Virgin Atlantic Airways Founded In 1984 - 2104 Words

Virgin Atlantic Airways, founded in 1984, has grown rapidly to become one of the UK’s largest airline carriers and now serves 31 destinations worldwide. Well known for pioneering many service innovations and setting new standards for the airline industry, Virgin Atlantic continues to expand. But despite their growth the airline still remains customer focused, with an emphasis on value for money, unique offerings and high quality service. http://www.capitalcapture.com/Libraries/Documents/CC_CaseStudy_VirginAtlantic.pdf Atlantic Airlines Limited, is a British airline company owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group (51%) and Singapore Airlines(49%). Virgin group is the creator of more than 300 branded companies globally, and employs†¦show more content†¦Considering the fact that the airline industry is characterized by the presence of a few carriers and many suppliers vying for business, it comes as no surprise that the power of the suppliers is low and the ai rlines have the upper hand in their interactions with the suppliers. Further, even in cases such as the supply of jet fuel, the carriers like Virgin Atlantic have a distinct advantage, as this fuel is expensive and a premium product meaning that there are not too many buyers for it making Virgin Atlantic a favored customer for the aviation fuel companies. .(http://managementstudyguide.com/porters-five-forces-analysis-of-virgin-atlantic.htm) There’s a lot of talk about culture in organisations, and it seems to me a bit ethereal. It’s hard to describe, but a culture is very real. It’s about â€Å"the way we do things around here† and there really is a right or wrong Virgin Atlantic way to do things. But you can only maintain any culture through hard work. We recognise that having a meaningful dialogue with our people is vital to our culture and to the success of the organisation - but it is really very hard to do. It’s easy to think about how a manager can have a conversation with a team member and how that could lead to improved success for the individual or team. We can help our managers to develop the skills to have those conversations in an effective, authentic and Virgin Atlantic way. But it’s also about having a dialogueShow MoreRelatedCase Study : Virgin Atlantic Airways1538 Words   |  7 Pages The company I chose to write about is Virgin Atlantic Airways. Since it was founded in 1984, Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain’s second largest airline carrier serving the world’s major cities. A British airline, Virgin Atlantic Airways is owned by Sir Richard Branson and Singapore Airlines. It is part of the Virgin Group of establishments. Virgin Atlantic has experienced vast popularity, a winning top business, consumer and trade awards from around the globe. The airline has establishedRead MoreThe Roles and Resposibilies of the Line Mangers in Virgin Atlantics Human Resource Management998 Words   |  4 Pages | | | |Since it was founded in 1984, Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain’s second largest carrier serving the world’s major | |cities. Now based at London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports and Manchester airport, it operates long haul services to thirty | |destinations world-wideRead MoreCase Study Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic1780 Words   |  8 PagesCase Study Coursework LEADERSHIP and ORGANISATIONS BABA SDL 2012-13’B’ Virgin Atlantic and Ryanair This case examines two organisations that have many similarities as well as a number of significant differences. The essential technology and systems behind each organisation may be very similar, but the nature and style of management and its consequent impact on the way people working in these organisations think, feel and behave have created very different organisational cultures. So what areRead MoreVirgin Atlantic Strategy5661 Words   |  23 PagesMANAGEMENT AND LAW School of Management MSc Programmes Module Leader: Dr. Laura A. Costanzo Academic Year: 2010-2011 |Industry |European Airline Industry | |Company |Virgin Atlantic Airways | STRATEGY MODULE COURSEWORK |Student URN |MSc Programme |Surname First Name | |6098320 |Management InformationRead MoreStrategic Management and Virgin Atlantic Essay2840 Words   |  12 PagesQuestion 1 Virgin group limited is world largest british multinational company founded by Richard branson.it has various core business like travel,entertainment and life style and it includes 400 companies world wide. Virgin Groups date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding company; however Virgins business and trading activities date to the 1970s. The net worth of Virgin Group as of September 2008 was  £5.01 billion. Virgin Group operates fromRead MoreVirgin Atlantic1994 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Virgin Atlantic Airways (VAA) was set up in 1984 to provide a competitive alternative for business and leisure passengers on long-haul routes between the UK and major destinations. It was founded by Virgin group management and in few decades time it became prominent figure in UK airline business. It has grown steadily over past 25 years and now serves 30 destinations in US, Africa, Asia from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow (Palmer, 2012). Currently Virgin Atlantic is managedRead MoreVirgin Atlantic Marketing Management4539 Words   |  19 Pagescreate a report on Virgin Atlantic that should evaluate current practice of Virgin Atlantic and make recommendations that could help the company grow. This report will also include a Marketing Plan for Virgin Atlantic. In this report there will be an evaluation of their marketing practices including the marketing mix, with reference to theories and the current practices of Virgin Atlantic. 1.1 Company overview ‘Since it was founded almost twenty years ago, Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain’sRead MoreAnalyzing Richard Branson Essay1465 Words   |  6 Pagesextroverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving human being. From his autobiography, Losing My Virginity its clear that Branson is action oriented, enthusiastic and seems to work well in an every changing environment. When he was 15 years old he founded a magazine called Student with another classmate. They worked non-stop for years to make the magazine successful. His intuition was clear even at that young age. He talks about the work they put in, not to make money in the short run, but justRead MoreRichard Branson Essay example1472 Words   |  6 Pagesextroverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving human being. From his autobiography, Losing My Virginity its clear that Branson is action oriented, enthusiastic and seems to work well in an every changing environment. When he was 15 years old he founded a magazine called Student with another classmate. They worked non-stop for years to make the magazine successful. His intuition was clear even at that young age. He talks about the work they put in, not to make money in the short run, but justRead MoreEntrepreneurs and Revolution in the Airline Industry1311 Words   |  6 Pagesfood and drink, narrow and free seating and no loyalty schemes so that in return the airline can offer cheaper fares to the consumer. This style of low cost airlines caught on and appealed to other entrepreneurs, one being Freddie Laker, who founded Laker Airways in the UK around the mid 1960’s. It took him over 11 years of escaping government laws and regulations but finally introduced his transatlantic Skytrain that flew from Gatwick to New York (Herb Kelleher Biography, 2008). One of Freddie’s biggest

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot Essay...

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot The poetry of the modernist movement is characterized by an emphasis on the alienation of the individual from the broader community in which he or she exists. In the works of T. S. Eliot, this alienation is expressed as a symptom of spiritual and moral decay within communities, societies, and entire civilizations. Eliot’s modernism, which was strongly influenced by his conversion to Anglo-Catholicism, is a harsh critique of the pervasive self-obsession of the modern secular world. In any discussion of modernist poetry, it is crucial to remember that technology was advancing at a rapid pace during the beginning of the twentieth century. Mechanical inventions, from electric†¦show more content†¦In this regard, he represents the pathetic everyman of the modern world. Prufrock is a cowardly, narcissistic, neurotic cipher of a person. He is spiritually bankrupt, and therefore alienated from everyone around him. The poem itself, which superficially appears to be no more than a random accumulation of stream-of-consciousness images, is Prufrock’s secret confession of his own feelings of shame, worthlessness and inadequacy. The first stanza, which is an un-translated quotation of Dante, is from a scene in the Inferno when one of the damned, consumed in a column of fire, reveals information to Dante that he would hesitate to disclose if not for his certainty that no one else will ever learn it (Cousineau). His certainty is based on the fact that no one has ever escaped from his depth of the inferno. Likewise, Prufrock confesses his innermost thoughts and neuroses only because he believes that none of his social circle will ever learn his secrets. The repetition of the lines â€Å"In the room the women come and go/ Talking of Michelangelo† sets a tone of ennui. The reader can envision upper-class matrons strolling through a museum, prattling about Renaissance art because they have nothing better to discuss. With this existential image, Eliot presents modern life as an incessant parade of days and nights spent in idle chatter. Because people no longer have any meaningful connections to one another,Show MoreRelatedThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot Essay914 Words   |  4 PagesT.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† draws attention to the idea that time is of the essence. On the surface, Prufrock is portrayed as a man who is incapable of making decisions and lacks self-confidence. This is evident through his passive nature, where he continuously delays having to talk to women because he believes there is enough time. Written in the era of modernism, the reader is cap able of unraveling that the poem’s true purpose was not only to show Prufrock’s inability toRead MoreThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot Essay1156 Words   |  5 Pages S. Eliot was the dominant force in twentieth-century British and American poetry. With poems such as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, he introduced an edgy, disenchanted, utterly contemporary version of French Symbolism to the English-speaking world. Most poets recognize that in producing a sensational poetic work, many concerns arise with the use of various literary tools to convey ideas, opinions or simply an observation. Through vivid imagery and metaphors, TS Elliot in his â€Å"The Love SongRead Moreâ€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† by T.S. Eliot is a widely studied and analyzed modernist1300 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† by T.S. Eliot is a widely studied and analyzed modernist poem. This poem is one that many high school students are subjected to, leading to an overall displeasure for â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.† However, those that revisit the poem are more inclined to enjoy and analyze the poem, finding an interest in the character of J. Alfred Prufrock. Charles C. Walcutt is one of the many individuals fueled to provide a deeper analysis of this text and in his contributionRead MoreT.S. Eliot - the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Preludes - Modernism1143 Words   |  5 PagesHow has Eliot used both conventional and Modernist poetic techniques to represent his Modernist concerns? The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Preludes expresses Eliot’s Modernist concerns about the lack of morals and values in modern society through the use of personas within the urban landscape and the urban society. Modern man’s lifestyle of repetition of trivial tasks and the lack of meaningful things in life is represented and emphasised through the use of alliteration, metaphor, fragmentationRead MoreA Competitive Analysis of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald1014 Words   |  4 Pageswere T.S. Eliot who wrote his very well-known poem, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† (1915), and F. Scott Fitzgerald who wrote his famous novel, The Great Gatsby (1925). Both Eliot and Fitzgerald criticized the spiritual emptiness in their society by revealing their characters inability to communicate, to love, and to see the truth about their own lives. Eliot and Fitzgeralds characters are unable to communicate because of their spiritual emptiness. In T.S. Eliots â€Å"The Love Song of J. AlfredRead MoreAnalysis Of The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock1386 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Love Song of T.S Eliot† In â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† the reader can clearly understand that T.S Eliot is straightforward as one can get within a poem. In the beginning of the poem, one can infer that Prufrock is being used as a facade to convey Eliot’s inner self who is an introvert that doesn’t quite fit in with the modern day society. â€Å"Prufrock† sees his personal life as a burden that he cannot mend while he tries to conform into the middle class society that everyone views asRead More T.S Eliot’s Preludes and The Love Song of J.Alfred. Prufrock, are examples1059 Words   |  5 PagesT.S Eliot’s Preludes and The Love Song of J.Alfred. Prufrock, are examples of modernist poetry which illustrate the concerns of modernist poets. Explain how the poetry you have studied reflects some of the major concerns of its context? In your answer refer closely to two poems by T.S. Eliot. T.S Eliot’s Preludes and The Love Song of J.Alfred. Prufrock, are examples of modernist poetry which illustrate the concerns of modernist poets. The modern era, which lasted between 1885 to 1940Read MoreThe Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock1647 Words   |  7 Pagescan be seen in T.S. Eliot’s work The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. The main character, Prufrock, plans to ask the woman he loves the overwhelming question of marriage, but due to his pessimistic outlook, he became hesitant and self conscious. Surges of insecurity arise, and instead of proposing his love, Prufrock delays the question and spends the night talking nonsense to avoid the situation. In the end, Prufrock’s insecurities and fear of rejection alter his feelings of love into a sense ofRead MoreThe Long Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot822 Words   |  3 PagesT.S. Eliot characterizes his speaker in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† based on his own personal experiences. In 1915, Eliot wrote one of his most famous poems as a skeptic (Schneider 1103). He constantly questioned the meaning of human life an d the reasons why human beings were created at all. In the same way, Prufrock also has a difficult time in finding the purpose of his long life. The speaker of this poem takes the reader on a journey so that maybe the listener can aid him in findingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock1371 Words   |  6 PagesThe dramatic monologue, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, is a short poem written by the Nobel Prize winner, and scholar T.S. Eliot. He wrote this poem and published it in the Poetry Magazine in 1915, while he was still in college at Washington University in St. Louis. Eliot is one of the most important English- language writers of the 20th century, and he lived in St Louis at an early age being raised by his mother. His mother was both loving and manipulative, and from that, a lonely and strict

Morality of Management Earnings free essay sample

The term â€Å"Earnings Management† is a form of â€Å"number smoothing† used by a company’s management to manipulate or influence the companys earnings to match a pre-determined dollar amount. This is done in an attempt to keep financials stable, as opposed to showing financial fluctuations. When a company appears to be stable it has a greater chance of attracting investors, which in turn demands higher share prices. When a company is able to have higher share prices, the more likely they are to draw new investors. Likewise, a company that has low share prices is often a reflection of a company that is not doing well financially (Investopedia, 2009, para 2). Often, companies perform abusive earnings management practices in an effort to â€Å"make the numbers† (Inevestopedia, 2009, para 4). In order to do this, management may be tempted to â€Å"make up† numbers as a means of drawing investors or to make their company appear financially stronger tha n what it actually is. The methods used in earnings management can be varied, and may be done through manipulation of financial numbers or operating procedures (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 84). In a study conducted by the National Association of Accountants, a questionnaire was prepared which described 13 observed earnings management situations (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 83). Below are five listed generalizations that can be made by the study findings regarding short-term earnings management practices. 1. Respondents of the survey felt that earnings management practices utilizing accounting methods to be less acceptable than methods of operating procedure manipulation (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 84). Manipulation of operations can include something as simple as pushing shipping to the last day of the fiscal quarter or asking customers to take early delivery of goods (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 85). Another example is when companies make â€Å"Unusually  attractive terms to customers† or â€Å"Deferring necessary expenditures to a subsequent year† (Rosenzweig Fischer, 1994, para 5). According to survey responses, practitioners had fewer ethical dilemmas when using operational earnings management tactics compared to those involving accounting methods (Rosenzweig Fischer, 1994, para 7). 2. When it came to accounting, survey respondents felt that increasing earnings reports to be less acceptable than the decreasing of earnings reports (As quoted by Gibson, pg. 84). Managers appear to be more comfortable in reducing the overall company profit when reserves show elevated numbers (As cited by Gibson, p. 85). It would seem that management might assume that if their reserve numbers are high, then reducing them to show lessor profitability acceptable. If the money is genuinely there, then what is the harm in reducing the profit amount to meet a designated number? However, when it came to reporting profit increases, managers were hesitant in determining what earnings management methods would be ethical and which would not. 3. Generalization #3 is similar to generalization number two where ethics are concerned. Respondents felt that if earnings management tactics were kept small that it was more acceptable than if the effects were large (As cited by Gibson, p. 84). When manipulations of numbers or operating procedures are kept to smaller changes, managers seem to feel it more justifiable and acceptable. For instance, if management were asked to show an increase of sales by $12,000.00, such manipulations would be more ethical than if asked to increase sales by $120,000.00. Likewise, if production costs were delayed for advertising to meet a quarterly budget it would be more acceptable than if production costs for advertising were delayed to meet the end of year fiscal budget. This also ties in to generalization #4, the time period of the end effect. 4. Time periods play a large part in determining how ethical earnings management practices are. As described above, when asked to alter numbers or operating procedures in an effort to make quarterly forecasts, managers seemed to feel this practice to be more acceptable. When asked to alter numbers or operating procedures for annual reports, however, the line between ethical and questionable is blurred. 47% of respondents to the survey felt that earnings management practices that were made to meet an interim quarterly budget to be ethical, while only 41% felt that such manipulations in order to make an annual budget to be ethically sound (As  cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 85). 5. When asked whether it was acceptable to offer special extended credit terms to customers in an attempt to increase profits, only 43% of survey respondents felt the practice to be ethical. However, when asked if the same end result would be ethical if achieved through ordering overtime to ship as much product as possible at years-end, 74% of respondents felt this manipulation to be ethical (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 85). A staggering 80% of survey respondents felt that selling excess assets as a means of realizing a profit to be ethical, while only 16% felt it would be questionable (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 85). Short-term earnings management procedures, while questionable, are often legal. The alteration of financial information in an attempt to meet budgets or as a way to show profitability is often alluring and an â€Å"easy† way to draw investors. Managers who use earnings management tactics must take into consideration the impact such actions may have with key stakeholders (As cited by Gibson, 2013, p. 86). When numbers are skewed favorably, it gives stakeholders a false sense of security in their investments. Companies who engage in short-term earnings management practices often set themselves up for losses over time. When numbers are adjusted to make a quarterly or yearly dollar amount, chances are the following quarter will find the company in the negative. Such practices are rarely foolproof and care must be taken when making earnings management practice decisions. Focusing on long-term earnings management practices are ultimately more favorable, but in order to be effective management must remain committed to consistent operational procedures. Forecasting the product needs of customers and looking ahead are key strategies for keeping sales income at a consistent level. Waiting until the last minute to offer customers generous credit terms in an effort to boost end of year or quarterly sales is a short-term answer at best. Looking at the purchase history of customers and integrating theses sales number into future budgets should help alleviate the need to resort to last minute scrambling to make budget targets.

Montessori the Human Tendencies Essay Example

Montessori the Human Tendencies Paper The Human Tendencies â€Å"The love of activity, the yearning for freedom, the urge for obedience, the impulse to confirm to laws which are at the heart of all creation – these qualities make man the unparalleled work of Nature† (Montessori, M. , From Childhood To Adolescence, 1973) Discuss the eight human tendencies as developed by Dr. Montessori and her followers. Show how children show these tendencies during the three main stages of development. Discuss how you think knowledge of human tendencies helps us when educating children. Give examples to support your answer ******************************** One of the greatest discoveries made by Dr. Montessori was that all humans love certain tendencies of behaviour patterns. No matter where we live, no matter what our culture or ethnicity, we all follow the same natural laws that lead us to act or react in specific ways. We are all driven to communicate, socialise, initiate, explore, move, be exact, concentrate, repeat, discover order, achieve independence, personalise perfection, control ourselves and our work. Human tendencies are present at all ages of our lives but some are stronger than others during different development periods. The tendencies also vary in the way and strength in which they appear in different people but they all exist. And it is these tendencies which guide our development; which direct us to take or not to take a given action. What does Dr. Montessori mean by the word â€Å"Tendency†? A dictionary definition of the word is â€Å"A predisposition to think, act, behave or proceed in a particular way† (Oxford English Dictionary). Dr. Montessori noted that it was important that the correct environment was provided for each stage in order to allow the tendencies to be fulfilled. We will write a custom essay sample on Montessori the Human Tendencies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Montessori the Human Tendencies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Montessori the Human Tendencies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Human tendencies are creative impulses that guide human beings in the development of broad potentialities. Dr. Montessori believed that children are born with incredible learning potential and a desire to explore, discover and learn about their world. She believed that all children are born with potentialities, the ability to crawl, to walk, to talk etc. It is the human tendencies that guide them to these potentials. What are the â€Å"Human Tendencies†? Dr. Montessori identified eight areas: Exploration: This is the human tendency to explore and find out about our world and universe. [pic] Children are naturally curious and love to use their senses to learn more about the world around them. Our life around us is filled with sounds, scents, textures, tastes and colours. In the first stage children explore their immediate environment. As a baby the first few months you can explore by hearing sounds and seeing colours. As you grow exploration comes by tasting different foods, feeling different textures. A child likes to explore with his hands more than anything. – 12 years old the child explores by going out or by researching. This age of child loves exploring nature, going to the woods or going to the sea. As they grow they find more interest in searching the internet to increase their knowledge and they start to have a greater interest in personal and sexual relationships.. They explore society to try to find their own role in life. â€Å"There is no description, no image in any book that is capable of replacing the sight of real trees, and all the life to be f ound around them, in a real forest†. Maria Montessori  (1870 1952) Source: From Childhood to Adolescence (page 19) Orientation: This is the human tendency to want to know where we are in space, in time and in the structures of nature and of society. [pic] When a young child enters a new environment they often want to explore, look at and touch all around them. But they still look for familiar people like their Mom or Dad. As they grow they enjoy knowing where they live (their address, country and continent on a map). They also like to know where they stand with regards to social roles. They demand very clear guidelines and rules. Order: This is the human tendency to create orderly surroundings which is apparent in nature and which we have brought more thoroughly into our homes, business and everyday life. [pic] Children under 6 years of age have a very strong sense of order. They like to be neat or have things in order. It does not matter if it his toys, clothes, shoes, everything should be in the right place according to his mind. As they grow they lose some of the order but they still shine through with order in their homework. Eg. Mathematics, Chemistry etc. People prefer order to chaos and confusion. Order brings predictability and security. Order is essential to proper orientation. Work/Activity: This is a human tendency, to be active and seek satisfaction form work. People generally like to stay busy. For children, movement can be enjoyed for its own sake, rather than always having a goal or end product in mind. Even children who have very little to play with will find ways to be active through games, songs, dance, and pretend play. Humans feel worthwhile through their work. Work leads to a feeling of accomplishment and self-respect. [pic] Maria Montessori believed that it was through work that a child constructed his true self, free of defect or misbehavior. Repetition: This occurs when a child repeats a task over and over again, until they become familiar with it. Like an infant trying to lift his head over and over again until he gets it, and learns how to control his muscles. They then see the environment from a totally different view. [pic] Often it is with the intent to master the task, but even after mastery occurs, a child may continue to repeat the activity for the sheer pleasure of doing so. Older children can do the same with a ball. They repeat and repeat the same task until they improve their ball handling skills. Exactitude/Precision: Exactitude allows children to know how to know when perfection is achieved. [pic] This is the human mathematical mind that leads us into exciting scientific discoveries based on precise detailed observation. Have you ever seen a child get upset because something was put back in the wrong place? They are quite precise in the way they pick things up, in the way they describe things and in the way they notice details. Older kids may put precision into their school work by doing science work or chemistry projects. Instinctively humans seek to precise in their work, doing something exactly right brings enormous satisfaction. Communication: Humans delight in conveying thoughts, feelings, and information to each other. [pic] New born babies can not talk but they still communicate with us. They cry when something is wrong eg. a dirty nappy. They smile when they are happy eg. when you play with them. As times passes they learn to communicate with their hands and with an absorbent mind they learn to pick up the language in 1. 5 to 2 years. School kids aged 6 – 12 communicate through play dates with friends, telling us all that happened at school and through social outlets and team sports. Older kids like to learn something different. Their communication forms are different; it is more linked to phones, texting, computers and other forms of social media eg. facebook. Various types of communication include the written and spoken word, touch, facial expressions, gestures, art, music, dance and media. Communication is an essential human need; it is the link of understanding between people, both face-to-face and from generation to generation. Imagination: This is truly the characteristic that sets us apart from animals. We are able to visualize events that have not yet occurred; we are able to feel and xpress emotions that are not tangible. We can imagine something that exists only in our minds, and then take the steps to make it happen. e. g A child in the first stage can imagine playing as a doctor and having his toys as his patients. [pic] As they grow they can imagine that they grow up to be a doctor. The fire of imagination drives the child to seek knowledge with a huge thirst. It is an important part of the Mont essori Method, both for the 6 – 12 years old and the older teenager, to present the imagination with exciting facts. We often forget that imagination is a force for the discovery of truth. The mind is not a passive thing, but a devouring flame, never in repose, always in action†. Maria Montessori  (1870 1952) Source: The Absorbent Mind, Chapter, Through Culture and the Imagination, 1988) Once we are aware of the underlying that compels human development we will recognise them everywhere. The tendencies of humans are what compel babies to put everything they find into their mouths. They are the reasons that a young child wants to know how things are made and why children are filled with wonder when they enter a forest. They are the reason for our appreciation of a beautiful painting or a finely crafted piece of furniture; we recognise the repetition that went into the mastery and finally the reflection of a difficult skill. The prepared environment is built around these tendencies. Because of this, Montessori teachers do not need to force the student to work, the children are naturally drawn to the materials. For example the environment is safe and secure, filled only with the items that can be touched and manipulated by the child. When these basic human needs, these basic tendencies of human behavior are understood and respected, children become what Dr. Montessori called â€Å"normalized. † They have a sense of internal peace, joy, tranquility, happiness. They can concentrate. They can choose something to work on and complete the work they set out do. They have self-discipline/self-control, are independent, and are secure within themselves. They have a positive, balanced self-image, have healthy self-esteem, and are aware and considerate of others. They are the person we would all like to be. â€Å"In order to understand the child so as to be able to educate him, we must know life in its entirety† (Montessori, M. , unpublished lecture, London 1937) Bibliography Clare Healy Walls- At The Heart of Montessori 1 – Core Principles Original Writing Ltd, Dublin 2008, ISBN 978-1-906018-64-1 Clare Healy Walls At The Heart of Montessori 2 – Core Principles In Action Original Writing Ltd, Dublin 2008, ISBN 978-1-906018-65-8 Clare Healy Walls At The Heart of Montessori 4 – The Pre School Child (3 – 6 yrs) Original Writing Ltd, Dublin 2008, ISBN 978-1-906018-67-2 Clare Healy Walls Montessori in a Nutshell Hello Montessori Ireland, 2007, ISBN 978-09557168-0-5 The internet was also used as an aid in completing this essay.