), making decisions on how to accomplish it and finally working very hard towards your decisions for better actualization.
Fate can be defined as power looked upon as controlling all events in a way that cannot be resisted (destiny). The future is decided by fate for something or somebody. This description is gotten from oxford dictionary.
Fate can be said to be “destiny” that is to say that, it is what God had purposed or ordained one to be in life. Destiny shapes and forms ones life, it directs and guides ones future. Destiny is that which happens to someone, thought of as determined in advance by fate. Destiny delayed is not destiny denied. This means that destiny may take time to be achieved but it does not mean that it cannot occur or come to pass again. Everything about life is a matter of time and it will mature.
The master of one’s fate can be said to be determination. One thing is for one to be destined to become somebody in future another thing is for the person to work towards it. If one is not determine to work towards his or her future, that person will eventually not become what her or she is meant to become in life, because effort is needed to be apply before success will finally arrival.
There are many forces working against some people in life and if they do not fight against such forces, they may not be able to arrive at their destiny, which their future holds for them. So, one thing is to work towards your destiny no matter what they circumstances around is portraying.
Ones family background does not conclude how far one will go life, environment whether good or bad does not conclude as well what people had said about someone is not a concluding factor, what matters is one readiness and determination to be fulfilled in life. Determination is the number one key to one’s success in life as regard to fulfillment of destiny.
PRINCIPLE THAT CAN CHANGE ONE’S DESTINY
Destiny as said before is the power believed to control events and can also be described as that which happens to somebody thought of as determined in advance by fate.
Destiny as seen can be good or bad, some people’s destines had nothing to write home about but as things are destines are bound to change, it can be change from good to bad or from bad to good.
When one look into his/her life and get to understand to success is far from his/her life what is left for him/her to do is to determine to press on to his/her goal, no matter what the situations around are pointing at. But one thing is that every bad situation can be change through prayer and determination for a turn around. It also implies making decisions towards. It decision is the ability to decide and act accordingly, the quality of being decided.
A good destiny may turn out to be bad if the person is not determined to make it in life. And this can be caused by laziness, lack of initiative and undecided ness in life, A lazy, uninitiative and undecided person in life may turn out not arriving at his/her destiny in life. A successful life is full of determination eagerness, initiatives, decisive and hardworking.
As we known that all things is constant to change except change. One should put all effort to fulfill a good and wonderful destiny and any destiny that seems to portray negative should be change through determination and decisions of life.
TURNING DESIRE INTO GOLD
Desire can be described as a strong longing, something that is wished or longed for, and it can also be describe as a request. Every living soul has desires which they will like to accomplish in life.
People desire to be great in life, to be a hero, to make impacts into their society, to make names for themselves. All these can be seen as wishes, desires or aspirations in life.
After these desires, wishes or aspirations, comes the determination and hardworking towards accomplishing them. The person need to decide on how to make his/her desires wishes or aspirations to come into reality and work towards the decision and see that it was eventually accomplished. As this is done, the person’s desires can be said to have been turn to Gold. Now, it is no longer a desire, wish or aspiration but an accomplishment or an achievement in life.
For instance, if one desired to be a professor in life, as the person move from one level of education to another and finally reach to the pick of education, the person must determine, decide and make up his/her mind to spend much time into reading and studying and also be into researches for better prove of his/her ideas and must also determine to be an author of many writings as well. By so doing his /her desire to be a professor will be accomplished finally. And such desire can be said to be been turn into gold.
So it is applicable to every other desire wishes or aspirations in life, there must be determination to turn it into gold (accomplishment), making decisions on how to accomplish it and finally working very hard towards your decisions for better actualization.
THE MASTER OF ONE’S FATE
Fate can be defined as power looked upon as controlling all events in a way that cannot be resisted (destiny). The future is decided by fate for something or somebody. This description is gotten from oxford dictionary.
Fate can be said to be “destiny” that is to say that, it is what God had purposed or ordained one to be in life. Destiny shapes and forms ones life, it directs and guides ones future. Destiny is that which happens to someone, thought of as determined in advance by fate. Destiny delayed is not destiny denied. This means that destiny may take time to be achieved but it does not mean that it cannot occur or come to pass again. Everything about life is a matter of time and it will mature.
The master of one’s fate can be said to be determination. One thing is for one to be destined to become somebody in future another thing is for the person to work towards it. If one is not determine to work towards his or her future, that person will eventually not become what her or she is meant to become in life, because effort is needed to be apply before success will finally arrival.
There are many forces working against some people in life and if they do not fight against such forces, they may not be able to arrive at their destiny, which their future holds for them. So, one thing is to work towards your destiny no matter what they circumstances around is portraying.
Ones family background does not conclude how far one will go life, environment whether good or bad does not conclude as well what people had said about someone is not a concluding factor, what matters is one readiness and determination to be fulfilled in life. Determination is the number one key to one’s success in life as regard to fulfillment of destiny.
PRINCIPLE THAT CAN CHANGE ONE’S DESTINY
Destiny as said before is the power believed to control events and can also be described as that which happens to somebody thought of as determined in advance by fate.
Destiny as seen can be good or bad, some people’s destines had nothing to write home about but as things are destines are bound to change, it can be change from good to bad or from bad to good.
When one look into his/her life and get to understand to success is far from his/her life what is left for him/her to do is to determine to press on to his/her goal, no matter what the situations around are pointing at. But one thing is that every bad situation can be change through prayer and determination for a turn around. It also implies making decisions towards. It decision is the ability to decide and act accordingly, the quality of being decided.
A good destiny may turn out to be bad if the person is not determined to make it in life. And this can be caused by laziness, lack of initiative and undecided ness in life, A lazy, uninitiative and undecided person in life may turn out not arriving at his/her destiny in life. A successful life is full of determination eagerness, initiatives, decisive and hardworking.
As we known that all things is constant to change except change. One should put all effort to fulfill a good and wonderful destiny and any destiny that seems to portray negative should be change through determination and decisions of life.
TURNING DESIRE INTO GOLD
Desire can be described as a strong longing, something that is wished or longed for, and it can also be describe as a request. Every living soul has desires which they will like to accomplish in life.
People desire to be great in life, to be a hero, to make impacts into their society, to make names for themselves. All these can be seen as wishes, desires or aspirations in life.
After these desires, wishes or aspirations, comes the determination and hardworking towards accomplishing them. The person need to decide on how to make his/her desires wishes or aspirations to come into reality and work towards the decision and see that it was eventually accomplished. As this is done, the person’s desires can be said to have been turn to Gold. Now, it is no longer a desire, wish or aspiration but an accomplishment or an achievement in life.
For instance, if one desired to be a professor in life, as the person move from one level of education to another and finally reach to the pick of education, the person must determine, decide and make up his/her mind to spend much time into reading and studying and also be into researches for better prove of his/her ideas and must also determine to be an author of many writings as well. By so doing his /her desire to be a professor will be accomplished finally. And such desire can be said to be been turn into gold.
So it is applicable to every other desire wishes or aspirations in life, there must be determination to turn it into gold (accomplishment), making decisions on how to accomplish it and finally working very hard towards your decisions for better actualization.
SOCIAL AND MORAL VICE AND THE NEED FOR SOUND BIBLICAL EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Vice as regards to one’s character has a dictionary meaning as evil actions, wickedness, a fault or bad habit certain types of criminal behaviour. Vice juxtaposes virtue. Vice is criminal in nature.
Social relates to society: One’s relationship with others in a given society. Moral attitudes or behaviours considered to be decent and acceptable and in consonance with belief of the people. Now social vices can be defined as those criminal acts or evil actions which are inimical to the society and its inhabitants while moral vices are those behaviours parallel to conventional and acceptable ways of living. Social vices range from cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse and drug addition, youth restiveness et ecteral moral vices in the other hand envelope inter-alia, sexual immorality, indecent dressing, disrespect to elders. It is tantamount to moral decadence.
Social and moral vices in the 21st century have been on the increase if, one is to take a cursory look back in the olden days. Due to breakthrough in the scientific and technological research, which brought about civilization which also in turn brought about negative changes in the global world? Youths are mostly victims to these nefarious activities. There is no gain saying the fact that we have put off the cloth of moral rectitude if at all we have worn it before, now what we are wearing is the cloth of moral decadence.
The high rate of crime in the country, the increase in examination malpractice, the increment in sexual immorality even with effervescent should be a concern to all and saundry and should be ribbed in its bud before it ravages our future leaders. The question now is what should be done to curtail these atrocious acts? The solution is not far-fetched. The fact still remains that these menaces are not inborn, they are acquired through the process of leaving and it’s allied. Since they are acquired through the process of learning, they can also be stopped through the process of learning. They are acquired through the process of imparting on the people, the book that can only inform, they can now be stopped through the process of imparting on the same people the book that can transform (The Bible). Hence, the urgent need for Biblical Education.
BIBLICAL EDUCATION
R.S Peter defined Education as a kind of commitment that comes from getting on the insight of a form of thought and awareness. “Education also means the process by which one acquires knowledge ideas, norms and information as well as how to apply them to live effectively in a given society”. (Definition-Mine). The importance of Biblical education as a solution to these problems can not be over emphasized. One conspicuous cause of this malady is the lack of the knowledge of the word of God. (Hosea: 4:6). Since the inability of the people to know the word of God contributes immensely to these problems, we can simply tackle it by given them adequate information about the word of God. This can be achieved through biblical education.
WAYS TO ACHIEVE BIBLICAL EDUCATION
Restructuring of our primary school curriculum so as to accommodate compulsory Bible and moral instructions since primary schools are the foundations of education and mostly the breeding ground for these immoral and anti-social activities. Religious knowledge with great reference to bible provisions should be made mandatory to all secondary school students irrespective of one’s field, just as English language and mathematics are compulsory.
The bible says in 2Tim: 3v16, all scripture is inspired by God; it is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and for training in righteousness. This means, we can not attain the level of sanctity without the bible.
Parents should see it as a point of duty to bring up their children in the fear of God through daily bible reading so that even when they grow, they will not depart from it (proverb: 22v6). Churches should be in the vanguard against this evil, religious leaders should from time to time organize bible seminars; retreats etc for members of their churches, also school evangelism and outreaches should be their priority. Authorities of the higher institutions should create rooms for biblical orientation to fresher as well as old students by inviting bible scholars to lecture the students on sound biblical doctrines which will see them throughout their stay at school. Campus fellowship should be given free hand to impart the word of God to the students. Also biblical knowledge should be a since quaron to gain admission into higher institutions. Mass media which is the easiest way to reach numerous people at the same time should be having from time to time programmes designed to educate people on sound Biblical dogmas.
Government should attach much emphasis on Bible knowledge during employment; also bible discussion time should be mapped out for government workforce within the period of work on daily basis. Non- governmental organizations (N.G.Os), pressure groups, political parties etc should join hands in this fight by mobilizing people with the view of making them well grounded in the Bible, rather than emphasizing much on material gains and self aggrandizement. I am optimistic that if we can make our people Bible cognoscenti, they can withstand the wills of these vices (Eph. 6v10-19). We must imbibe the culture of meditating on the Bible day and night and imparting same on our subjects for a prosperous living (Joshua 1v8). There is no better time for biblical education than now. This is the time, all hands must be on deck to stop these devil engineered activities from bringing about the unprecedented and imponderable decimation and depopulation of our cherished and God’s given nation.
Social relates to society: One’s relationship with others in a given society. Moral attitudes or behaviours considered to be decent and acceptable and in consonance with belief of the people. Now social vices can be defined as those criminal acts or evil actions which are inimical to the society and its inhabitants while moral vices are those behaviours parallel to conventional and acceptable ways of living. Social vices range from cultism, examination malpractice, drug abuse and drug addition, youth restiveness et ecteral moral vices in the other hand envelope inter-alia, sexual immorality, indecent dressing, disrespect to elders. It is tantamount to moral decadence.
Social and moral vices in the 21st century have been on the increase if, one is to take a cursory look back in the olden days. Due to breakthrough in the scientific and technological research, which brought about civilization which also in turn brought about negative changes in the global world? Youths are mostly victims to these nefarious activities. There is no gain saying the fact that we have put off the cloth of moral rectitude if at all we have worn it before, now what we are wearing is the cloth of moral decadence.
The high rate of crime in the country, the increase in examination malpractice, the increment in sexual immorality even with effervescent should be a concern to all and saundry and should be ribbed in its bud before it ravages our future leaders. The question now is what should be done to curtail these atrocious acts? The solution is not far-fetched. The fact still remains that these menaces are not inborn, they are acquired through the process of leaving and it’s allied. Since they are acquired through the process of learning, they can also be stopped through the process of learning. They are acquired through the process of imparting on the people, the book that can only inform, they can now be stopped through the process of imparting on the same people the book that can transform (The Bible). Hence, the urgent need for Biblical Education.
BIBLICAL EDUCATION
R.S Peter defined Education as a kind of commitment that comes from getting on the insight of a form of thought and awareness. “Education also means the process by which one acquires knowledge ideas, norms and information as well as how to apply them to live effectively in a given society”. (Definition-Mine). The importance of Biblical education as a solution to these problems can not be over emphasized. One conspicuous cause of this malady is the lack of the knowledge of the word of God. (Hosea: 4:6). Since the inability of the people to know the word of God contributes immensely to these problems, we can simply tackle it by given them adequate information about the word of God. This can be achieved through biblical education.
WAYS TO ACHIEVE BIBLICAL EDUCATION
Restructuring of our primary school curriculum so as to accommodate compulsory Bible and moral instructions since primary schools are the foundations of education and mostly the breeding ground for these immoral and anti-social activities. Religious knowledge with great reference to bible provisions should be made mandatory to all secondary school students irrespective of one’s field, just as English language and mathematics are compulsory.
The bible says in 2Tim: 3v16, all scripture is inspired by God; it is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and for training in righteousness. This means, we can not attain the level of sanctity without the bible.
Parents should see it as a point of duty to bring up their children in the fear of God through daily bible reading so that even when they grow, they will not depart from it (proverb: 22v6). Churches should be in the vanguard against this evil, religious leaders should from time to time organize bible seminars; retreats etc for members of their churches, also school evangelism and outreaches should be their priority. Authorities of the higher institutions should create rooms for biblical orientation to fresher as well as old students by inviting bible scholars to lecture the students on sound biblical doctrines which will see them throughout their stay at school. Campus fellowship should be given free hand to impart the word of God to the students. Also biblical knowledge should be a since quaron to gain admission into higher institutions. Mass media which is the easiest way to reach numerous people at the same time should be having from time to time programmes designed to educate people on sound Biblical dogmas.
Government should attach much emphasis on Bible knowledge during employment; also bible discussion time should be mapped out for government workforce within the period of work on daily basis. Non- governmental organizations (N.G.Os), pressure groups, political parties etc should join hands in this fight by mobilizing people with the view of making them well grounded in the Bible, rather than emphasizing much on material gains and self aggrandizement. I am optimistic that if we can make our people Bible cognoscenti, they can withstand the wills of these vices (Eph. 6v10-19). We must imbibe the culture of meditating on the Bible day and night and imparting same on our subjects for a prosperous living (Joshua 1v8). There is no better time for biblical education than now. This is the time, all hands must be on deck to stop these devil engineered activities from bringing about the unprecedented and imponderable decimation and depopulation of our cherished and God’s given nation.
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