Reflective Account Of Diversity And Team Performance Nursing Essay

Reflective Account Of Diversity And Team Performance Nursing Essay This reflective account concerns my experiences of participating in a diverse team of people from different nationalities, which was formed for the achievement of specific outcomes over a specific period. The opportunity to work in this team arose in the course of an assignment for syndicate group work. The importance of management of team performance is steadily gaining recognition in the area of modern day organisational behaviour. With modern organisations and operations becoming increasingly complex and dynamic, organisational performance is being driven by specialised employees who are organised into and work as teams. Salas, et al, (1992 p 4) defines a team as a distinguishable set of two or more people who interact dynamically, interdependently, and adaptively toward a common and valued goal/objective/mission, who have each been assigned specific roles or functions to perform Organisational experts have for long been intrigued by the fact that whilst team work is now an accepted tool for improvement of organisational efficiency, many firms that arrange their operations around teams with such expectations find, much to their disappointment, that (a) use of teams has little impact on productivity, and (b) such use of teams can furthermore lead to reduction of productivity (Bolin, et al, 2006, p 2). It is also frequently seen that teams with high performing individuals fail, even as teams with far less impressive members greatly exceed expectations. The performance of the Detroit Pistons basketball team in 2004 and 2005, when they won back to back NBA championships with a roster of unimpressive players illustrates the team performance paradox (Bolin, et al, 2006, p 2). The continued performance of the Ferrari racing team would not have been possible without the efforts of its back up staff (Robbins, et al, 2010, p 3). Such team performance paradoxes are evid ent across the world, with innovative start up teams with networking capabilities humbling huge established corporations with far superior technology and resources (Bolin, et al, 2006, p 2). Understanding the mechanisms of team work is an integral component of modern day learning in organisational behaviour. I was required to participate in a team of members from different nations with different academic, cultural and social backgrounds in the course of syndicated group activity for a period of 6 weeks. The experience gave me the opportunity to participate in an actual team environment, even as I was increasing my academic knowledge of team dynamics and processes. This reflective account details my learning experiences during the process of my participation in a diverse multi cultural team that was required to perform specific tasks and achieve particular objectives and outcomes over a specific timeframe. The essay is structured into sequential sections that take up the functioning of teams in its different aspects, the use of the IPO model for assessment of team effectiveness and the working, evolution and outcomes of our team over a specific 6 week period. Whilst academic theory on teams and assessment of team effectiveness is taken up in some detail, greater emphasis is placed upon my practical experience of participating in an interesting and enriching team environment. The essay ends with a concluding section that attempts to sum up my learning experience and details the ways in which I have gained from this experience in team work. Team Work Modern texts on organisational behaviour identify specific characteristics of teams that differentiate them from general groups (Buchanan Huczynski, 2004, p 7). These characteristics include (a) joint sharing of aims and objectives, (b) mutual dependency and trust, (c) overt expression of emotions, feelings and disagreement, (d) consensual decision making, (e) coordination, cooperation and cohesion, (f) management of trust feelings and conflict between team members, and (g) the creation of a collective and synergistic impact (Buchanan Huczynski, 2004, p 7). Hackman (2002, p 11), states that teams also have very clear boundaries for membership, relatively stable memberships and defined authority to manage their activities and processes. Team performance by and large represents the extent to which teams achieve their specific objectives (Hayes, 2002, p 43-46). Whilst such indicators of team performance are important for organisations because they assist in assessment of the extent of achievement of team goals, many teams, more particularly in business situations do not have targets that are clear and quantifiable (Hayes, 2002, p 43-46). Even where such targets are available, team members and managers can improve their performance in future if they are provided with a richer picture of the ways in which teams function (Senior, 1997, p 32-36). Teams, to be truly effective should thus have some understanding, not just of team outputs, but of the ways and means in which team members work together (Senior, 1997, p 32-36). The Input-Process-Output (IPO) model provides an approach to the understanding of team work and team performance. Inputs, in the IPO model, are seen in terms of issues concerned with group composition like leadership, size, term and diversity, along with factors like autonomy, training and resources that are provided to teams (Ilgen, et al, 2005, p 517-522). Internal team processes comprise of factors like the motivation and commitment of team members, the cooperation and communication between them and their skills of leadership, conflict resolution, decision making and problem solving (Ilgen, et al, 2005, p 517-522). Outputs on the other hand are largely depicted as team objectives or the larger concept of team effectiveness that includes a range of interrelated outcomes in areas of attitudes, behaviours and performance. Such outcomes can occur at the level of individuals, teams and organisations (Ilgen, et al, 2005, p 517-522). The theoretical paradigm behind much of research on team effectiveness comes from the application of the open systems theory, which states that team inputs (skills and abilities) are transformed into team outputs (the quality and quantity of team outcomes) through various interaction processes like utilisation of skills, effort and past strategy. The basic IPO model is flexible enough to be applied to a range of team settings and is illustrated in the figure provided below. A general set of factors for assessment of team work in the context of the above discussion thus needs to include (a) the attitudes, behaviours, thinking, roles and skills of individual team members, (b) team objectives and purposes, which include the setting, clarity, commitment and achievement of goals, (c) team processes like generation of ideas, making of decisions, management of controversy and conflict, communication style, allocation of responsibilities, planning of action and leadership style and (d) the organisational context with regard to structure, culture and associated issues. Working and Evolution of our Team Our experience of team work came about on account of participation in group syndicate activity for a period of 6 weeks. Our team was made up of six members and we were required to work together to (a) generate slogans for organisational use, and (b) achieve improvements in team working in areas of attitudes, behaviours and performance. I aim to assess different aspects of the working and functioning of our team, in terms of the IPO model, and deal sequentially with inputs, processes, and outputs. Inputs Our team consisted of six members, A- myself, B, C, D, E and F. As the oldest and most experienced member of the group, I was the automatic choice for its leader. The chart provided below gives basic details and personality types of group members. The personality ratings have been determined by organisational tests conducted on individual members. Member A B C D E F Nationality British Chinese Cyprus Indian Pakistan Nigerian Sex Male Female Female Male Female Female Education BA Hons History International Business And Management Business and Management Bachelor of Technology Graduate in BA BSC Logistics Profession leading public and private businesses Software Engineer Extraversion 3.8 1.9 3.8 3.9 3.7 3.5 Agreeableness 4.6 3.5 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.3 Conscientiousness 4.1 3.9 2.4 3.9 4.3 2.9 Neuroticism 2.7 3.4 3.1 2.4 3.2 4.1 Openness to Experience 4.5 2.8 3.5 3.8 3.9 2.3 As evident, our team was diverse with respect to nationality, gender, education, and work experience and personality types. Contemporary academic literature on organisational behaviour agrees on the advantages of diverse teams in various areas of organisational work. Diversity in teams, organisational experts feel, results in the availability of a range of perspectives and skills, which, if harnessed properly, can result in greater creativity in generation of ideas, alternatives and solutions than with homogenous teams and lead to better performance. Whilst diverse teams by and large have wider and better range of skills and abilities, it is often challenging to make them function in a coordinated and collaborative manner, in comparison with homogeneous teams. Such challenges to collaborative and coordinated working can arise because of differences in language, attitudes and perceptions of team members. The members of our teams came from different parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Th eir academic backgrounds ranged from disciplines in the liberal arts to applied sciences, technology and management. Two of us, F and I had some working experience, even as the other four were fresh from college. Whilst the personality types of individual group members are different, all of us scored high on the agreeableness index and were happy to work and bond with each other. As the oldest and most experienced member of the group, its leadership automatically devolved upon my shoulders. This development occurred, without my asking for it, because the other group members looked towards me for advice, suggestions and direction on the functioning of the group. We were at the time of formation of the group provided with specific tasks requiring the generation of a number of slogans for ultimate organisational use. Apart from have to deliver such specific services, we were informed that we would be judged twice, once half way during the course, i.e. after three weeks and finally at the end of six weeks; on completion of the group activity. Various group factors like (a) innovative climate, (b) participation, (c) clarity of objectives, (d) reflexivity, (e) interdependence, (f) autonomy, (g) boundedness, (h) role clarity, (i) task conflict, (j) relationship conflict and (k) team satisfaction would be taken up for assessment during these occasions. We were inform ed to us that our progress would be made available to us at the middle and at the end of the syndicate activity in order to help us in organising our activities and improving our processes. Processes Leadership style is an important component of team work processes in the IPO model. Most texts on organisational behaviour stress on the importance of leadership in the efficient successful functioning of teams, even as the majority of both team successes and team failures are attributed to leadership decisions (Robbins, 2005, p 17-21). Fiedlers theory on leadership states that the adoption of leadership styles is often contingent upon situational circumstances and effective leaders alter their styles in line with situations, attributes and skills of team members, and team objectives (Fiedler, 1967, p 4-8).Leaders are otherwise expected to provide clarity regarding roles to members, communicate effectively, and generate feeling of inclusiveness by asking for comment and by expressing appreciation for contributions of team members (Stacey, 2003, p 15-19). Contemporary research on organisational behaviour also indicates that whilst leaders set the tone for definition of group activitie s, their subsequent responses are distinctly affected by their ongoing interaction and communication with team members (Stacey, 2003, p 15-19). Whilst the role of leadership devolved upon me without my asking for it, I did not ignore my responsibilities and worked towards the development of a committed, clear and collaborative team. I allocated responsibilities to each member and made constant efforts to improve and ensure communication with members on various issues associated with our team objectives as well as other areas of common interest. Although my efforts to communicate with group members were made easier by their general agreeableness, I often found B, the Chinese member to be reticent in her communication with the rest of us. She was not just very shy but also disinclined to explore new opportunities and experiences. These difficulties were however greatly made up by her conscientiousness towards her work. Our group activity and objectives required extensive discussions between member, generation and bouncing off of ideas, and long hours of brainstorming. Many of such sessions resulted in small and big disagreements, some of which ended with members refusing to talk to each other for some time. F, the lady from Nigeria whilst otherwise friendly and agreeable, was prone to excessive argumentativeness, and even hysteria, if her views were not supported by others. Conflicts between her and other members also arouse because of her lack of dedication towards group work and occasional proneness to shirk her responsibilities. We were fortunate that conflicts among group members were restricted and did not erupt frequently. Whilst friendly disagreements over work continued to happen, serious conflicts arose only on three occasions, all of them involving F. I felt conflict resolution to be one of my major responsibilities and was constantly looking for signs of disagreement and trouble. Whilst I would let constructive discussions and disagreements continue and sometimes even encourage them further, I took pains to ensure that personal bitterness between members did not set in and they refrained from making offensive statements towards each other. I am happy with the fact that all members, including F started bonding with each other by the end of the fourth week, started respecting each others point of view, and developed a healthy regard for their team mates. Output All our team members were delighted to find out that our group ended the activity practically at the top of the class, both in the number of generated slogans and in the originality of the two selected slogans. The result proved once more that a diverse team can do very well at creative work in an environment of transparency coordination and communication. We were otherwise pleased to know that we had made good progress in all activity areas, except for boundedness, team and relationship conflict and team satisfaction. I feel that our problems in these areas essentially relate to the inability of our team to manage the disputes and disagreements that often surfaced around F. As the leader I take responsibility for such failures and do feel that I should have tried to use my position as leader to communicate more successfully with F and quell her various mental insecurities in working with people who were possibly more hardworking and gifted than she was. Such an approach would have improved group communication, collaboration and outcomes. Conclusions This reflective account deals with my experiences in a diverse team of 6 persons that was formed for the achievement of specific objectives over a particular timeframe. The significance of team performance is progressively increasing in the discipline of organisational behaviour. With contemporary organisations becoming increasingly complex, organisational performance is now ever more driven by specially formed teams. Team performance normally represents the degree to which teams attain their particular objectives. Whilst such gauges of performance are necessary because they help in assessment of attainment of team goals, teams should also achieve some understanding of the ways in which team members work together. The Input-Process-Output (IPO) model represents an approach to understanding team work and has been used by me to assess the functioning of our team. Our team was diverse in many respects. Diversity, it is felt, leads to greater and to better performance. As the oldest and most experienced team, I became the team leader without asking for the position. I tried to live up to my responsibilities and worked towards the development of an effective team. We were fortunate that conflicts among members were limited and I tried to ensure that personal bitterness between members did not set in. Our team ended the activity at the top of the class with regard to set objectives. We also made good progress in all areas except in team relationships and satisfaction, where our progress was average or even less. I feel that such problems arose from our inability to manage disputes and disagreements. I take responsibility for such failures and feel that I should have tried to communicate more successfully with certain members. My experience of team work has however helped me immensely in maturing as an individual and as a professional and I am grateful for the experience.

Your Child Model

All of us have some model or an inspirer when s/he was a kid . For me it was a girl but not any girl She's a small Indian girl . That’s not all, But she's also Not real girl She's a cartoon girl Do you want to know her? Sally she was my model . In my presentation I will give you more details about my little model and her carton . I will explain to you how this little girl affected on my personality. First of all, Princess Sarah ( , Purinsesu Sera? ,Sally, also known as Little Princess Sara(h) is a 1985 Japanese anime series produced by Nippon Animation, based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, A Little Princess. Spanning 46 episodes It was also aired in numerous countries worldwide and translated into several languages, including French, Italian, German, Arabic and Spanish. In the Pan-Arab region, it became the most successful anime based on a novel adaptation in the 90s with small variation in which the main character name is Sally instead of Sara. StorySally or Princess Sar ah tells the story of Sarah Crewe, a young daughter of a wealthy English family in India, who starts attending an all-girl's seminary selection boarding school in London, where she excels in her studies and is loved deeply by many of her friends and classmates. However, tragedy soon strikes when Sally's father passes away and her family goes bankrupt, leaving her to be a poor orphan. The school's headmistress, Miss Minchin, takes advantage of this situation and makes her a maid in the school, trying hard to make her life as miserable as possible.However, Sally, with the help of her friends, tries to endure all her hardships until redemption comes at last. Main Characters Sally Crewe. I weared her in many things the look, style . She was beautiful , stylish and petite. When I was child I wish if I were her at the begins of her life off course. Emilly=Ralph Crewe Sally's doll . she was the best friend for sally because it was a present from her father and it's look like to one of her friends in India. Exactly from this point I learnt to be loyal and true-blue girl . Miss Minchin Maria minchinIt was unfeeling , strict , keen woman . Hates sally and treats her very badly. From this woman I knew the real meaning of unfairness and sally's reaction learnt me the meaning of the patient. Amelia Minchin The sister of maria minchin . but it was kind and always try to help sally. I believe that a good-hearted person can find a good-hearted person even if s/he inside the devils world. Peter A poor boy . He was the driver of sally's rig. Becky=vecky She was the maid . she was very poor. When sally was rich she helped her many times . so when sally became poor . ally and vecky become best friends . Ermengarde St. John She was a student her family in force her to study so, she found everything difficult . sally helped her in many subjects and when sally became maid ermengarde help sally and gave her books I learnt from her to be obliging person. Lottie Legh The smallest and n osiest student in the school . sally treat her very kindly . she called sally mama sally. I learnt from sally to be tenderness and kindness Lavinia Herbert It hold a grudge against sally because sally was smarter, richer ,and more beautiful than her.Sally always be polite and kind with her . That's told the person always reflects himself so, he must be polite all the time. James The cooker it was strict and following miss menchin.. Tom Carrisford An old man partner and friend of sally's father . return to sally her heritage and she's be wealthy again . I learnt from that the truth and prerogative never lost. Summary Hope you are enjoy in my presentation and maybe this told us to be very careful when we chose the cartoons and movies for our children. because as you see it's 16 years ago and this cartoon still stick in my mind. . .

Communication and Positive Relationships Essay

Module 1 Activities Q1.1 Why is it important that you are able to communicate effectively with people in your job role? Good communication is very important when working with children, young people, their families and carers. By being able to communicate effectively I am making sure that I am understood and understanding too. People, especially children respond well to positive communication, and by being able to communicate effectively with children I will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses and be able to support them if it be needed. Being able to communicate effectively with colleagues means I will be able to discuss lessons, pupils progress and any problems that may arise, and if I am able to communicate effectively with parents and carers then I will be able to discuss pupil progress etc in a professional manner that would not be offending. Another reason why being able to communicate effectively is important is that it helps build a good rapport and builds trust between the workforce, children, young people and their carers. Q1.2 Explain your different styles of communication when: a) noticing that a Foundation age child is becoming distressed during a group activity in the Numeracy session I will come down to the level of the child and ask if they understood the session or if they found it difficult. I would be understanding. I will give the child the opportunity to express their thoughts on the lesson in the hope that I will then be able to asses why the child was becoming distressed and be able to resolve the issue so that the child felt confident enough to carry on. â€Å"Children learn best when they are enabled to express themselves †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/foundation_stage/UF_web.pdf) b) noticing that a Year 7 child is becoming distressed during a group activity in the Maths lesson I will ask the child to move away from the group so they didn’t feel humiliated in front of their peers. I will not  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœtalk down’ to them; rather I will be respectful and understanding. I will give the child an opportunity to express their thoughts on why they were becoming distressed; maybe they didn’t understand the activity or were uncomfortable with the group they were put with? I will try my best to resolve any issues that the child may have, so the child knows that he was heard and not feel that he was ignored. c) Supporting a child with Asperger’s Syndrome during a role play activity about going on holiday Most children with Asperger’s syndrome like routine and structure ‘People with Asperger’s syndrome often have trouble understanding the â€Å"big picture† and tend to see part of a situation rather than the whole.â⠂¬â„¢ (http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-home-treatment) I will explain the activity to the child in a simple manner and give the child the opportunity to decide on what he wants to say without overpowering him. I will make sure the child understands what is going on in the activity and throughout the role play, and also make sure that he is not getting distressed. I will make sure he is comfortable when interacting with other children and that he understands what the activity is about. Children with Aspergers syndrome find it difficult to socialise, so I will talk to the child and make him feel comfortable about the role play. I will not demand, instead I will suggest so the child doesn’t feel like he is being pushed in to doing something he is not comfortable with as this will result in him becoming distressed. d) Supporting a child with hearing impairment during a role play activity about going on holiday I will firstly ensure that the activity is taking place in an area which is quiet so the child does not have difficulties in hearing. I will speak to the child, coming down to his level, and in a clear voice making sure he has understood the activity. I will use visual aids about the activity, pictures about going on holiday etc, making sure the child is comfortable with the role play. I will ensure all other children taking part in the role play speak in a loud clear voice, and that the child is sat in a place where he will be able to communicate with the others effectively. I will ensure the child is not getting distressed throughout the activity by staying close to the child and asking him at intervals ensuring that he is comfortable. Q1.3 You are concerned about the behaviour of one of the children with whom you are involved. You believe that this is due to learning development problems, and suspect this may be due to underlying medical issues. Explain how you would ensure that effective communication is maintained when discussing these issues with the child’s parent, the assigned teacher and other external professionals. When discussing these issues with the child’s parent I will make sure I am kind and considerate. I will ensure that the parents’ know that they are involved in all decisions affecting their child’s education and learning. I will be respectful, avoid being judgemental and also remember to be positive, as parents enjoy positive communication. I will include positive aspects of the child’s performance. I will listen to the parents input and there point of view. ‘†¦ Surveyed parents wanted to be treated with respect and as equals when communicating with educators. Parents are not looking for a cold, professional approach from school staff. Rather, teachers who develop a â€Å"personal touch† in their communication style achieve enhanced school relationships.’ Communicating with Parents: Strategies for Teachers, Susan Graham-Clay When discussing these issues with the teacher and other external professionals I will be non judgemental, be respectful towards the child and be sure to communicate in a way that all information is passed on accurately regarding the child’s behaviour and any other issues that there may be. Q1.4 How can a HLTA help pupils to understand why it is necessary to behave appropriately during lessons? ‘It’s far more effective to encourage good behaviour rather than deal with misbehaviour as it arises’ http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/content/top-10-strategies-encouraging-good-behaviour A HLTA can help pupils understand why it is necessary to behave appropriately by firstly being aware of the schools policy on behaviour, then making the  pupils aware of the policies regarding acceptable behaviour at the school. Pupils can be told how inappropriate behaviour can disrupt the learning process of others and the teaching process. A poster of class rules/expected behaviour can be put up in the classroom so pupils are aware of what kind of behaviour is expected from them in the school. The pupils should be made aware of what is expected of them and a consistent approach should be upheld regarding this. Q1.5 Speak to a classroom teacher and ask them about the most important things they expect from their pupils in terms of behaviour. Record them below and state whether you agree or disagree with their expectations. If there are expectations you did not agree with, think about why you did not agree. Record your thoughts here and discuss with the teacher. Participate in class discussions-Disagree Some students are not comfortable when having to speak up in class discussions. This should not be expected from all students and should not be thought of as misbehaving if students are not participating with class discussions. Hand work in on time given-Disagree It should be expected that some students may not be able to hand their work in on the time given, this can be due to learning difficulties, some students may need extra support and time in completing their work. Some students may be experiencing problems at home etc which has not made it possible for them to complete their work on time Q1.6 Say how you as a HLTA would deal with each of the following situations (Figures in brackets give the age of the pupil) Amy (13) calls Jasmine (11) a ‘chav’. I would first report the incident to the class teacher, and then I would move Amy to a different place so she does not feel humiliated and give her time to calm down and a chance to explain why she said what she did to Jasmine. I will keep an open mind and stay calm and supportive so as to not inflame the situation further. When the teacher is dealing with the situation I will make sure the rest of the class is not disrupted by keeping them on task I will see how jasmine has been affected by this and make sure she is ok. Susan (8) pulls the hair of the girl sitting next to her I will be sure to not shout as this will not solve the problem, firstly I  will move Susan away to a different place and then inform the teacher. I will give Susan time to calm down before I attempt to examine the problem, I will listen to her and show that I am interested in her feelings. I will explain how this kind of behaviour is not acceptable, I will criticise the behaviour and not Susan, and I will explain how her actions affect others around her During a whole-class activity, Jack (11) gets up and wanders round the classroom, looking at other pupils work and distracting them. I would ask Jack to return to his place and praise him when he does so. I will speak to Jack away from the rest of the pupils asking him why he was wandering around the class, maybe he wasn’t sure about the class activity, I will remind him of the class rules and explain how his behaviour was disrupting the rest of the class You hear Tom (13) threaten to ‘knife’ Paul (12) when they get out of school. I will speak to Tom calmly and ask him what was making him angry, I will show him that I am interested and want to help. I will give him time to calm down. I will tell the class teacher so she is aware of the situation and can tell the appropriate people at the school to ensure the safety of the pupils. You ask Mohammed (5) to stop talking while the teacher is talking and he swears at you I will keep calm and not shout or get angry. I will condemn the behaviour and not Mohammed so he does not feel humiliated. I will explain to the class why using this kind of language is inappropriate and how it hurts people’s feelings etc I will encourage good behaviour and praise Mohammed for doing good so he learns the difference between praise on good behaviour and being reprimanded for unacceptable behaviour. Carla (13) and Rani (13) have an argument over a pencil. Carla is racially abusive to Rani and grabs Rani’s wrist to force her to give her the pencil. I will tell Carla to move to a different place away from the class, and give her some time to reflect and think. I will inform the class teacher of what has happened and ensure that Rani is ok I will give Carla the chance to  speak, reminding her that being racially abusive was wrong and how she thought Rani may be feeling. I will not shout or become angry, I will remain calm and not criticise her behaviour You come across Chris (14) and Sam (15) smoking at the top of the playing fields I will ask both boys politely to stop smoking and get rid of the cigarettes and to also give me any other cigarettes that they may have. I will keep calm and not become angry. I will ask them if they knew the dangers and ill effects of smoking and how it was dangerous to their health etc I will criticise the act and not the pupils I will report the incident to the class teacher You overhear Charlotte (14) and Jenny (14) discussing a sexually explicit scenario involving one of the male teachers. I will tell both the girls to move places and then report to the class teacher what I had heard. I will not become judgemental or angry; I will remain calm and explain why these kinds of discussions were inappropriate in the classroom. As this is a sensitive matter involving another teacher, I will inform the appropriate member of staff to deal with it accordingly, and make sure I clearly tell them what I had heard between the girls

Commonly Confused Words Interment and Internment

The nouns  interment  and internment  look and sound similar, but their meanings are quite different. Definitions Interment refers to the act or ritual of burial. Internment refers to the act of confining or imprisoning (or the state of being confined or imprisoned), especially in wartime. Examples During the Civil War, there was sometimes a considerable delay between the date of a soldiers death and his interment.On a March day in 1887 the skeletons of a young woman and a child were found on top of a windswept hill in southern England. . . .  Nestling close to the very fragile bones were hundreds of fossil sea urchins—balls of flint engraved with a five-pointed star. All appeared to have been carefully buried with the bodies in their chalky grave at the time of  their interment. (Kenneth J. McNamara,  The Star-Crossed Stone: The Secret Life, Myths, and History of a Fascinating Fossil. University of Chicago Press, 2011)During World War II, roughly 120,000 people of Japanese descent, almost two-thirds of them American citizens, were removed to internment camps in the U.S.​In World War I, . . . the internment of civilians became widespread when the Germans took captive all men of military age in Belgium and in occupied French territory, as did the British and French in reprisal. (Esther R. Cohen,  Human Rights in the Israeli-Occupied Territories, 1967-1982. Manchester University Press, 1985) Practice (Answers Below) (a) The minister was responsible for recording the time and place of the funeral service and _____ on the church calendar. (b) While governments often resort to _____ during periods of national emergency, such as a war or during a terrorist campaign, the practice raises questions about the balance between security and liberty. Usage Notes The noun interment and the verb inter (from which it is derived) are formal words that refer to the depositing of a dead body in the earth or in a tomb. The noun internment is derived from the verb intern, which refers to the confinement of enemy aliens, prisoners of war, etc. In both nouns and both verbs the stress falls on the second syllable.​The noun intern, stressed on the first syllable, is an American name for someone in the final stages of professional training, especially in medicine. (Martin Manser,  Good Word Guide, 7th ed. Bloomsbury, 2011)Internment generally refers to the confinement of civilians, especially people sharing the same nationality or political beliefs as the enemy, during wartime. (The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style. Houghton Mifflin, 2005) Answers to Practice Exercises (a) The minister was responsible for recording the time and place of the funeral service and  interment  on the church calendar. (b) While governments often resort  to  internment  during  periods of national emergency, such as a war or during a terrorist campaign, the practice raises questions about the balance between security and liberty.