Professional Development Portfolio Essay

My role within the workplace My primary role within the organization is as a shop assistant at Asda there are lots of various roles that require core skills to be able to do fulfil the job sufficiently. I have other side roles within my occupation other than my primary role as our organization operates a job enlargement system of human resource management so therefore I am trained on other areas of the organization aside of my primary job description. The skills I already process will be highlighted in the following SWOT analysis, it will also highlight areas that I have discovered that are of weakness currently also Identifying a problem The problem I have identified was a problem at work that occurred earlier in the year. The problem was that there was no policy regarding the allocation of available overtime; it was just made available on a board on a Saturday morning and was up to anyone to pick up as many/few shifts as they pleased. This led to a problem I identified, which was that for people that were not  contracted to Saturdays were at a disadvantage regarding the shifts that they could pick up, weather this be amount of shifts or certain days etc. From this I came to the conclusion that I would form a problem solving analysis upon this problem. The analysis I found most simple and useful was a SWOT analysis. Strengths My strengths in approaching this problem were; †¢I managed to identify that there was an issue and was causing slight friction within the workplace and more specifically our department †¢I realized that I could have skills to assist in resolving this problem †¢The strengths I could adapt to this situation are the ability to be articulate and speak to people in an appropriate manner †¢Another strength I have is to be able to explain things to people individually in a appropriate way they can understand †¢After evaluating my reflective practice I discovered that I was very strong at taking full responsibility for my actions for if a project fails, this would be an appropriate strength as posting and implementing new ideas at work can go wrong and it is right to accept this and reflect upon it by taking the positives and working on the areas that did not go so well Weaknesses My skills weaknesses in approaching this problem were; †¢My active approach to learning often hinders me from being pragmatic and reflective regarding input from others in work or problem solving situations †¢Another weakness of mine is my ability to evaluate practical points in order to make the most relevant points get across to becoming action †¢The time it takes me to notice problems of this nature is often quite a large time scale †¢Another weakness of mine is time spending to find relevant links between different things, this is relevant because problems can be spotted earlier if problems between links on projects are spotted and addressed early which limits their overall negative impact in an area of work, this weakness links with the earlier one of evaluating practical points Opportunities †¢However the opportunities that finding this problem were initially that it made the managers think of an alternative to the current operations of overtime allocation †¢It revealed personnel opportunities for myself that showed I have skills to find problems and niggles †¢Skills such as problem finding, conversational and interpersonal skills in order to communicate the problem to the right people, identifying a possible solution to the problem, and forming an input into a new policy that solved the problem and was fair to all †¢This problem also showed the opportunity of self realization of some skills that I had acquired and helped me reflect on skills that I needed to work on. Threats †¢One threat is I need to allocate my skills more accordingly to relevant situations †¢I also need to be more aware of the skills I have to offer †¢Threats to this work situation are that initially the management does not embrace the change accordingly †¢Also that they do not make the policy aware to the masses (0.1)Professional Development Action Plan Template As I develop my Action Plan, I will use the SMART model by ensuring all of my goals and action steps are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and within a specific Timeframe. Complete a plan for each of my goals. Goal: To implement a new policy at work in relation to allocating overtime in a fair and proper manner Relevance – how will this goal help me: It will help me be able to highlight strengths in skills that I already possess and will also show gaps in my skills and my weak areas, whilst assisting in solving a problem within the workplace What are the steps or strategies I will take?What is the realistic timeframe to accomplish the step or strategy?How will I evaluate each step or  strategy?How will I know the step or strategy has been accomplished? Firstly, to look if there is any overtime allocated practices or policies in place 3-5 daysTo analyze policies regarding overtime and shift patterns within the department to therefore begin to looking to find a solutionWhen I have compiled enough knowledge on our current policies, or after realizing if there are any current policies in place or not Thought shower some potential policies or means that could assist solving the issue 1 weekTo find as many potential solutions or potential policy changes that could help address the issueWhen there is enough relivent ideas and data that can potentially contribute towards the solving the problem Use a problem solving technique such as a SWOT analysis 2 weeksAllocate characteristics of the problem into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to find the problemWhen the technique is concluded and its findings are apparent Decide and allocate which solution is best to solve the problem and is most relevant to its characteristics 6 weeksFind the solution and start putting in foundations to build steps to it implementationWhen I have the final solution and have considered the methods to applying it without causing any other operational issues Look at the results of the SWOT analysis and thought shower to beginning to find a solution to the problem 4 weeksLook at the key issue in relation to the problem an then derive ways to solve it without causing any more problems of grievancesWhen a solution, or many solutions are tangible or available (1.0)Professional development Progress towards targets section 2 (BIS00093) (1.1)Introduction To develop my skills this year we have been set the task of a reflective piece of writing in relation to shown we tackled the targets we had set  earlier in the year to develop professionally and reflect on how we have improved our own skills both at work and in an academic place of vocation. In order to complete this we set out a set of skills that were both areas that we could develop and ones that were already strong but aspects could be built on and in my case I have related this skill set to my highlighted problem at work that I set earlier in the year in order to make my portfolio coherent which is in the first part of this portfolio prior to this report. (1.2)Introduction This professional development report is a progress report on the skills I have chosen to develop in my action plan which was highlighted earlier in the year, in order to get to the point where I might be in a position to solve my highlighted problem. This was to try and create a policy to fairly rationale the overtime that is available at my workplace of ASDA living at Cortonwood, Barnsley. The importance of reflection in this account cannot be underwritten, and the whole aim of this account is to show my reflection on my skills set and how I have developed my skills, and how other skills still require some development in order to move my professional development foreword. I highlighted seven skills which need addressing in order to fulfil my further professional development. (2.0)Approach to problem situations The first skill I highlighted was my ability to approach problem situations, Initially I believed that I needed to be more pragmatic and reflective in my approach to not just solving this problem but any problem in life, as my initial way of solving a problem is to just get stuck in and do things instead of checking and reviewing matters. This was also highlighted in my skills assessment audits. To develop and improve this skill my action plan was to go and initially speak to my peers at work about how they solve their problems and what approach they take. This would also help me open up other avenues and perspectives to problem solving. The conclusion I came to after divulging over many opinions and reflecting on my own failures in this skill was to keep persevering with my new approach of learning new ways to approach problem situations and then after refining these methods to learn to use appropriate ones for certain situations. For example you can approach  some problems by stepping away from the situation and being pragmatic and ordering objectives, but some problems require you to just take my original approach to all problems which are to just jump in and do things to solve the problems. Through my development I have been able to develop new approaches to problem situations such as finding myself solving a problem, and simultaneously being able to find other problems in the topic or situation and pose new questions regarding how to solve internal problems and issues within the bigger initial highlighted problem. (3.0)Evaluate relevant points The next skill I chose to develop was being able to evaluate relevant point, in relation to developing this skill I highlighted that I needed to focus on critically in order to complete a task more efficiently, rather than trying to do lots of different tasks simultaneously and never really completing the initial task that was set. My initial targets to combat this skill gap was to focus on one job at a time, I asked my manager at work to also asses and keep an eye on my work from the point of addressing this skills gap in this manner (appendix A, manager minutes). After concluding a few tasks I had a conversation with him regarding my development and he commented that I had improved my skill in relation to just committing to relevant points and tasks within work and was pleased with my approach to combating my skills gaps within the workplace. In reflection to this skill I believe it went very well and my professional development plan directly addressed the issue highlighted which is an addition to this development of this skill as I have been able to identify a skills gap and fulfil my own planning to a degree of success and formality. I have also been able to notice this skill of evaluating and addressing critical points and areas of a job come into play further and slowly has become a more refined skill of mine to the point where I am able to strip a task down to its bareness and simplify it for others to follow my structures and planning in there conquest to assist completing the job or project. (4.0) Time management The next skill I needed to develop in order to gain an overall solution to my problem was to develop my time management skills, which at my skills assessment were set at the lowest level of skill initially as having little  experience of this skill, I believe it is one of my main skill’s weaknesses and has been for some time, it is something I have always found very difficult. I have decided to address this skills gap by trying to use more time management tools. I have tried to develop this skill very slowly as I have limited and poor quality experiences of this skill nature in the past. Therefore initially I started off with simple methods such as keeping a calendar of my day to day events in order to give me at least some time management structure as I was basically very fluid beforehand with no structure whatsoever, I have not developed this skill any further as I am having some success with the calendar on its own as of present but it is a skill that I am going to look to develop further, particularly next year when I am studying for my honours top up degree as I believe this skill will be imperative at this point, however I can attribute the lack of development in this skill down to my previous poor levels of experience in this skill nature and the fact that I am a very impulsive and spontaneous type of person and therefore have never really considered time management as a way of progressing my skills platform and skills matrix. On reflection I believe I would be able to describe my development in the skill of time management as one That I have shown some development in but not of a sufficient manner towards assisting solving the problem, however I have being able to reflect on these issues and have shown how they can be overcome and stated reasons that it is essential to overcome these issues and given the skills gap a focus in order to assist its completion to be competent in the skill of time management. (5.0) Identifying problems The next skill I identified and chose to develop was the skill of identifying problems, I evaluated this as one of my stronger skills towards being able to solve my problem, it is also very applicable to any problem that needs solving as in order to solve a problem it needs to be indentified beforehand in order to focus resources on the problem in hand. I am quite strong at this area of skill, both in the workplace and academically. This has been noticed and occasionally complemented by my peers in both of these areas of my life. However it has been highlighted by my peers in the past that sometimes I am not very confident in expressing my abilities in regards to identifying problems and could push myself foreword more in relation to  this. I have reflected upon this and also noticed there are times where I identify problems but lack confidence to express theses problems to a superior due to a lack of confidence and diligence, however I also have reflected on my strength in this field and have made it more of a prerogative to continue my good work in relation to identifying problems in order to assist the overall bigger identified problem which is to compile a policy to allocate overtime at work out more fairly between employees in order that everyone gets a fair share of the hours available. In relation to my slight weakness in this aspect however I shall try to be more outgoing when expressing my opinion on problems or potential problems and assist in identifying other diverse problems that are not always directly addressed to me in the most appropriate way possible. In relation to this there is an abstract on my mind map (appendix B) that relates to this aspect of problem identification and what it can be used for. (6.0)Verbal communication The next area of skill I have identified that I will need to solve this problem set is the ability of verbal communication. As this is a problem that influences everyone on the department it is an area that will be quite sensitive in nature to the vast majority of people. Therefore being able to communicate ideas and possible ways that the policy could be moulded are essential, the ability of verbal communication and having this ability along with the needs to take on board feedback from organisational members is vital in relation to this policy. In truth I believe this has always been one of my strongest areas in skills regarding developing this policy at work. This is because I am articulate and am very good in changing both my language, demeanour and body language appropriately according to the situation, characteristic of the third person and the age and intellectual level of the person that I am speaking to, this is because I am an empathetic type of person when it comes to social exchanges of this matter. My only self criticism and gap within this skill is that I can sometimes go over the top and digress away from the original issue. On reflection I just need to continue being articulate and selective with my demeanours in relation to the type of social situation, I also need to keep taking on board feed back within verbal communication and being selective towards  which feedback I find useful and not so useful, and applying these ideas towards the final outcome and solution to the problem. Also, as previously mentioned I can digress away from the point in my verbal communications, they way I have tackled this aspect in my skills development is to for a small structure (Appendix C) to just keep my conversational points work related and retain focus on the subject matter in hand which is ultimately solving the problem and drawing up some sort of policy. (7.0) Influencing peers The next area of skill I have identified as an area of skill that will be required to solve my problem in the workplace is the ability to influence peers and others within both the organisation and life in general. I believe this skill is particularly applicable to this problem and is a key cog in order to get to a solution for the problem, as after taking into account the views of the departments employees and gaining their feedback it is only possible to use some of the best ideas and fuse them into the policy and therefore create a solution to this problem or issue, and for this reason alone it is important that influence on peers is a strong skill in order to influence one’s own ideas and impress them on the masses in the working environment in order to keep a harmonious working environment and not cause further problems by implementing a policy of this nature in the first place, so for this alone I believe this skill is a very important one for getting everyone on side to find some common ground for all so that the policy can be successful when, or if it is implemented. My level of skill on influencing my peers is quite high, in situations both at work and in other areas of life such as sport. However during this experience of solving or trying to solve my problem I have found a few cracks in this skill even though it is one of my stronger skills. I highlighted the fact that I needed to be more confident to press my influence on others and try to become a motivator which I can potentially do. To do this I have tried to take more charge in workplace situations and influence others into potential directions that they can go with their own projects at work, I have also approached management about things and issues I believe have occurred at work, for example I believe the budgeting programme for our business being historical is incorrect given the businesses size and turnover. This shows  that I have tried to be influential on all levels of personnel at work and have built up the confidence to approach members of the organisation that are higher in the hierarchy about myself with issues I believe could be addressed. On reflection I believe I have move this skill foreword slightly and improved in the areas I have highlighted that I would like to in my plan, however I would also like to take my influential persona and use it to my own benefit in other areas if and when I graduate to have as a skill that employers might find as an attractive one. (8.0) Plan work The final skill I believe is essential to finding a solution to this problem presented is having the ability to plan work and have plans that are both flexible for external influence but structured towards attaining a result in the workplace that satisfies the needs of both myself and the organisation. This skill has often been a challenging one for me as I stated earlier regarding my time management that before I attended university I often worked on spontaneity and impulse and never really planned my time and planning work also falls into a similar category in regards to planning work as the go hand in hand in some conduct. As I have highlighted this as a weakness or gap in my current skills I have drawn up a detailed action plan with this in mind. I have highlighted in my plan to spend more time planning both at work and at university and to do this I have stated that I need to write more things down and be more formal as regards to planning. After writing this in my plan and reflecting on how I will approach this matter I decided to start using the built in diary on my phone as I believed it was a more practical solution to the planning aspect, I have had to attempt to be innovative in order to improve this skills gap as I don’t like the idea of carrying a diary or journal around as I will not keep it up to date and potentially could lose it. I have however drawn up my formal plans at work in a small notebook and kept line of my tasks and have found this useful, particularly on busy days when there are many tasks it is easy to forget something that could be essential when you have no or little structure as regards to planning and planning time towards certain critical tasks. It has been very applicable to the problem that has been highlighted, as in order to form the policy and therefore a general solution to the problem it is very important that the stages to get there are put in place and planned  accordingly. This is for many reasons, particularly if something goes wrong during getting to the solution as it is easier to trace the steps that are written down or recorded in some way than if there is no structure at all which would make the locating of the key area that created to problem a near impossibility, and would make it very

Final Paper African Americans Essay

Through out history there has been a struggle for African Americans to be accepted in our society. An African American endures many more disadvantages than most white people. The media and other sources have made blacks to look the same and has portrayed them in a certain light that may not be fitting to all blacks. There are many misconceptions that people have of blacks. Many people and organizations have had a part in bringing equality and fighting for equal rights for black people. African Americans have been at a huge disadvantage in America from the beginning. Unlike many other minority groups in America, African Americans in many cases were brought here by force and not by there own will. (000000) The first African Americans came to America in the seventeenth century and were immediately forced to work for Whites. After much turmoil and even a civil war Blacks were finally given there freedom with the Emancipation proclamation signed and ratified in 1863. Even after the proclamation some blacks were still enslaved and freed blacks had little to no opportunity. The struggle continued into the next century as blacks finally received the right to vote with the ratification in of the 15th amendment. The 20th century contained a world filled by a segregated America between whites and blacks through jim crow laws that existed that restricted blacks from interacting with whites. With a history like that it is no wonder that African Americans still have disadvantages in our modern day. America today is known as the country of opportunity. Although there are many opportunities out there it seems that there are more opportunities for some groups more than others. Many companies and corporations still use race as a indicator for hiring employees. In one study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research, people with common black names were less likely to be called back for an interview based on there application alone then black people with common white sounding names. Job applicants with white sounding names needed to send out ten applications to get one call back while applications with common black names needed to send out about fifteen to get one reply. (Francis, www. nber. org/digest.com). The research was done withe resumes of the same qualifications. It is easy to see that Black people are constantly bombarded by inequality in the work force. If there were inequalities just based on names of applicants just imagine the inequality when employers actually see the race of the applicants. Black Americans have been stereotyped for years and continue to be today. The media is one great source of portraying African Americans in certain roles. African Americans are portrayed as criminals, drug dealers and sex offenders in many instances. Many Africans are outraged at how they are portrayed in the media. Protest groups such as the Young African Americans Against Media Stereotypes have done what they can to show there stance on stereotypical media portrayal. â€Å"Majority of the time you see a young African-American male in the media he is singing, rapping, scoring a touchdown, dunking a basketball or committing a crime†( http://www. yaaams. com/) Many stereotypes about black people are incredibly false. Many people still think that black people are only good at certain things like music and sports. This is a very false belief and black people have contributed heavily to all different sorts of fields. Many vital inventions that we use on an everyday bases were invented by black people. The dust mop, pencil sharpener, typewriter, and elevator were all invented by black people. (http://www. black-network. com) Our society would not be what it is if it were not for Garret Morgan, the young Black man who invented the traffic light. http://www. infoplease. com/spot/bhmcensus1. html.

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Leadership - Essay Example It is through the varied yet complimentary leadership paradigms that these CEO’s bring to the organization that constitute SAP’s primary outlook. In addition, there is an overarching resistance to change throughout the organization. While SAP is centrally located in Waldorf, Germany the company has become an international entity, with substantial leadership entities in the United States, Switzerland, Asia-Pacific, and various regions within the Americas. To some degree there are substitutes for leadership operating within the organization. SAP has developed a highly competitive atmosphere, wherein employees are encouraged to develop a number of hobby projects. In these regards, the substitute for leadership consists of this entrepreneurial environment. In terms of a substitute for the seven layer managerial structure, to some degrees this hierarchical structure is necessary as the high number of employees and expansive nature of the company necessitate a complex organiz ational structure. Still, it is noted that there is inefficiency in this structure in that it locates individuals with their manager rather than those whom they actually work with. 2. The type of followers SAP says it wants are â€Å"self-managing, professional employees who create opportunities to fulfill their potential and maximize their value to the organization† (‘Case Study’, pg. 8). SAP currently has instituted a number of measures to reduce their employee attrition rate. In these regards, there is a strong emphasis on promoting employees from within the organization. The company also does not make a regular practice of firing employees whose skills are no longer needed; instead they have made a practice of tailoring career paths for employee development, encouraging employees to work in different areas of expertise. The company also encourages flexible working hours, casual dress styles, as well as long hour meeting times in the cafeteria for employee net working. The company also developed an employee development management culture. Perhaps most importantly the company offered salary levels above the average for the expected work, as well as profit sharing opportunities. In addition they have developed opportunities for employees to gain stock options through an American based program. In all it seems that the company has taken adequate HR measures to stem the employee attrition rate. Rather than developing furthered measures, with the exception of greater stock options, it seems the main attrition problem is linked to the company’s organizational culture and leadership qualities. In these regards, one would need to make deep structural changes that would possibly alter company progress and efficiency. 3. There are a number of notable elements related to the structure at SAP. It seems that the most notable element relates to the seven layer management structure the organization has in place. While the case study indicates tha t the managerial structure was a needed response to the company’s increasing size during the internet boom, there are also a number of elements related to it that have been indicated to be problematic. For instance, â€Å"one of the consequences of this focus on management was that people may be located with their manager rather than being co-located with those they actually work with†

The Merchant of Venice and Shylock Offering Essay Example for Free

The Merchant of Venice and Shylock Offering Essay Many different people can be good or bad or might seem good but actually bad or the other way around. In The merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, shylock, the money lending Jew, is seen more like a villain then a victim. Shylock is a villain because he cares more about his money then he cares about his daughter, he is not merciful towards shylock and hewants a pound of flesh from Antonio for hi revenge. First of all shylock is a villain because he cares more about his ducats then his daughter, Jessica. Shylock cares more about his money then his daughter because when Jessica left home with Lorenzo, that she planned to elope with, shylock was really mad because his daughter left but mostly he was mad because she left with a lot of money and his jewels. This shows that shylock is a villain since he cares more of his money then his family and family should always be more important than money. Solanio is saying what he heard shylock say in the streets: My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats! Justice! The law! My ducats and my daughter! And jewels-two stones, two rich and precious stones, Stol`n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl! She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats! In this quotation Solanio is saying to Salerio what he heard shylock saying in the streets of how mad he was of his daughter leaving with all his money. This quote is shylock talking to tubal about Jessica leaving â€Å"I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and/ the jewels in her ears: would she were hearsed at my foot, /and the ducats in her coffin!.(III.i.79-81). Shylock is mad that his daughter left him with his money and would want her to be dead in front of him to get his money and have all her ducats from her coffin. This shows that Shylock is a villain since he would go to the extent to wanting her dead for his ducats. Shylock is also a villain because he was not being merciful towards Antonio. When Shylock wanted his pound of flesh from Antonio shylock was not being merciful he really wanted that pound of flesh from him. Portia disguised as a lawyer even tried to tell shylock to be give mercy but he did not want too. Shylock believed more in the justice but the Christians want mercy. This quote is shylock refusing to the duke of being merciful â€Å" I have possessed your grace of what I purpose,/And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn/ To have the due and forfeit of my bond† shylock I telling to the duke that I will keep my bond and that no matter what this is his bond and he will keep it no one can convince him. Portia and Shylock are discussed about mercy: In this quotation shylock does not want to give mercy to Antonio and Portia says that you cannot receive mercy if you do not give some. As you can see Shylock is a villain since he is not merciful at all. Finally shylock is a villain because he wants a pound of flesh from Antonio since Antonio did not pay him back. The only reason the Shylock wants a pound of flesh from Antonio is for revenge and if you get a pound of flesh taken there are many changes you will die which were Shylock`s intention to get Antonio to die so he gets his revenge for spitting in his face and having to lend money to other people interest free and that made Shylock lose money. This is Shylock saying that Antonio miss treats him and he hopes to lend money from Shylock â€Å"Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last;/to you spurned me such a day; another time/you called me a dog†(I.iii.126-128) here Shylock is mad at Antonio and wants revenge so makes a deal that he makes the bond interest free but if Antonio does not pay back he will need to give a pound of flesh to Shylock. This quote is Shylock offering to Antonio the money interest free but under the condition of one pound flesh if he does not repay in time â€Å"Expressed in the condition, let the forfeit/be nominated for an equal pound/Of your fair flesh to be cut off and taken†(I.iii.151-153). Shylock wanted revenge towards Antonio for what he had done so he made this bond this proves that shylock is a villain In conclusion, Shylock is a villain since he does not care about his daughter more then his money and he wants revenge on Antonio by getting a pound of flesh. Like you can see in the merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Shylock is seen as a horrible man. People are good or bad those this mean they were born that way or you get bad or good later on in life.

Effects of Drug Use during Pregnancy on Children Essay Example for Free

Effects of Drug Use during Pregnancy on Children Essay Being pregnant means more than just carrying a child in uteri for nine months. Pregnant women must watch what they put into their bodies because it will directly affect the life of their unborn child. Unborn children are totally helpless to their mothers’ actions and totally dependent on everything they do. All pregnant women need to be aware of the consequences of using drugs during pregnancy; drugs such as, cocaine, heroin, cigarettes, methamphetamine, and marijuana. All drugs illegal or not could have critical and long lasting effects on children throughout their whole life. What are drugs? Drugs are chemicals that can make you change the way the body works. Some drugs are worse than others but no matter which one used, during pregnancy all drugs have dreadful effects on the unborn child. The drugs cocaine, heroin, tobacco/cigarettes, methamphetamines and marijuana can affect children in different ways; however, they all should be avoided during pregnancy. Mothers need to think about their unborn child and the adverse effects using drugs will have on them not only as infants but as young children and young adults as well. Cocaine is a strongly addictive stimulant that directly affects the brain. Cocaine is one of the oldest drugs known to this day (Barbara L. Thompson, 2009). There is no safe amount of cocaine for a woman who is pregnant because any cocaine taken will transfer to the baby as well (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). Heroine is also a highly addictive drug and it is the most abused and fast acting of the opiate group. Heroine, processed from morphine, is derived from certain poppy plants. Heroin will cross over to the baby through the placenta and cause an unborn baby to be dependent on the drug. Tobacco/cigarettes are a non illicit drug and the most common drug used among pregnant woman. Tobacco products have been linked to low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Methamphetamines are highly addictive substances with powerful central nervous system stimulant properties (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). Methamphetamines are considered a major drug of abuse and can cause low birth weight, miscarriages and could lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug in America today. Women who use marijuana on a daily basis will operate at subliminal levels because it directly affects the way the brain works. When using marijuana during pregnancy the mother is more likely to have a miscarriage or a low birth weight baby. No matter which drug the mother is using it can be detrimental to the unborn baby’s health and should be avoided. Using drugs during pregnancy not only affects the baby a birth but it can affect that child for the rest of his/her life. The child can experience many difficulties in when he/she goes to school as well. Each drug is different and affects children differently. Cocaine may cause drug dependency and withdrawal symptoms at birth, as well physical and me ntal problems, especially if the mother used cocaine during the first three months of pregnancy. There is a higher risk of hypertension, heart problems, developmental retardation and learning difficulties (Gale A. Richardson, 2010). It has been reported that prenatal cocaine exposure is linked to cognitive and neuropsychological development and school functioning in 6 to 8 year olds (Gale A. Richardson, 2010). A baby who has been exposed to prenatal cocaine use by the mother is more likely to be irritable, jittery and have an irregular sleeping pattern, visual problems and problems with sensory stimulation (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). During pregnancy cocaine crosses into the placenta and enters the baby’s blood circulation and will stay in the blood longer than it will the mother (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). Using cocaine during pregnancy increases the risk of having a miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. During the later part of pregnancy, using cocaine can cause placental abruption which could lead to severe bleeding, preterm birth and death of the unborn baby (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). Also babies who are exposed to cocaine during the later part of pregnancy may experience a dependence of the drug and may be required to be weaned off the drug at birth because the child can experience withdrawal symptoms (Joan Keegana, 2010). Symptoms include tremors, sleeplessness, muscle spasms, and feeding problems for the infant. Prenatal cocaine exposure has also been linked to behavior problems among the children in school, and aggression and shoddier attention and processing skills (Delaney-Black, 2010). For children of prenatal cocaine exposure life can be difficult, struggling in school at an early age may detour that child from continuing school when they are older to achieve his/her diploma. Also the children will have all sorts of behavior issues in school. Compared to children with no cocaine exposure, children who were exposed to cocaine had drastically more mother and teacher behavior problems throughout early elementary school (Gale A. Richardson, 2010). Children of older women who used cocaine during pregnancy also experienced more difficulties in school than children born to younger mothers who used cocaine (Gale A. Richardson, 2010). Children who are exposed to cocaine prenatally were also linked to be affected by weight and height, meaning children were smaller in weight and height categories compared to their peers. Cocaine is a very powerful drug and should not be used at all and more importantly should not be used during pregnancy. Cocaine use during pregnancy could be fatal for the unborn child and does not give him/her a fair chance at life. A pregnant woman needs to think about her unborn child before she does cocaine because her child could potentially have multiple problems in school and in life. The most important reason for a woman not to use cocaine during pregnancy is it could kill an unborn child. Heroine is classified as an opiate and travels the fastest of any drug into the baby’s blood stream when the mothe r is pregnant and used it (Joan Keegana, 2010). Like cocaine heroin is also very addictive and the baby once born can become dependent on this drug and have to be weaned off of it (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). Using heroin while pregnant can affect fetal development. Heroin use has been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage and premature birth, and babies may be born smaller than average and may be prone to illness (Barbara L. Thompson, 2009). The substances that are cut with heroin may also cause problems during the pregnancy and affect the developing fetus. Injecting heroin can increase the risk of both the mother and baby becoming infected with blood-borne viruses, such as hepatitis and HIV (Joan Keegana, 2010). Pregnant women who want to stop taking heroin need to be very careful. Sudden withdrawal from heroin may harm the baby and increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). If a mother continues to use heroin while breastfeeding, it is possible that the drug will be present in her milk and may have adverse effects on the baby. Babies of mothers who use heroin will have some long-term effects. Some children at three to six years of age children whose mothers were addicted to heroin were lower in weight and height compared to the other children whose mothers did not use heroin, and impaired in behavioral, perceptual and organizational abilities. Babies born with low birth weight have been shown to have many difficulties later in life such as, language learning disabilities, behavior problems, and children are more likely to be rejected by peers and performance in school may suffer and the children may need special education courses. Heroin is a very bad drug to be addicted too, not only because of the risks it presents on the person using it, but because it has an added risk of HIV because of all the needle sharing. Using heroin or any opiate should be avoided at all time for children’s sake. Methamphetamine use during pregnancy affects development of a babys, brain, spinal cord, heart and kidneys (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). Methamphetamine use during pregnancy may result in prenatal complications, like premature delivery and birth deformities. High doses of the drug may cause a babys blood pressure to rise rapidly, leading them to suffer strokes or brain hemorrhages before birth (Barbara L. Thompson, 2009). Methamphetamine-exposed babies may experience gastroschisis and other problems with the development of their intestines (National Institutes on Drug Abuse, 2009). As a result of methamphetamine use by their mothers, some babies may suffer developmental and skele tal abnormalities and some babies are born without parts of their arms or legs (Joan Keegana, 2010). Because methamphetamine affects transmitters in the brain, babies often experience sleep disturbances and altered behavioral patterns (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). These babies have been described as irritable babies. Full-term babies born to mothers who use methamphetamine will likely have difficulty sucking and swallowing, much like premature babies. Often babies born to meth-addicted women cannot tolerate stimuli such as human touch and light. These babies often display tremors and coordination problems (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). Babies whose mothers used methamphetamine during pregnancy may experience learning disabilities, growth and developmental delays (Methamphetamine use During Pregnancy, 2008). The effects of methamphetamine use on brain development may last for many years. School-aged children whose mothers used methamphetamine while pregnant are more likely to be hyperactive or to have attention deficit disor ders, learning disabilities and unprovoked fits of anger (Methamphetamine use During Pregnancy, 2008). When pregnant women use marijuana it crosses into the baby through the placenta. Marijuana contains toxins that keep the baby from getting the proper amount oxygen that the baby needs in order to grow normally (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). Marijuana use during pregnancy is one of the lesser bad drugs; however, it could still pose detrimental problems on the growing fetus (Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy, 2008). Babies born to women who used marijuana during their pregnancy display altered responses to visual stimulation, increased tremors, and a high-pitched cry, which could indicate problems with nervous system development (Joan Keegana, 2010). During preschool and early school years, children who have been exposed to marijuana have been reported to have more behavioral problems and difficulties with sustained attention and memory than children who were not exposed (Joan Keegana, 2010). Because some parts of the brain continue to develop into adolescence, it is also possible that certain kinds of problems will become more evident as the child matures (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). Pregnant women should not to use any drugs because they might harm the growing fetus. Although one animal study has linked marijuana use to loss of the fetus very early in pregnancy, two studies in humans found no association between marijuana use and early pregnancy loss (Barbara L. Thompson, 2009). Regardless of the situation, mothers should not smoke marijuana because of the possibilities of it causing harm of the baby. Tobacco is the most commonly drug used among women who are pregnant because the quit rate is surprisingly low. Only twenty percent of woman who smoke will quit smoking completely during their pregnancy (Vanessa E Murphy, 2010). Women who are heavy smokers are less likely to quit as well. Smoking during pregnancy can cause premature birth and can cause the baby to be little. Smoking while pregnant is also linked to placenta previa, placenta abruption and sudden infant death syndrome (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). While smoking tobacco has long been linked to poor growth in a fetus and other short-term effects, it also has long-term effects on a baby whose mother smoked during the pregnancy. Only about twenty percent of women smokers who become pregnant quit (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). With all of the health effects that tobacco can have on both baby and mother, pregnant women who smoke are advised to try and quit for their own health and the health of their child (Miles, 2009). Children born to mothers who smoke tobacco tend to be more impulsive and have more trouble learning and developing. Infants whose mothers smoked while they were in the pregnant are more likely to exhibit lower scores on mental tests at age one and to have lower grades overall during the school years than children whose mothers who did not use tobacco (Vanessa E Murphy, 2010). The risk of a learning disability, such as dyslexia, rises twenty-five percent in children whose mothers smoked a pack or more of cigarettes a day. Babies born to smokers may also have lifelong birth defects that impede mental development, such as cerebral palsy or mental retardation (Miles, 2009). Those whose mothers smoked moderately or heavily during pregnancy were over four times as likely to develop type two diabetes; also called adult onset diabetes, before the age of 33, which is considered an early age for developing this type of diabetes. The children of mothers who smoke are also more likely to become obese later in life. There is also a link between fetal exposure to tobacco smoke and future risk of cardiovascular disease (Vanessa E Murphy, 2010). Children who were exposed to tobacco smoke as a fetus are more likely to develop hypertension, or high blood pressure, than the children of women who did not smoke during pregnancy (Miles, 2009). This increase was originally thought to be correlated to the low birth weight typical of babies whose moms smoked during pregnancy, but when compared with children of similar birth weight, the smokers children had higher blood pressure at ages five and six than other kids. Mothers who smoke tobacco while pregnant may also affect their babys brain in ways that last a lifetime. These children are more likely to engage in criminal behavior and to abuse drugs than the children of women who did not smoke while pregnant (Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy, 2011). Overall, mothers who are pregnant should not use any type of drug from illicit to non illicit because they can all have detrimental consequences on the growing baby, not just in the womb but later in life as well. Work Cited * Barbara L. Thompson, P. L. (2009). Prenatal exposure to drugs: effects on brain development and implications for policy and education. National Institutes of Health , 10 (4), 303-312. * Delaney-Black, V. (2010). Prenatal and Postnatal cocaine exposure predict teen cocaine use. Neurotoxicology and Teratology , 110-119. * Drug Babies and the Effects of Drug Abuse During Pregnancy. (2011). Retrieved May 19, 2011, from The Good Drugs Guide: www.thegooddrugsguide.com * Gale A. Richardson, L. G. (2010). Prenatal cocaine exposure: Effects on mother-and teacher-rated behavior problems and growth in school-age children. Neurotoxicology and Teratology , 69-77. * Joan Keegana, M. P. (2010). Addiction in Pregnancy. Journal of Addictive Diseases , 29 (2), 175-191. * Methamphetamine use During Pregnancy. (2008, October). Retrieved May 19, 2011, from North Dakota Department of Health: www.nddh.com * Miles, M. (2009). Challenges for midwives: pregnant women and illicit drug use. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing , 28 (1), 83-90. * National Institutes on Drug Abuse. (2009). Retrieved May 18, 2011, from National Institutes of Health: www.nida.nih.gov * Using Illegal Street Drugs During Pregnancy. (2008, October). Retrieved May 19, 2011, from American Pregnancy Association: www.americanpregnancyassociation.org * Vanessa E Murphy, V. L. (2010). The effect of cigarette smoking on asthma control during exacerbations in pregnant women. Thorax , 739-744.