Strategic information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic information system - Essay Example This study mainly focused on a business related company. An information system comprises of transaction processing systems, management information systems, systems for decision-making support as well as strategic information systems. The information itself consists of the processed data which is coded to the person using. A system refers to a set of elements that are designed to operate together so as to provide a common purpose Ramesh et al 1997). In information systems, the basic element is data which basically refers to raw, unevaluated details, figures, symbols, events and other resourceful facts concerning the origination’s needs. Hence data is converted by the processor which is mainly computers into meaningful information that is useful to the user who in turn uses it in making decisions. Good information should be relevant, be timely, accurate, cost-effective, reliable, usable, exhaustive, and have aggregation level. Information is only important if it is directed to i mprove decision making activities. It can also be important if it is able to reaffirm the previous decision. ... The data collected during the knowledge stage are then used by statistical methodologies and other models to forecast possible results for every alternative. Each alternative can also be studied in ensuring technological, behavioral, and economic viability. In making of the choice, the decision maker must choose the best alternative which is suitable contributing to achieving the goals of the organization. The choices made can in turn reviewed during implementation and monitoring so that the manager to can make necessary faults. Therefore, information is very critical in the four stages of decision making which only is made more effective by systems, Simon (1977). Strategic importance of information in organization through use of systems They are useful in supporting business processes and operations. Information systems help the manager in their daily routine operations so that they function properly and effectively. For instance accounts, payrolls, employee benefits data protection and so on. In particular, the managers are able to conduct their daily activities wit a lot of ease, timely, accurately by use of software. Secondly, IS are essential in decision-making processes for employees and managers. This is simply input of data, processing the finally generating information. Therefore, managers are able to use the information processed for finding various solutions to the organization. For instance, information systems are able to analyze existing historical data about the rate of flow of customers and make necessary improvements if the turn up is very low. They also provide support in making decisions critically for competitive advantages. Information systems can provide information concerning the type

Dependent clause Essay Example for Free

Dependent clause Essay TRANSLATION: The process of turning an original or source text into a text in another language. TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES Direct Translation Techniques are used when structural and conceptual elements of the source language can be transposed into the target language. Direct translation techniques include: * Borrowing * Calque * Literal Translation Borrowing Borrowing is the taking of words directly from one language into another without translation. For example software, funk. English also borrows numerous words from other languages; abbatoire, cafe, passe and resume from French; hamburger and kindergarden from German; bandana, musk and sugar from Sanskrit. Calque A calque or loan translation is a phrase borrowed from another language and translated literally word-for-word. Examples that have been absorbed into English include standpoint and beer garden from German Standpunkt and Biergarten; breakfast from French dejeuner. Literal Translation A word-for-word translation can be used in some languages and not others dependent on the sentence structure: El equipo esta trabajando para terminar el informe would translate into English as The team is working to finish the report. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. And one sentence can be translated literally across languages does not mean that all sentences can be translated literally. El equipo experimentado esta trabajando para terminar el informe translates into English as The experienced team is working to finish the report (experienced and team are reversed). Oblique Translation Techniques Oblique Translation Techniques are used when the structural or conceptual elements of the source language cannot be directly translated without altering meaning or upsetting the grammatical and stylistics elements of the target language. Oblique translation techniques include: * Transposition * Modulation * Reformulation or Equivalence * Adaptation * Compensation Transposition This is the process where parts of speech change their sequence when they are translated. It is in a sense a shift of word class. Grammatical structures are often different in different languages. Transposition is often used between English and Spanish because of the preferred position of the verb in the sentence: English often has the verb near the beginning of a sentence; Spanish can have it closer to the end. This requires that the translator knows that it is possible to replace a word category in the target language without altering the meaning of the source text, for example: English Hand knitted (noun + participle) becomes Spanish Tejido a mano (participle + adverbial phrase). Modulation Modulation consists of using a phrase that is different in the source and target languages to convey the same idea: Te lo dejo means literally I leave it to you but translates better as You can have it. It changes the semantics and shifts the point of view of the source language. Through modulation, the translator generates a change in the point of view of the message without altering meaning and without generating a sense of embarrassment in the reader of the target text. It is often used within the same language. The expressions es facil de entender (it is easy to understand) and no es complicado de entender (it is not complicated to understand) are examples of modulation. Reformulation or Equivalence Here you have to express something in a completely different way, for example when translating idioms or advertising slogans. The process is creative, but not always easy. Adaptation Adaptation occurs when something specific to one language culture is expressed in a totally different way that is familiar or appropriate to another language culture. It is a shift in cultural environment. Should pincho (a Spanish restaurant menu dish) be translated as kebab in English? It involves changing the cultural reference when a situation in the source culture does not exist in the target culture (for example France has Belgian jokes and England has Irish jokes). Compensation In general terms compensation can be used when something cannot be translated, and the meaning that is lost is expressed somewhere else in the translated text. Peter Fawcett defines it as: making good in one part of the text something that could not be translated in another. One example given by Fawcett is the problem of translating nuances of formality from languages that use forms such as Spanish informal tu and formal usted, French tu and vous, and German du and sie into English which only has you, and expresses degrees of formality in different ways. WORD: It is one of the units of speech or writing that native speakers of a language usually regard as the smallest isolable meaningful element of the language, although linguists would analyze these further into morphemes There are eight different kinds of words in the English language. Nouns| Pronouns| Adjectives| Verbs| Adverbs| | Prepositions| | | Conjunctions| | | Interjections| | | NOUNS and VERBS are the most common and most essential. Every English sentence MUST contain a NOUN and a VERB. NOUNS name: people, places, things, ideas. They are always singular or plural. They are always common or proper. They may show ownership. PRONOUNS replace nouns. They have person, number, and case. ADJECTIVES describe nouns. They answer three questions: Which one? What kind? How many? VERBS have three jobs: show action, act like an equals sign, or hang around a main verb to show tense. They also have person, number, and case. ADVERBS describe verbs. They answer four questions: When? Where? How? How Much? PREPOSITIONS tell anywhere a mouse can run. CONJUNCTIONS connect things. INTERJECTIONS jump into show emotion. Sentence: it is a sequence of words capable of standing alone to make an assertion, ask a question, or give a command, usually consisting of a subject and a predicate containing a finite verb. Kinds of sentences. Simple Sentence it is a sentence having no coordinate clauses or subordinate clauses. Complex Sentence it is a sentence composed of at least one main clause and one subordinate clause. Compound Sentence it is a sentence composed of at least two coordinate independent clauses. Phrase it is a group of words forming an immediate syntactic constituent of a clause. Clause it is an expression including a subject and predicate but not constituting a complete sentence. Pre-modifier is a word (or words), usually adjectives or adverbs, that comes before the word that it describes. Basic Modifiers * Adjectives * Adverbs * Prepositional Phrases More Modifiers * Degree Modifier * Presumptive Modifier * Summative Modifier Post-modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that functions as an adjective or adverb to limit or qualify the meaning of another word or word group. Adjective Order Adjectives can be used to describe lots of things, from physical size, age, shape, colour, material, to more abstract things like opinion, origin and purpose. We can use adjectives together to give a detailed description of something. Adjectives that express opinions usually come before all others, but it can sometimes depend on what exactly you want to emphasize. For instance: That nice, big, blue bag. (You like the bag. ) That big, nice, blue bag. (You like the colour. ) When adjectives are together there is a general rule for the position of each type adjective, these are: Position| 1st*| 2nd*| 3rd| 4th| 5th| 6th| 7th| 8th| | Opinion| Size| Age| Shape| Colour| Material| Origin| Purpose| | Nice| Small| Old| Square| Black| Plastic| British| Racing| | Ugly| Big| New| Circular| Blue| Cotton| American| Running|.

The Study of Existents in Sandpiper Essays -- Ahdaf Soueif Sandpiper I

The Study of Existents in Sandpiper In a short story like "Sandpiper", where the protagonist does little except move around in her beach-house in an uneventful afternoon, thinking her thoughts, readers must look for an attraction alternative to the plot. Indeed, the writer, Ahdaf Soueif, has chosen to offer to us an interesting array of existents, in place of the story line, as the main focus of this narrative. In the following essay, I shall discuss how existents--the collection of characters and setting--are used to invoke feelings of dispossession and displacement in the story "Sandpiper", which are essential in raising the main issue of the story, which is the question of one's identity. Having agreed that the event itself, a summer afternoon spent at a beach-house, is rather inconsequential, we go on to deduce that the actions of our characters, since they do not contribute to the plot, are actually reflections of their personality. This is what French structuralist, Tzvetan Todorov proposed as a characteristic of psychological narratives, narratives which place their main focus on the development of their characters (Chatman 114). We can therefore, identify distinctive traits belonging to the characters by observing their actions. The characters in this narrative are few: namely the protagonist, "I"; her estranged husband (she refers to him as "her lover"); her daughter, Lucy and her husband's old nanny, Um Sabir. Since it is only the protagonist that appears most often and to whom the readers interact directly, I shall focus most of my discussion based on her development . Our protagonist, "I," can be further differentiated into the narrator, I-now and the character, I-then. I-now is the present figure that has ... ...his narrative is such that we follow the chain of thoughts of our protagonist "I" as she considers the repercussions of her broken marriage. Since we only interact directly with her, we become persuaded to take her point of view, thus her problem becomes our problem too. In its effective use of character, by focusing the essay on one specific character and endowing her with specific traits relevant to bring out the issues concerned and by setting up the story in an environment that can both draw responses from the protagonist as well as clearly portray her feelings to us, "Sandpiper" has successfully raised the question on one's identity. Works Cited Soueif, Ahdaf. "Sandpiper". Sandpiper. London: Bloomsbury, 1997: 23 - 36. Chatman, Seymour. "Existents". Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell UP, 1978: 107 - 145.

George Washington :: essays research papers

Find in this article Print article Send us feedback More Media (11 items) Article Outline Introduction, Early Life, Early Career, General of the Continental Army, Return Home, President of the United States, Second Term as President, Last Years I. IntroductionPrint section Washington, George (1732-1799), first president of the United States (1789-1797) and one of the most important leaders in United States history. His role in gaining independence for the American colonies and later in unifying them under the new U.S. federal government cannot be overestimated. Laboring against great difficulties, he created the Continental Army, which fought and won the American Revolution (1775-1783), out of what was little more than an armed mob. After an eight-year struggle, his design for victory brought final defeat to the British at Yorktown, Virginia, and forced Great Britain to grant independence to its overseas possession. With victory won, Washington was the most revered man in the United States. Advertisement A lesser person might have used this power to establish a military dictatorship or to become king. Washington sternly suppressed all such attempts on his behalf by his officers and continued to obey the weak and divided Continental Congress. However, he never ceased to work for the union of the states under a strong central government. He was a leading influence in persuading the states to participate in the Constitutional Convention, over which he presided, and he used his immense prestige to help gain ratification of its product, the Constitution of the United States. Although worn out by years of service to his country, Washington reluctantly accepted the presidency of the United States. Probably no other man could have succeeded in welding the states into a lasting union. Washington fully understood the significance of his presidency. â€Å"I walk on untrodden ground,† he said. â€Å"There is scarcely any part of my conduct which may not hereafter be drawn in precedent.

What Makes a Credible Documentary

A documentary is successful when it is able to combine both the appearance of historically accurate elements and present believable situations through a false lens, leading the audience to question the reality of what they are seeing. The genre of documentary aims to present a convincing story through the use of credible documentary tactics to portray a â€Å"fictional documentary. † Every documentary depends on its viewers believing its premise. The illusion of believability is most often either confirmed or destroyed by the credits.Frequently the audience first learns the people on the screen were actors, and that they have fallen prey to the thick veil of believability that documentary films are so able to portray. To capture the audiences trust directors of documentary films apply many of the tactics and conventions documentaries serve to leave the audience questioning the reality and believability of what they view in the theatre and at home. Documentaries inspire an awar eness of being that one has not previously experienced.The film urges the spectator to reevaluate not only one's breadth of knowledge but also puts forward the message that the documentary is actually made to talk about and the real truth from a person who is not involved with the message. Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to â€Å"document† reality. Although â€Å"documentary film† originally referred to movies shot on film stock, it has subsequently expanded to include video and digital productions that can be either direct-to-video or made for a television series.Documentary, as it applies here, works to identify a â€Å"filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception† that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. The nature of documentary films has changed in the past 20 years from the cinema verity tradition. Landmark films such as The Thin Blue Line by Errol Morris incorporated stylized re-enactments, and Michael Moore's Roger and Me placed far more interpretive control with the director.Indeed, the commercial success of these documentaries may derive from this narrative shift in the documentary form, leading some critics to question whether such films can truly be called documentaries; critics sometimes refer to these works as â€Å"mondo films† or â€Å"docu-ganda. † However, directorial manipulation of documentary subjects has been noted since the work of Flaherty, and may be endemic to the form. The recent success of the documentary genre, and the advent of DVDs, has made documentaries financially viable even without a cinema release.Yet funding for documentary film production remains elusive and within the past decade the largest exhibition opportunities have emerged from within the broadcast market, making filmmakers beholden to the tastes and influences of the broadcasters who have become th eir largest funding source. Modern documentaries have some overlap with television forms, with the development of â€Å"reality television† that occasionally verges on the documentary but more often veers to the fictional or staged.The making-of documentary shows how a movie or a computer game was produced. Usually made for promotional purposes, it is closer to an advertisement than a classic documentary. Modern lightweight digital video cameras and computer-based editing have greatly aided documentary makers, as has the dramatic drop in equipment prices. With more visualization effects and bolder directors on the rise, its future holds a firm ground in context to modern cinema.

Psychology1 essays

Psychology1 essays Question 1: Psychology as a science has developed over a long period of time, literally centuries. During this period of time , man individuals have had an impact on the development of Psychology as a science. Select three individuals, describe in detail the contributions of the individuals, and discuss the significance of the person to the development of Psychology as a science. In this paper I am going to talk about three different individuals , and describe their contributions to Psychology. I am also going to talk about how there contributions had a significant effect on Psychology as a science. These three people are the three that I consider the most important people of Psychology. Psychology is an interesting science in which we need people to help explain why things are the way they are. Many people make an attempt to explore this science , but it takes dedication to actually get something One of the three people I consider a big impact on Psychology is Wilhelm Wundt. Known as the founder of psychology as a formal academic discipline. Wundt founded the school of Structuralism. This concept evolved out of the mechanistic nature of the Industrial Revolution and the Scientific method of experimentation. Structuralism attempted to discover the nature of consciousness into separate parts, and to ultimately discover the structure of consciousness. Wundt held the first academic course in psychology in 1862, and he set up the first experimental laboratory where he conducted a series of experiments to determine the dimensions of feeling and perception. Wundt help people to be able to break things down into groups for what he thought easier management . Wundt significance was that he was the first person to actually introduce the subject of psychology to others and get them involved ( uidaho.edu ). ...

Human Growth Hormones(HGH) essays

Human Growth Hormones(HGH) essays The topic of whether Human Growth Hormone (HGH) should be administered to children who are considered to be hormone deficient children. Several doctors have been devoted to the serious study of the effects of Human Growth Hormones and have found out a lot about this topic since its first use in 1958. The first known use of it was in 1958 when doctors extracted hormones from cadavers and injected it into hormone deficient children. Although they saw an increase in height the children were still said to be shorter than average. In the 1980s the FDA approved HGH but only for use in hormone deficient children and elderly patients who really need the hormones but since then HGH distributors have turned their companies into hundred million dollar companies due to use of the product by bodybuilders. Although the use of HGH is now legal does not mean that it is morally or ethically condoned by society. In the reading two articles I hope to clarify any concerns of people who are thinking ab out putting themselves or others on Human Growth Hormones. In surveying several articles about the use of HGH in young children to increase the height of hormone deficient children I found an article written by Jenny Everett, a Popular Science assistant editor, where she describes to us about her brother who is considered to be hormone deficient. She asks the question of, should we really be giving a 9-year-old child hormone injections just to treat him for his stature? Jenny tells us when she gave her first shot of Humatrope to her little brother, he knew more about giving the shot than she did, this being his 37th injection. The reason her 9-year-old little brother receives these injections is because he is considered to be in the 1.2 percentile of people who will not grow over 53 when they are fully-grown. Human growth is an invisible but intense process, an intricate and little understood web of genes, hormones and other variables ...

7 Simple Best Practices to Speed Up Your Job Search

7 Simple Best Practices to Speed Up Your Job Search When an individual has spent some time looking for a new work, it can be easy to get into a rut, especially if that perfect job hasn’t come along. Worse yet, the few interviews that came your way did not result in a job offer. There is no reason to panic. Changing your tactics and being more proactive can change your luck and land you that job. 1. Look Over Your ResumeOne mistake made by resume writers is using stock phrases in a resume. Saying things such as â€Å"team leader† sounds good but tells the recruiter nothing about your skills. Making yourself stand out in the crowd is more likely to get your resume noticed. If you are qualified for a job and applied for numerous classified ad jobs but don’t get callbacks for interviews, then the problem may lie with your resume. Gear a resume toward the job you are seeking, highlight your skills and make this information easy to find such as placing this information in short bullet points. Before you send a resume, c heck to make sure your contact information is correct. A surprising number of job applicants are never contacted because they listed an old phone number or email address.2. Improve Your Job SkillsWhile you are waiting for that interview, go over your resume and see if there is anything you can do to make yourself more desirable as an employee in your job niche. Perhaps taking a course to improve your skills may make the difference in whether you are selected. Even if it doesn’t, it adds to your skills and shows that you keep on top of the latest information. This can leave a positive impression on recruiters.3. Work on Interviewing SkillsThe all-important interview can make or break getting a job. Polish your interview skills by practicing in front of friends or family or even in front of a mirror. Remember that you will probably be asked to tell the recruiter about yourself. Keep this response under two minutes and include education, what you accomplished that benefitted you r previous job and how you can be an asset for the current job opening.4. Try NetworkingSometimes, jobs can be found right under your nose. By networking through friends and business acquaintances, you can find job position openings. In addition, you can make a list of companies where you would like to work and submit an application for a current job listing or make inquiries about future job openings.5. Reevaluate Your SearchYou’ve submitted dozens of applications at job search sites and haven’t heard anything back. Maybe you need to reevaluate the way you are conducting your job search and the information you are putting out. This might be the time to ramp up your LinkedIn profile or your personal web page, which gives you plenty of room to list your qualifications, awards and experience. If searching job boards online isn’t helping, maybe it’s time to expand your job hunting by using other means.6. Follow Up on ApplicationsRather than waste time waitin g for a call or email from a recruiter, wait about a week and follow up on your job application. If the interest isn’t there, check it off your list to avoid wasting your time. In addition, recruiters may appreciate that an applicant wants the job badly enough to follow up. This might make a recruiter reconsider your application or bring it to his or her notice when contacting applicants for interviews.7. Take Your Job Search SeriouslySome job seekers simply send in stock resumes and wait for responses. Being proactive when searching for a job is more likely to get you called in for that first interview. Conducting a job search is work in itself and should be treated as seriously as you would a new job. Attention to detail, being proactive and making necessary changes will get you that dream job more quickly.When your job search stalls out, then it is time to re-evaluate, make changes and keep searching. TheJobNetwork helps by doing the searching for you. This service lets yo u list your qualifications and job interests and searches 24-hours a day for appropriate job openings, which it sends to you in the form of alerts. In addition, you can be proactive by searching the jobs yourself. Sign up for job match alert to get your job search going.

Conceptual Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Conceptual Art - Essay Example This essay stresses that as far as the work of Sol LeWitt is concerned, he has done a major contribution towards the growth and development of this form of artistic work. The artists will secondary to the process of conceptual art; he can not enforce his thoughts in such a way that the message of the work lost its meaning. Sol LeWitt is also of the opinion that artist can deceive the perception of the general public through conceptual art, therefore, viewers of the work should have a clear direction about how to evaluate and criticize the work of their favorite authors. Sol LeWitt also prescribed some measures by the help of which one can evaluate the work efficiently and effectively. Sol LeWitt also believed endorses the concept sharing method in order to nourish the baby concept of one artist. Since sharing among the people can also help them to produce better final art work. There is also a chance that artist might not understand his work. Therefore artist also needs guidance afte r the completion of their first draft. Conceptual art is a mechanical process, therefore, its steps should be followed properly in order to avoid any problems. As far as conceptual art is concerned one should also realize the fact that artist might be in the face of finding the truth while developing his product. Therefore it is necessary to make changes once the artist has come to know that he can improve things in a much better way. When the art is restricted to the words like sculpture and painting then the artist has a very little chance.... This essay analyzes that there is also a chance that artist might not understand his work. Therefore artist also needs guidance after the completion of their first draft. Conceptual art is a mechanical process, therefore, its steps should be followed properly in order to avoid any problems. As far as conceptual art is concerned one should also realize the fact that artist might be in the face of finding the truth while developing his product. Therefore it is necessary to make changes once the artist has come to know that he can improve things in a much better way (Peter). Sol LeWitt is also of the opinion that when the art is restricted to the words like sculpture and painting then the artist has a very little chance to produce high-quality work by using his imagination. Therefore it can be implied that artist should not be restricted by traditional boundaries since it can affect his overall productivity while developing the conceptual artwork. The work of an artist may be compared to the conductor in the sense that it may or may not reach to the audience in a way which was perceived by the artist. This paper makes a conclusion that however, this problem can be resolved if an artist tries to link his artistic work to the contemporary issues of the society. The artist should also try to follow the conventions of art so that he can develop quality work. Artists should always come up with new ideas in order to remain competitive in this industry. Sol LeWitt has produced a great work himself as well.

King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) - Essay Example The county has done activities to preserve these forests through ensuring clean water, appropriate flood control, protecting wildlife and fish habitat, fostering recreation and appreciation of scenic beauty. The county also contributes to the reduction of global warming through carbon sequestration. Sustaining the forests is the primordial strategy of the King County Forestry Program. A string of economic incentives, technical advice, and information are provided by the county and its officials to forest landowners to safeguard the local forests. King County is one of the busy counties in Seattle. King County, with a population of 1,788,300, is the most populous county in Washington. Seattle is a middle class city which is highly unionized, and is home to manufacturing giants--Boeing, Kenworth trucks, Todd shipyards, Weyerhauser and US Plywood. It has the University of Washington, an eminent research university in the field of computer sciences and biomedical research. Seattle is one of America's hi-tech, digital, wired and computer-oriented cities. According to Atkinson's "Metropolitan New Economy Index", Seattle had ranked third as the most advanced in the digital economy. (Atkinson 2003) Seattle is a city which is very attractive to young people whose ages range from 17 to 45 years old. Its demographic profile reveals a high segment of working population. The city boasts of tolerance of alternative lifestyles, excellent educational institutions, superb environmental sites, and a tremendous degree of innovativeness that contributed to the start-up, growth and development of high tech and related sectors. Seattle provides a healthy balance of wealth and opportunity to its local residents. It is a pleasant home to highly educated professionals. II King County Business Services King County promotes the growth of businesses combined with a concern for environmental sustainability and urban quality of life. The County's business development goals are to retain, expand, create and recruit businesses within industry clusters which are essential to the region's economic base and provide the impetus for growth. King County's economic development policies has these goals: Long-term commitment to sustainable economic development; Retention and increase of local firms in various industries which generate income and increase the quality of life its residents; Substantial public funding in large projects to spread benefits for firms and employees; and Environmental preservation and protection as a an important economic value. The Office manages specific Business Development initiatives and partnerships inspired by the County Executive and County Council. It

What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of being a native Essay

What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of being a native speaker and a non - native speaker of English - Essay Example Through the global influence of native English speakers in cinema, airlines, broadcasting, science, and the Internet in recent decades, English is now the most widely learned second language in the world. Many students worldwide are required to learn at least some English, and a working knowledge of English is required in many fields and occupations1. According to Ethnologue (2000) English is spoken in 105 countries, it is the dominant or official language in more than 60 of the world’s 185 nation-states recognized by the United Nations. It has 55,000,000 first language speakers in the United Kingdom, 210,000,000 in the USA, 17,100,000 in Canada, 15,682,000 in Australia, 3,500,000 in South Africa, 3,213,000 in New Zealand. Native English usage concerns to the greatest extent the countries mentioned in the order: USA >>> UK > Canada > Australia > South Africa > New Zealand > Ireland > and other 98 countries. Although the available counts are very divergent, all of them agree on a greater number of non-native than native speakers of English in the world. Another factor which adds to the variability of English is hundreds of dialects (Katarzyna Dziubalska-Kołaczyk, 2005). Today, many countries have taken up English as their second language. As a result many young people and adults are involved in the study of English. Indeed this interest has lead to the popularity of this language to such an extent as it is considered to be an international language. Whereas today there are more native than non native speakers of English, in the coming decades the more and more non native speakers will take up English as an international language. In other words more bilingual speakers of English will use this language for several purposes particularly for cross cultural communications within there own borders. The use of English as an international language has been brought about by the continuing spread of English. This spread has resulted in a variety of

Care of Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Care of Creation - Essay Example This applies to my experience of that hour spent in God’s creation and my renewed appreciation for the Sabbath, an old practice that has gained a new modern dimension. This experience has given me a renewed vision of God, the purpose of my life and of those around me, more especially the people who depend on me for pastoral leadership, and of what I need to do to be more effective as a follower and pastor, of one who leads others to God’s kingdom and who is led by the hand by the Divine Master. My first lesson is that of having gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of the Sabbath, a weekly reminder that God blessed and made holy this day of rest (Bass 78). Being the perfect teacher he is, God laid down in scripture that on the Sabbath day, he rested, not so much to tell us that he got tired from all that creating stuff, because God by definition does not get tired. Rather, God rested to show us how important it is to spend time, slow down, experience moments of t ranquility and peace, and reflect on the important things in life. God in his divine wisdom foresaw how exciting the world would become, and how man and woman would be so caught up with the beauties and riches of this world that we forget why we are alive and how we ever get to be here at all; in a word, to â€Å"remember who we are and what is important† (Bass 88). Just looking around me and reflecting on what I witnessed that Sabbath hour, I remembered those words about Jesus looking at the people around him who went around like sheep without a shepherd, living lives devoid of meaning and purpose. We work so hard to earn money so they can enjoy life, but with the economic difficulties happening all around us, many realize that making both ends meet is not easy. Likewise, we experience that the world, limited and full of evil, only offers limited and imperfect happiness. The second series of lessons proceed from the renewed understanding of the Sabbath. Experiencing the Sabb ath with a deeper and more personal and spiritual meaning made me realize that I too have been engrossed with the worldly dimension of life and even of prayer and worship. I have focused on the means and not the ends, on the form, not the substance, and on the body of faith, not in its soul. Like the religious leaders of whom Jesus warned the people to do what they preach, but not do as they do, I realized that pastors who should lead their flocks to God are focusing too much on â€Å"preaching and teaching† instead of â€Å"leading and living by doing†. Sure, one needs to preach and teach, but the best way to learn is by doing, watching and learning from the example of Jesus himself, who taught by word and example. Like most pastors, I need to hone and develop that dual vision of which Scharen and Volf (97) wrote, of seeing material things and their relation to God, as source, creator, joy, good, gift, talent, the one to which everything leads, to see the invisible Go d in the visible things of the material universe. A more effective pastoral leadership must be characterized by a spiritual life grounded on God through prayer and the imitation of Jesus’ life of sacrifice and love for all souls, even those

Corporate risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Corporate risk management - Essay Example If the quantum of investment is significant and depending on the size of the firm, sizeable enough to affect future earnings in a way that negatively affects the firm, then it is more preferable to go for risk transfer. Conversely, if the investment is not of a quantum that can affect the firm negatively it is better to go for risk retention. 2) Risk Transfer: Risk transfer, also known as Risk sharing is in many ways the complete opposite strategy of Risk retention. The principle of Risk transfer is the underlying tenet behind most insurance transactions. Risk transfer generally involves the shifting of risk to another party, most usually by means of insurance or through warranty. This method assumes the longevity of the third party and the ability of the insurer to maintain business continuity. Cash Flow Regularity: One of the biggest risks associated with investment decisions, particularly in light of whether or not to transfer risk or not, or to whether just bear with the uncertainty is how regular or irregular the earnings of that particular investment decision are. It follows then that the more irregular or uncertain the earnings of a particular investment decision are, the more likely a firm is to increase its security or safety in regards to that investment or that line of cash flows. Hence, the greater irregularity is seen in cash flows, or the higher risk factor involved, the more likely a firm is to transfer risk either via Insurance or Warranty. 3) Risk Avoidance: Risk avoidance, on the spectrum of Risk management activities is on one end of the spectrum, wherein the company decides to altogether excuse itself from all possibility of risk. Although this strategy is often considered the safest form of risk management it also entails the loss of any potential revenue that could have been gained from the investment, therefore while it is the safest strategy it

Care of Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Care of Creation - Essay Example This applies to my experience of that hour spent in God’s creation and my renewed appreciation for the Sabbath, an old practice that has gained a new modern dimension. This experience has given me a renewed vision of God, the purpose of my life and of those around me, more especially the people who depend on me for pastoral leadership, and of what I need to do to be more effective as a follower and pastor, of one who leads others to God’s kingdom and who is led by the hand by the Divine Master. My first lesson is that of having gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of the Sabbath, a weekly reminder that God blessed and made holy this day of rest (Bass 78). Being the perfect teacher he is, God laid down in scripture that on the Sabbath day, he rested, not so much to tell us that he got tired from all that creating stuff, because God by definition does not get tired. Rather, God rested to show us how important it is to spend time, slow down, experience moments of t ranquility and peace, and reflect on the important things in life. God in his divine wisdom foresaw how exciting the world would become, and how man and woman would be so caught up with the beauties and riches of this world that we forget why we are alive and how we ever get to be here at all; in a word, to â€Å"remember who we are and what is important† (Bass 88). Just looking around me and reflecting on what I witnessed that Sabbath hour, I remembered those words about Jesus looking at the people around him who went around like sheep without a shepherd, living lives devoid of meaning and purpose. We work so hard to earn money so they can enjoy life, but with the economic difficulties happening all around us, many realize that making both ends meet is not easy. Likewise, we experience that the world, limited and full of evil, only offers limited and imperfect happiness. The second series of lessons proceed from the renewed understanding of the Sabbath. Experiencing the Sabb ath with a deeper and more personal and spiritual meaning made me realize that I too have been engrossed with the worldly dimension of life and even of prayer and worship. I have focused on the means and not the ends, on the form, not the substance, and on the body of faith, not in its soul. Like the religious leaders of whom Jesus warned the people to do what they preach, but not do as they do, I realized that pastors who should lead their flocks to God are focusing too much on â€Å"preaching and teaching† instead of â€Å"leading and living by doing†. Sure, one needs to preach and teach, but the best way to learn is by doing, watching and learning from the example of Jesus himself, who taught by word and example. Like most pastors, I need to hone and develop that dual vision of which Scharen and Volf (97) wrote, of seeing material things and their relation to God, as source, creator, joy, good, gift, talent, the one to which everything leads, to see the invisible Go d in the visible things of the material universe. A more effective pastoral leadership must be characterized by a spiritual life grounded on God through prayer and the imitation of Jesus’ life of sacrifice and love for all souls, even those

Social Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Contracts - Essay Example As the discussion outlines Curwin and Mendler include six specific elements namely flag rules, negotiable rules, consequences, rules for the teacher, student-developed rules for students and a vote to determine which rules to enforce. Flag rules are minimum behavior requirements for efficient classroom management which are developed by the teacher and unquestioningly accepted by students even without their input. Examples of such logical rules are â€Å"No fighting and hurting anyone†. Negotiable rules are decided upon together by both teacher and students whether or not to adopt such rules. Democratic teachers allow some limits to be stretched without compromising order in the classroom. Consequences are teacher-determined without student input. Teachers need to be fair in setting down consequences for each rule depending on the severity of behavior. Positive consequences should also be included to reward students of good behavior. Consequences need to be instructional instea d of punitive and students regard them as natural and logical extensions of the rules. Rules for the teacher are determined by the students to give them the opportunity to set standards for the teacher. This is a way for them to feel a sense of commitment to all rules and consequences, thus make them more inclined to follow them. Examples are â€Å"the teacher will not yell at students in front of their classmates†.  

Effects of Technology on Social Groups Essay Example for Free

Effects of Technology on Social Groups Essay The emergence of technology has brought about different social effects. Some have lost while others have gained from the technology. A great part of technology involves working with machines and this has resulted into less human labor and most of the people have been rendered jobless by the machines. This is a negative effect on the social group that was working together since some have to be laid off to give way for the machines. Some people have become wealthier while others have become poor and this has created a gap between the two groups. This has changed the expectations of many people in the social environment (Langdon, 1986). For those who have studied how to work with the machines they are enjoying and getting closer to their social groups. People can easy work from home and this has made working easier. Social groups can work together on the internet and they can even share a network. Most of the technology lies in the computer and through the computer; people can easily talk with all their friends in the social websites. People also find spouses and lost friends on the internet and this is a merit of technology since people keep in touch even when they are far from each other (English-Lueck 1998). In social groups like families, technology has led to breakups of close family ties sine the family members can communicate by sending an email and chatting. They feel that they are close to their relatives even when they are in distant places hence they do not bother to travel home. This has made most of the parents to lose control over their children. This is a way in which technology has created freedom for the young generation (Ruth. 1989). References 1. Ruth Schwartz Cohen, (1989), More work for mother; The Ironies of Household Technology from the open hearth to the Microwave, London, Free Association Books 2. Langdon Winner, (1986), The Whale and the Reactor; A Search for Limits in an Age of High Technology, Chicago, University of Chicago press 3. J. A. English-Lueck, (1998), Technology and Social Change; The effects of family and community retrieved October 31, 2008 from website; http://www. sjsu. edu/depts/anthropology/svcp/SVCPcosa. html

Ryanair Business Strategy: Internal and External Analysis

Ryanair Business Strategy: Internal and External Analysis Ryanair:  Case Analysis Report Introduction Ryanair, established in 1985, is considered the main instigators of the â€Å"low cost â€Å" airline carriers, creating a new niche in a market previously dominated by former national airlines such as BA. The company has grown to a position where in 2005 it has 15 bases and 150 aircraft operating throughout Europe, carrying thirty million passengers (see figure 1), with a five year target to increase this to seventy million (Ryanair 2007). This position has been achieved by creating a â€Å"no-frills† approach on price (Pettigrew et al 2002), which gave it a competitive advantage over the established airlines (Porter 2004, p.207 and Kotler et al 2004, p.407), although attempts to extend this to include charging for ice used in in-flight drinks (Creaton 2004, p.169) was rescinded after customer complaints. The objective of the business is to become Europe’s leading â€Å"low-cost† airline and first for customer service, the latter position which was first reached in 2002 according to independent sources (see appendix A, figure 3). Similarly, the company also seeks to maintain value growth for shareholders. External Analysis Liberalisation of the airline industry in the 1970’s opened up the industry to new entrants and a new business model. Being one of the â€Å"first movers† in this new sector (Faulkner and Campbell 2006) Ryanair has taken advantage of the growth opportunities offered by creating a â€Å"low Cost† model based on the successful Southwest Airline (2007) strategy. This move has been partially responsible for increase in passenger numbers using UK airports in the last three decades (see table 1), with expectations of a threefold increase by 2030. Table 1 Airline passengers Year Passengers (m) 1980 50 1990 90 2000 180 With former eastern bloc countries converting from communistic to democratic political structures this growth is set to continue, providing the business with further opportunities (see appendix A, figure 4). Many of these former Baltic States have now joined the EU, which also provides Ryanair with the opportunity of expanding its destination network. However, the industry growth has also seen new competitors enter this niche market, including EasyJet, BMI, Virgin express and Aer Lingus. To maintain its competitive advantage the two major players have sought to consolidate their position by strategic acquisitions. In this area Ryanair, with its successful acquisition and integration of the â€Å"Buzz† lo-cost carrier, has been more successful that EasyJet’s experience when acquiring â€Å"Go.† Although the major airlines such as BA have responded to threats from Ryanair, to date these have not proved successful. The creation of this niche industry sector has also led to significant changes in the consumer’s perception (OConnell, J., and G. Williams 2005). Demands for cheaper fares has increased as prices have fallen, and the consumer perception and lifestyle has changed with regard to types of holidays has expanded rapidly, with weekend breaks and formerly unknown destinations increasing in popularity. Ryanair has also made full use of the advances in technology and digital processes within its â€Å"low-cost† business model. It was one of the first â€Å"low-cost† airlines to recognise the changes in the consumer buying habits resulting from these technological advances, using this diffusion to improve its services, encourage further consumer change and continue cost reduction advantages (Johnson et al 2007, p.481). Evidence of this can be found in the business move to paperless tickets, with more bookings being made through the Internet and, more recently, a move towards automated booking–in procedures at the airport, reducing the need for expansion of human resources to meet demand increase. At the same time, this technology use also helps Ryanair to maintain one of its key corporate objectives, which is to return success and value to the shareholders. There are two other external factors that impact upon the business and affect the determination of strategy. The first is environmental issues., which includes the concerns expressed by consumers and governments relating to the impact that air travel growth has upon the local communities and infrastructure and the second is the natural environment, where businesses are now required to consider the impact that their operations have upon issues such as climate change. The second issue is in the increase of legislation, particularly from the EU. In this respect Ryanair operations have to comply with regulations in terms of fair competition, which affects mergers and acquisitions and unfair practices, and targets set by the EU in relation to emission reductions required to address climate change.[PL1] Internal Analysis As Lynch (2006) and Faulkner and Campbell (2005) stated within their respective researches, for organisation’s such as Ryanair, who have targeted their strategy at a â€Å"low-price† product, it is imperative that, to maintain competitive advantage, who submitted that to achieve and maintain low price in the market place, the business itself had to be structured in a way that provided a limited cost base throughout all aspects of the business, in order to retain a profitable result. Porter (2004) suggests that this cost reduction process has to be communicated throughout the value chain (see appendix B, figure 6). Michael O’Leary, and the Ryanair management team have strived to achieve this position through a number of measures. Use of resources Ryanair makes good use of its resources. For example, all of the aircraft are of one design, the Boeing 737-800 series. This has several positives. Firstly, the company receives a discount from Boeing. Secondly, It reduces costs in terms of maintenance and training. In the latter case, unlike EasyJet, which has to train pilot and cabin crew to operate on a number of different aircraft designs, Ryanair’s staff only have to familiarise themselves with the one. Similarly, the turnaround of aircraft at destinations is quick and efficient, thus reducing unit cost. Human resources Despite the number of routes operated and the logistical problems of running a business of the magnitude of Ryanair, the company operates with a minimalist attitude towards head office, admin, aircraft and maintenance crews and administration staff. At the end of the 2005 financial year the business employed around 2,800 personnel, a figure which has changed very little over a five-year period. All of the Ryanair employees are expected to multitask. For example, cabin crew are required to clean cabins and remove rubbish between flights. Technology As mentioned earlier, Ryanair computerises as many services as possible. With Internet booking, paperless tickets, automated booking-in processes and many other parts of the operations being streamlined in this manner, this ensures that production and other costs remain low. Destinations Another imp0ortant aspect of the Ryanair cost reduction strategy is the concentration of its destinations into secondary rather than primary airports. Landing fees and other charges at these airports is substantially lower than the main airports and, even with the â€Å"sweetners† paid by Ryanair, the unit costs per passenger of flight into these destinations remains cheaper. Travel format Finally, the product itself has been simplified. There is only one class on a Ryanair flight and no pre-booking of seats. Furthermore, virtually everything but the seat costs. This includes drinks, meals and the other retail products available on board, with even free levels of baggage is limited. The success of this strategy can be evidenced when comparing the met profit margin of Ryanair with other carriers. The following data, taken from the various organisation’s websites and financial statements show the differnce (see table 2 below): Table 2 Net profit percentages Company Percentage Ryanair 17.81% EasyJet 7.98% British Airways 7.28% Diagnosis of current challenges However, like all businesses, Ryanair is not immune from challenges as it moves into the future. From the analysis of the business operations it is apparent that these challenges and threats will come from five main areas (appendix A, figure 4). Competition As mentioned earlier, with the emerging democracies within Europe, together with the regional and global harmonisation of competition rules, Ryanair is likely to find increased competition developing from these areas within the next few years to a decade. With the increased market place and, as can be seen from the share of the market that low cost airlines have (see figure 2), there is ample scope for new competition. The discussions about the â€Å"open skies† agreement between the EU and US (Milmo and Gow 2007), if these come to fruition, will also pose a threat as it creates a potential for US airlines to enter the industry sector. These actions could adversely affect the business continued financial success. Consolidation and growth There has already been some consolidation within the sector. It is likely that this will continue for the foreseeable future, and this could pose a threat to Ryanair’s dominant position. Furthermore, the corporations own growth pattern could impact negatively upon profitability. Despite growth attracting economies of scale, it can involve additional costs that threaten efficiency (Creaton 2004, p.250). Political intervention There are three main aspects of political intervention that are like to affect Ryanair in respect of its future development within Europe. The first of these relates to the EU’s competition laws, which is an area where Ryanair has come into conflict with the commissioners in terms of payments being made to secondary airports and other similar issues (BBC News 2004). The second is the threat by the EU to reduce or eliminate the subsidies given to the sector, worth an estimated  £6 billion annually (Bized 2004). This includes report, this VAT, Landing and Fuel tax benefits. The removal of these benefits will have a significant impact upon profitability. The third issue is the EU intention to force budget airlines to pay compensation for cancellations, which is not done at present. Environmental issues One of the major issues is the environment. Following the EU adoption of the IPCC[1] report recommendations, focus has been concentrated upon setting emissions targets for airline industry player, with stringent targets being set (see table 3). Future strategic options All researches promote the need for corporations to ensure corporate strategy addresses future challenges (Lynch (2006) and Faulkner and Campbell (2006)). In Ryanair’s case, it is suggested there are three strategic options that could be adopted (see appendix C, figure 7). Low price – low added value The aim of this strategy is to achieve the lowest price by a process of continually reducing the additional elements that attach to the service. For example, in terms of the budget airlines, from the consumers’ viewpoint this has meant reducing the facilities offered in-flight, such as changes to the quality of seating, increasing the seating capacity on the aircraft and reducing choice of services that involve human resources, such as hot meals, snacks and drinks. For the business is requires a continual drive to continue cost reduction throughout the value chain. Low price The intention of the low price strategy per se it to achieve reduction in the cost of fares, whilst retaining the consumers’ perception of the value of the product. To implement this strategy means that the business will need to seek cost reductions in areas other than those that directly impact upon the quality of the in-=flight service provided. This could be achieved by the further use of technology to automate in additional areas of the operational processes. Focused differentiation A strategy if focused differentiation is intended to set the business product apart from that of its competitors. Price can be used in the differentiation process, but in this case it needs to be inclusive with other elements that make the product unique. Evaluation of strategic options Following an evaluation of these strategic options, using the criteria recommended by Rumselt (see appendix D, figure 8), the following is an outline of the results that this produced. Option 1 – Low price – love value added This strategic option is consistence with the policy that Ryanair has followed in the past and is in accord with the previous intentions of the business strategy, which has been to reduce price at the cost of services, in other words achieving a â€Å"no frills† situation. However, it would seem that Ryanair would find it difficult to further reduce the level of service provided to its customers and it is unlikely that this approach would secure its market position. Option 2 – Low price Low price, as with option one, is in line with the business existing strategy. However, from the analysis of the internal situation at Ryanair, it would seem that there are limited options in terms of reducing existing resources, particularly if the business wishes to maintained a sustained growth programme and market share. Furthermore, it is not in accord with external trends, which indicates that consumers are becoming more discerning and the political arena more concerned with the consumers’ rights and environmental costs. Option 3 – Focused differentiation Focused differential, which could still include low price, would also be consistent with the Ryanair strategy. The differential of â€Å"low price, no frills† has been the core differential upon which the business has promoted itself previously. However, with other competitors entering the market place, that differential needs to be extended to other areas. In summary therefore, it is felt that the focused differentiation option would be most appropriate for the business future and will assist it to retain and improve its competitive advantage. Overview of selected strategy The core elements of the proposed â€Å"focused differentiation† strategy being proposed will be threefold. Free flights An aggressive strategy aimed at achieving free flights to be pursued. This can be achieved by seeking third party turnover to replace the ticket cost. For example, the business could introduce sponsoring, where travel and venue destinations, such as holiday locations, theme parks and local tourist boards pay for flights. Similarly, in-flight facilities could be introduced, such as Internet shopping, gambling and pay to view telephone. Furthermore, other services such as car rental and insurances could be used to cover the lost ticket revenue. Consolidation The business should be looking to make acquisitions, particularly with organisations within the Eastern European countries that have recently joined the EU. This enables the business to achieve market growth and maintain its dominant position. It also reduces the future competition. Aircraft fleet Fleet replacement is an area that Ryanair has concentrated upon in the past. In the future, in addition to discounts, this should be linked to conditions that ensure the fleet includes the latest environmentally friendly specifications, with aircraft being regularly upgraded as part of the purchase options. Implementation plan To enable the selected strategy to be implemented, several courses of action need to be undertaken. Short term Moves towards a â€Å"free-flight† position can be commenced within the immediate future, with the management and marketing departments of Ryanair discussing this concept with potential sponsor from the commercial leisure world, as well as tourism boards within the region and in specific destinations. Medium Term In the medium term two actions required for the strategy can be undertaken. The first of these is the gradual refits that will be required to aircraft to include the various new technological facilities that have been recommended. The second action would be to assess the potential market players to ascertain which, if any, would provide the business with a strategic fit for expansion of its market reach within the region. Long term Contracts with Boeing need to be re-negotiated to ensure that environment related conditions are included as an inherent part of the purchase process for replacement aircraft. Conclusion There is no doubt that Ryanair faces a number of key challenges in the future. To ensure that the business can successfully deal with the changes these challenges present, it is important that the future strategy is sufficiently robust to be able ensure that the business retains its competitive advantage and profitability levels. The aggressive strategies recommended within this analysis study are designed to achieve this objective. The â€Å"Free-flight† with added services, albeit being paid for, will maintain the unique and differentiated service that the Ryanair brand has become known for. Bibliography BBC News (2004). Ryanair faces new payment probe. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3458423.stm Bized (2004). Low Flying Fares: An End to Cheap, No Frills? Retrieved 27 July 2007 from http://www.bized.co.uk/current/leisure/2003_4/010304.htm Brassington Frances and Pettitt, Stephen (2006). Principles of Marketing, 4th edition, Pearson Education Ltd. London, UK Channel 4 News (2007). If you care about the environment, you should fly Easyjet. Really? Retrieved 16 May 2007 from http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/environment/factcheck+how+green+is+easyjet/509642 Creaton, Siobhan (2004). Ryanair: How a Small Irish Airline Conquered Europe. Aurum Press Ltd. London, UK. De Groote, P.D (2005). The Success Story of European Low-Cost Carriers in a Changing Airworld. GaWC Research Bulletin 174. Retrieved 27 July 2007 from http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb174.html Doganis, Rigas (2000). The Airline Business in the 21st Century. Routledge. London, UK. Faulkner, David and Campbell, Andrew (2006). The Oxford Book of Strategy: A Strategy Overview and Competitive Strategy. New ed. Oxford University Press. Oxford, UK. Haslam, Chris and Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (2007). Ryanair denies baggage ‘scam’. The Times. London, UK. Johnson, Gerry., Scholes, Kevan and Whittington, Richard (2007). Exploring Corporate Strategy. FT Prentice Hall, Harlow, UK. Kotler, Philip. Wong, Veronica., Saunders John A and Armstrong, Gary (2004). Principles of Marketing, 4th European edition, Pearson Education Ltd. London, UK. OConnell, J., and G. Williams (2005). Passengers Perceptions of Low Cost Airlines and Full Service Carriers. Journal of Air Transport Management, 11: 259-272. Porter, Michael E (2004). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. The Free Press. New ed. The Free Press. New York, US. Press association (2007). Budget airline offers low cost New York flights. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_campaigns/travel_and_leisure/reports/holiday_advice/Flights/zoom_flights_news_article_557_112479.jsp Report (2007). The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight. Royal Commission of Environmental Pollution. Retrieved 29 July 2007 from http://www.rcep.org.uk/avreport.htm Ryanair (2007). About us. Retrieved 14 May 2007 from http://www.ryanair.com Southwest Airlines (2007). About SWA. Retrieved 28 July 2007 from http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/airborne.html Stragler, Joos (1999). Current issues arising with airline alliances. Retrieved 17 May 2007 from http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/speeches/text/sp1999678_en.html Appendix A – external environment Figure 4 Pestel analysis Political Airline liberalisation Extension of democracy in EU Open skies policy Economic Internal financial performance Disposable income Abolishing of international tariffs Competition Acquisition Social Consumer attitudes Brand image Lifestyle and travel changes Technological Automatic booking in systems Online activity Change in consumer buying habits Environment Investor added value EU and international environment concerns Legal issues European legislation Environment regulations Competition rules Figure 5 Opportunities and Threats Opportunities Threats Growth of network Increased competition Growth of passenger numbers Industry consolidation Maintenance of cost reductions Political intervention Continuing price reductions (free?) Environmental issues Expand cooperation between â€Å"Low cost† carriers Further acquisitions Appendix B – Internal environment Figure 6 Value Chain Source: Porter (2004) Appendix C – strategic options Figure 7 The strategy clock Source: www.marketing teacher.com Appendix D – evaluation criteria Figure 8 Rumelts evaluation criteria Consistency Are the external strategies consistent with (supported by) the various internal aspects of the organization? You must examine all the various functional and internal management strategies employed by the organization and compare them with the external business strategy. Consonance Are the strategies in agreement with the various external trends (and sets of trends) in the environment? To answer this questions, you need to look at all the major trends that impact the selected strategy both positively and negatively. Feasibility Is the strategy reasonable in terms of the organizations resources? Money and capital Management, professional, and technical resources Time span Advantage Does the strategy create and/or maintain a competitive advantage? Resources Skills Position Source: Johnson et al (2007, p.593) 1 Footnotes [1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [PL1]1

Ghosts in a Massachusetts Village :: Ghosts Spirits Hauntings Essays

Ghosts in a Massachusetts Village Sabine Heartwood passed through Moose River Junction years ago with her mother, an itinerant fortuneteller. Raised on the road as Ruby crisscrossed the country in her battered VW minibus, Sabine longed to settle down and was inexplicably drawn to this rural hamlet, where everyone knows everyone. Now that one of the town’s favorite sons has returned for his grandmother Beatrice’s funeral, at least there’s something to talk about. Danforth Smith is an up-and-coming assistant film director in New York, romantically linked with a bitchy, beautiful, ambitious actress. Shy Sabine is instantly attracted to him but she knows she can’t compete with the likes of Karen. And handsome Dan would never want to give up such a glamorous life to stay in Moose River Junction and care for his aging, mentally retarded uncle Nagy, per his mother Beatrice’s wish. Even though Beatrice, imperious and theatrical to a fault, insisted in her will that Nagy never be instit utionalized and instead be permitted to take tickets and sweep up at the Palace Theatre (her dead husband’s pet project and final legacy). Sabine intuitively senses Dan’s dark secret, but not its exact details. Yet Dan, given to solitary brooding, reveals all to the reader in interior monologues: he holds himself responsible for the accidental fire that killed his feuding parents when he was only six. He and Nagy were playing with a lighter, and his grandmother Beatrice always told Dan that the fire was his fault, not Nagy’s. Hmm†¦so that’s why Sabine seems to smell smoke in his presence but she doesn’t understand why. Gee, where does this strange knack for reading minds come from? The supposedly psychic young woman can’t figure it out, but mother Ruby is waiting in the wings with a grim secret of her own: Sabine is the child of an alcoholic gypsy, who raped Ruby when she was only fifteen. Ghosts in a Massachusetts Village :: Ghosts Spirits Hauntings Essays Ghosts in a Massachusetts Village Sabine Heartwood passed through Moose River Junction years ago with her mother, an itinerant fortuneteller. Raised on the road as Ruby crisscrossed the country in her battered VW minibus, Sabine longed to settle down and was inexplicably drawn to this rural hamlet, where everyone knows everyone. Now that one of the town’s favorite sons has returned for his grandmother Beatrice’s funeral, at least there’s something to talk about. Danforth Smith is an up-and-coming assistant film director in New York, romantically linked with a bitchy, beautiful, ambitious actress. Shy Sabine is instantly attracted to him but she knows she can’t compete with the likes of Karen. And handsome Dan would never want to give up such a glamorous life to stay in Moose River Junction and care for his aging, mentally retarded uncle Nagy, per his mother Beatrice’s wish. Even though Beatrice, imperious and theatrical to a fault, insisted in her will that Nagy never be instit utionalized and instead be permitted to take tickets and sweep up at the Palace Theatre (her dead husband’s pet project and final legacy). Sabine intuitively senses Dan’s dark secret, but not its exact details. Yet Dan, given to solitary brooding, reveals all to the reader in interior monologues: he holds himself responsible for the accidental fire that killed his feuding parents when he was only six. He and Nagy were playing with a lighter, and his grandmother Beatrice always told Dan that the fire was his fault, not Nagy’s. Hmm†¦so that’s why Sabine seems to smell smoke in his presence but she doesn’t understand why. Gee, where does this strange knack for reading minds come from? The supposedly psychic young woman can’t figure it out, but mother Ruby is waiting in the wings with a grim secret of her own: Sabine is the child of an alcoholic gypsy, who raped Ruby when she was only fifteen.

The Influenza and Pneumonia Epidemic of 1918-1919 Essay -- American Am

The Influenza and Pneumonia Epidemic of 1918-1919 In the ten months between September 1918 and June 1919, 675,000 Americans died of influenza and pneumonia. When compared to the number of Americans killed in combat in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam combined- 423,000- it becomes apparent that the influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 was far more deadly than the war which it accompanied. (Crosby, 206-207) The United States and the rest of the world had been exposed to such epidemics in the past, but never at such a severe cost in human life. The influenza epidemic came in two waves. The first wave, in the spring of 1918, took far fewer victims than the second. Americans stricken with the flu that spring wondered at the intensity of its symptoms and its incredible contagion. Doctors noticed that the virus seemed to spread more quickly than it ever had before that year, but did not realize how quickly it would reach epidemic proportion. As summer approached, the disease appeared to have satisfied its appetite for new victims. However, the second, deadlier wave of influenza was just about ready to unleash itself on the world, and it did so quickly. By August 1918, the Surgeon General of the Army reported that the death rate from disease for American soldiers was almost 2/3 lower than the annual rate for civilian males of the same age. At the end of the month, the Spanish influenza virus mutated, and "epidemics of unprecedented virulence" exploded in the same week in three port cities thousands of miles apart: Freetown, Sierra Leone, Brest, Belgium, and Boston, Massachusetts. (Crosby, 37) It is still unknown whether this was the result of three appearances of a single mutation or three different simultaneous mutatio... ...wed that it had learned from its experience in 1918. Flu epidemics in the thirties and the fifties never approached the magnitude of the 1918-1919 disaster. Research across the world eventually isolated and identified the virus which causes influenza and the microorganisms which so often accompany it and cause deadly complications like pneumonia and strep and staph infections. The American public health system is one of, if not the, best in the world today at educating its citizens and preventing the spread of communicable disease. Historians can only speculate about what would have happened if people had applied the knowledge of today to the devastating epidemic of so many years ago. Â   Â   WORKS CITED Crosby, Alfred W., Jr. Epidemic and Peace, 1918. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1976. Hoehling, A.A. The Great Epidemic. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1961.

Comprehensive Classroom Behavior Management Plan Essay

The classroom is a dynamic environment wherein nothing is constant except change and the need to continually adapt. This environment affects both students and teachers; students are developing physically, cognitively, and emotionally. Teachers must respond to these changes in the students by adapting the environment, curriculum, instructional style and methods, and classroom management techniques. The process of education and classroom management is therefore one of continual change and reevaluation. The effectively managed classroom is one where a process of planning in several key areas begins before the school year starts. By implementing the management plan developed prior to the start of school and by maintaining the management procedures throughout the year, teachers are more likely to be effective and students react positively to the environment (Everston, Emmer, and Worsham, 2006). Elementary classrooms can become better learning environments when teachers have rules, classro om management skills, and a belief that each child can be successful. Rules help create a predictable atmosphere that limit classroom disruptions and encourage children to use self-control. Children need to be taught that it is their responsibility to make appropriate choices and that they will be held accountable for their actions. Teachers may decide to establish rules or allow their students to assist in formulating them. Teachers who involve their children in the rule making process contend that students are more likely to follow them. One way to involve students in forming rules is to have them brainstorm as a class or in small groups why they come to school and their goals for learning. Then ask them to name rules that will help  them achieve their goals. Write their ideas on the board. If a child states a rule negatively, such as, â€Å"Don’t come to school late,† ask how it could be stated in a positive way. The goal is to assist student in becoming thinking, caring, contributing members of society by providing guidance in developing a moral position, values, and ethics consistent with maintaining a viable society, and by helping students to develop the higher cognitive processes of critical thought, problem-solving, and decision-making. In order to do this the teacher will need to create a safe, caring classroom environment of mutual respect and trust where students are provided the opportunity to create, explore, openly participate, and collaborate on meaningful work, and communicate anything without fear of recrimination of any sort, or being ostracized. This is a fifth grade classroom, with twenty students. It is a very variable classroom in cultural diversity issues. The majority are children that come from Latin families, four children are African American. Looking to the Miami educational environment, this classroom is in the average, because most of the schools in this area share the same characteristics. Classroom Procedures, Rules and Routines Procedures are formalized instructions that support the rules or Classroom Constitution. They represent the expectations and norms of classroom operation and must be taught and practiced. Key classroom procedures can be introduced during first days of class, expanded on and reinforced as the year proceeds. There are five general areas in which students need to be taught to act and that should be supported by procedures; these are: Students’ use of classroom space and facilities. Students’ behavior in areas outside the classroom, such as the bathroom, lunchroom, drinking fountain, and playgrounds. Procedures to follow during whole-class activities, such as whether to raise a hand to speak, where to turn in work, and how to get help during seatwork, Procedures during small-group work. Additional procedures, such as how to behave at the beginning and end of the school-day, and when a visitor arrives.  General classroom procedures include how to walk into the classroom and  what to do then, how to ask for help, how to participate in class discussions, how to make transitions between activities and classes, sharpen pencils, ask for a restroom break or nurse pass, work independently and with others, get materials, address teachers and other adults, address students, walk in the hall, respond in an emergency or fire drill, listen to the teacher and follow directions, how to clean up one’s area, and end of the day routines. The three procedures this writer will focus on are walking into the classroom procedures, transitioning from one class to another, and end of the day routines. To teach walking into the classroom procedures, the writer will start on the first day of school. The teacher will talk about why it is important, list the steps on the board, model the steps, and then have students practice. Students will walk into the room quietly, keeping their hands to themselves. Sit down at their assigned seat at the big tables in the center of the room. (They often come in one at time.) They will raise their hand if they need to go their individual desk to get materials for the next class, of if they have a question. If no materials are needed, they will quietly get to work on an assignment they have with them. If the teacher or paraprofessional talks to them or gives instructions, the student will listen and follow directions. Transitioning from one class to another can be problematic. The goal is to teach students to be independent and responsible during these times. The teacher will start on the first day of school. Will discuss why this is important. List the steps on the board, model the steps, and have students practice them. This activity varies, de pending on the circumstance, so the steps of the procedure are more general than for some procedures. The Steps are: The teacher or paraprofessional says it is time to get ready to go to ___. Clean up area at the table. Gather needed materials from table or desk. Line up at the door in our classroom. Walk quietly toward class when the teacher or paraprofessional gives permission. The end of the day procedures will be taught starting on the first day of school also. We will discuss why this is important. The teacher will list the steps on the board, model the steps, and have students  practice them. The steps are: When the last class of the day is dismissed, walk into the room quietly with hands to yourself. Gather homework or other materials from desk and put things in backpack. Sit at assigned seat at big tables. You may talk quietly. When bell rings, walk to door and walk down the hall to exit. During the first month of school, the teacher will teach these procedures and assess whether students need more teaching and reinforcement in these areas, or not. The teacher will give verbal praise, tickets for the class auction, and points on individual point sheets when students follow procedures correctly. The points add up for daily prizes, or can be saved up for bigger prizes. They also add up toward social and activity rewards. If they don’t need much instruction in these areas, the teacher will focus on procedures that they need help with. Two month later, the teacher will work on reinforcing correct procedures, and start to reinforce accurate schoolwork, so that students see the link between procedures and success in school. Next month, the teacher will keep modeling and reinforcing correct procedures, and emphasize reinforcing successful academic activities. It is required that they understand that success ful social behavior will increase academic performance. During the winter months, the teacher will not continually reinforce correct procedures. Teacher will expect students to be learning how to manage themselves and follow procedures automatically. In December, The teacher will give reinforcement when students are more responsible for their own choices in following procedures. During January the writer will teach again procedures to make sure everyone knows them, and then reinforce independent behavior. In February teacher will review procedures once a week and reinforce correct procedures and independent behavior. Since many field trips occur in spring, during March and April the teacher will teach these routines as they relate to preparing for other settings or events. In May teacher will evaluate the performance of students during the year and review activities that students need practice on. The rules will be shared with the students on the first day of school too. I will use that time to allow my students to create their own classroom expectations, stemming off  of my general list. It is going to be used this time to explore the understanding of each expectation, as well as, to create a list of consequences in case an expectation is violated or disregarded. This method of using expectations and consequences is intended for the purpose of minimizing teacher-directed discipline and fostering student-driven motivation, choice, and discipline. The teacher will continue to convey order in the classroom, but will provide students with the skills and opportunities for maintaining self-classroom behavior management and discipline. (See appendix 4) Classroom Rules or Expectations Speak kindly to others Listen when the teacher is talking to you Follow adult instructions the first time given Keep area clean Keep hands and feet to yourself Do your own best work Classroom Organization Environment Since on the first day of school, the teacher will present a short five or seven minute lesson for each rule. Teacher will talk about the rule and get volunteers to demonstrate following the rule and not following it. Then demonstrate with examples and non-examples. Teacher will have the rules posted in the room and refer to them often during the year. Since rules are general, the teacher will talk about how they apply to different situations as the school year progresses. The timeline and reinforcement schedule for teaching rules is the same as for teaching procedures. The teacher will use this same timeline and emphasize how the procedures are specific actions that reflect the rules. Students are instructed to walk into the room and sit at their assigned seats at the big tables in the middle of the room. If they need materials at their individual desks along the wall, they raise their hands to get permission. Usually students enter one or two at a time, due to their varied schedules. Students each have a desk for their supplies, backpacks, etc. They only have what is needed for the time being on the tables in the middle of the room. This prevents them from getting their things in others’ way and arguing about stuff on the table. The room is not  large, but there is plenty of walking space around the tables and desks. Usually there are only one or two people moving at a time. The desk is in the corner where I can see everyone, and the paraprofessional desks are in the other corner where they can see everyone as well. The computer is in the corner by the teacher’s desk, where it is not vulnerable to students messing with it. A book shelf with curriculum materials is along the wall behind the desk. Students may get things from there with permission. The time out desks are behind a partition, and there is a round table there too. If a student is back there, an adult is at the table to supervise and record behavior. The white board is at the front of the room where it is easily seen by all. A table with supplies for students is located along the wall behind the big tables. They can get paper, art supplies, and classroom books to read from there, with permission. They need to raise their hand for permission to get up for any reason. If they need to sharpen a pencil, they just hold their pencil up in the air to get permission. A student computer table is located next to the supply table. At given times, one or two students may work on this for projects or for free time as a reward. Teacher tells the students that they have to act like the room is full of students, because it is needed to be in the same routine as a larger classroom. Students work individually with the teacher or the paraprofessional, or sometimes in groups of two. They stay at the big table and the teacher presents the lesson from up front, or we work at the tables with them. Sometimes we need to change chairs around to work in a group. (See appendix 5). Classroom Students Work Students are expected to participate in daily discussions and activities, complete assignments required or assigned by the teacher. Students will complete tests over selected material and information. Students will complete various classroom group projects as well as several smaller individual assignments. These smaller assignments are given throughout the year by the teacher, and are used to enhance the students’ content knowledge. Students will have various opportunities for gaining extra credit points. Communicating Assignments and Work Requirements Homework for the current day will be written on the homework  white-board before students arrive at school. Students are responsible for writing their homework assignments in their assignment books after putting away their coats, books, etc., during homeroom. Class assignments are written on the board at the beginning of each class. Students are responsible for getting out the required text and materials and opening books or workbooks to the correct page and being ready to start class. Pencil and white lined paper, journal or workbooks are the typical form and media. Paper headings must include the name of the student, date, subject, assignment name and/or page. Work missed by absent students will be taken home by a designated friend or picked up by parents. If work is not taken home or picked up on the day of the absence, a folder with a list of class work, homework, worksheets, and notes will be compiled for the student. Consequences may include points off, letter or call to pare nts, or reduction in grade. Monitoring Progress on and Completion of Assignments The teacher monitors projects, or longer assignments completed in class, as groups work together during specified times. Those longer-term assignments taken home are the students’ responsibility and the teacher will provide weekly reminders of due dates. Completion of assignments by students will be accomplished by daily homework checks for completion and submission of class work as required. Completed assignments are turned-in by the students by placing them in the teacher’s subject in-baskets. Student work will be maintained in student files. Work retained by the teacher will be in the form of the electronic grade book and behavior journal. Feedback is provided daily, by notation on individual assignments, in the form of grades, and periodic student-teacher conferences or chats. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their progress through the use of KWL charts, open-ended questions, and discussion/review. When students stop doing homework, first step is to ascerta in if there is a specific problem. If the problem is endemic, the teacher will review his or her lessons and/or assignments to determine if there is some shortcoming. Thereafter, for individuals, how to address the problem will vary and be dependent upon the specifics of the situation. Students will take home those materials required to complete homework  according to what has been written on the homework white-board for the day. Student work will be displayed on bulletin boards inside and outside of the room, on lines strung in front of the windows and along the back of the room, and from the ceiling when needed. Students will maintain their own files, by subject. Files will include study guides, quizzes, and tests. Periodic file checks will be completed to ensure students have maintained the requisite documentation. Students or parents with disputes regarding individual projects or tests will be referred to the rubric or test itself. Students or parents with disputes regarding overall grades will be provided a rep ort showing all grades for homework, class work, quizzes, tests, and projects. Gaining Classroom Attention Throughout the school day, the teacher may need to provide the students with important instructions. Some instructions may require the use of direct verbal communication, while others may simply require non-verbal visual communication. Below are a few strategies to use to manage students’ attention. When in need of gaining the entire class’ attention, I will use one of two methods: Clap or Raise. Clap: The teacher will state rather softly, If you hear my voice clap once. If you hear my voice clap twice. Raise: The teacher will simply raise the hand, signaling to the students I need their ears open and their mouths closed. During the training phase, teacher may need to verbally state, â€Å"When the hand goes up, the mouth goes shut†. To inform students a task or lesson is near to ending, teacher will flick the room lights twice while stating, â€Å"One or two more minutes with this activity. We will soon be moving on to our next lesson†. Students are expected to attend school each day. Students are expected to assume responsibility for ensuring their Attendance Stick is removed from the absent jar and placed in the Present jar. The classroom teacher will review the jars to ensure the proper sticks have been moved. If a student forgets to switch their stick the teacher will make a reference to that particular student, but it is the student’s responsibility to fix the mistake. Attendance will be sent to the Main Office. Throughout the day, the teacher will give students various worksheets and homework assignments. After each lesson, the students will place their homework into their designated mailbox, located at the back of the room. At the end of  the day, when the students are called to retrieve t heir homework, they will also remove their jackets, coats, book-bags, or lunchboxes from their cubbies and to return to their seat to quietly await dismissal via the intercom. Timeline and Reinforcement Schedule For each of the rules, the timeline and levels of reinforcement will be about the same. During the first month of school, teacher will teach these rules and assess whether students need more teaching and reinforcement in these areas, or not. Teacher will give verbal praise, tickets for the class auction, and points on individual point sheets when students follow rules correctly. The points add up for daily prizes, or can be saved up for bigger prizes. They also add up toward social and activity rewards. If they don’t need much instruction on certain rules, teacher will focus on others that they need help with. In October, teacher will work on reinforcing correct rules, and start to reinforce accurate schoolwork, so that students see the link between following rules and success in school. In November, teacher will keep modeling and reinforcing following the rules, and reinforce successful academic activities. The teacher wants them to understand that successful social behavior will increase academic performance. During the winter months, will not continually reinforce following the rules. The writer will expect students to be learning how to manage themselves and follow rules and procedures automatically. In December, teacher will give reinforcement when students are more responsible for their own choices in following rules and procedures. During January, this candidate teacher will teach again the rules and procedures to make sure everyone knows them, and then reinforce independent behavior. In February teacher will review rules and procedures once a week and reinforce correct procedures and independent behavior. Since many field trips occur in spring, during March and April I will teach these routines as they relate to preparing for other settings or events. In May I will evaluate the performance of students during the year and review activities that students need practice on. Deliverin g Instruction. (See appendix 1) Strategies for Instruction Identifying students’ learning styles is essential to providing quality  education. When developing a classroom curriculum, the teacher must get to know each student; learning the students’ interests, identifying the various learning styles, and recognizing or researching methods to enhance the learning environment as well as the content material. Providing students with knowledge should be our goal as educators, but it shouldn’t end there. We should strive to not only provide knowledge, but to acquire the materials and tools needed to teach our students and render those tools into our students’ hands. Allow our students to explore with manipulative objects and hands-on tools for learning. We need to also provide alternative educational experiences for our students. Due to the overwhelming variety of learning styles, developmental levels and external interests, our students must be equip to survive basic living situations. Providing alternative learning opportunities, such as trips to the local grocery store, will not only engage our students in something new, but we will be teaching our students the fundamental and basic skills to survive and succeed in life. While developing the classroom management plan, is acknowledged the need for engagement, proximity, structure, support, routine, expectations, consequences and motivation, while incorporating the importance of parental involvement, trust, honesty and a bond of student-parent-teacher respect. It is the goal that by the end of the year students will assume the responsibility needed for their actions; replacing a destructive action with a constructive action as a natural consequence. (See appendix 2) Positive Reinforcement and Consequences Positive reinforcements of appropriate behavior are the preference and used before applying other consequences or punishment. These positive reinforcements of appropriate behavior are in the form of verbal praise, using other students as models of appropriate behavior, non-verbal signals, and rewards. Positive influence techniques are proactive measures that help students maintain or remind them of appropriate behavior. Three methods of positive influence include: supporting student self-control wherein the teacher helps students stay on-task, pay attention and complete their work, offering situational assistance is where the teacher provides immediate help when students are stuck on work assignments, or a break when students become overly tired, and appraising reality is where teachers point out the  underlying causes of students’ behavior, in a friendly way remind them of their obligations, and request continued cooperation. Another proactive measure is positive repetition. Positive consequences are also in the form of facial expressions, positive words or praise, recognition and rewards that are offered when students comply with expectations and classroom rules. Recognition includes public praise, verbal or as in awarding a certificate to an individual or class, sending positive notes home with the student, or phoning the student’s home with positive comments about the student for the parents Effective praise is personal. The student’s name is mentioned along â€Å"with the desired behavior: â€Å"Jack, thank you for working quietly back there.† Effective praise is genuine. It must be related to the situation and behavior, â€Å"and the teacher’s demeanor should show that it is sincere. Effective praise is descriptive and specific. It lets students know when and â€Å"why they are behaving appropriately: â€Å"Good, Susan. You went right to work on your essay.† Effe ctive praise is age appropriate. Young children like to be praised publicly. Older students like praise but usually prefer to receive it privately. Rewards or incentives are another positive reinforcement of appropriate behavior. These can take many forms and all be presented to the students as treasures, both tangible and intangible, to choose from. A fairly comprehensive list, compiled by Sue Watson (n.d.), follows: Become a helper to the custodian, librarian, another teacher or the office staff. Become a class monitor for a specific area of need e.g., hall monitor, room check monitor, tidy monitor etc. Helping a younger student with a learning task for a specified period of time. Earn points for a class video. 15 minutes of free choice activity. Work with a friend. Wear your ball cap or favorite hat for a work period. Read a comic book. Show or tell the class something you have or did. Have lunch with your favorite person or the teacher. Read a story to the principal or to another class. Hand out supplies for a defined number of activities. Free time in another classroom. Receive a positive note for home. Pick something from the prize box. Pick something from the treat box. (Keep it healthy, crackers, animal cookies, fruit, juice boxes, popcorn, granola bars, etc.) Earn tickets toward free time. Free pencil, pen or eraser. Positive phone message or email home. Free poster. Free story for the whole class! (A strategy like this lets others  help the student at risk stay on target. Earn a cooking day for the class. Take the bubble blower out a recess. Free homework passes. Leader for the day. An additional gym period with another class. Listen to the radio or CD with a headset for a specified period of time. Have work posted in the hall or near the office. Enjoy a game with a friend or in another class. Be the leader for the first gym activity. If nothing on this list interests the child, ask what type of incentive he/she believes would help him/her to obtain their behavior goals and help keep them on track. Consequences Consequences are the actions taken by the teacher when students do not comply with the school rules or Classroom Constitution that governs appropriate behavior. There are four types of consequences. These are: logical, conventional, generic, and instructional. Logical consequences are those that this teacher attempts to employ first before more negative or punitive ones. Logical consequences are logically related to the inappropriate behavior and the students are tasked with completing a corrective action for the rule or article they are not in compliance with. For example, if a student does not keep their area or desk neat and clean, they are tasked with cleaning or if the student is discourteous to the teacher, they may be required to take time, reflect on their action and practice ways of being courteous (University of Phoenix (Ed.), 2002, p. 212). Conventional consequences are consequences we see most frequently used and include time-outs, removal from the group or room, or being sent to the office. These can be modified so they relate to the misbehavior by adjusting phrasing such as in the case of a time-out, â€Å"You have chosen time out. You may return to the group when you are ready to learn† (University of Phoenix (Ed.), 2002, p. 212). Generic consequences are often also often positive reinforcement such as reminders, and warnings. Choosing, and planning are consequences that allow students to select from three or four planned options for improving behavior. This behavior plan, established by the student, identifies specific steps the student follows to correct inappropriate, repeated behaviors. It is written, dated and signed by the student. In some literature, this is also referred to as a behavioral contract (University of Phoenix (Ed.), 2002, p. 212). Instructional consequences, the fourth and final, teach students  appropriate behavior. These consequences are often in the form of review and practice. Behaviors such as hand raising, courtesy, and lining-up qui etly, etc. are learned easily when taught and practiced (University of Phoenix (Ed.), 2002, p. 213). Consequences are listed in a hierarchy and imposed by starting with the least severe to the most severe response within the period of one day. Each day, students start new. In order to track infractions or non-compliance with the Classroom Constitution, this teacher assigns each student a pocket in a pocket chart wherein each day all students begin with a green card. For the first and second infraction, there is a non-verbal, then verbal warning or reminder of appropriate behavior and/or a restatement of the article infraction, and the card remains green. For the third infraction, a yellow card is placed in the pocket and the student is sent to the Think-About-It Table and must fill in a My Behavior Form that includes basic questions to help the student identify the inappropriate behavior, the reason it is inappropriate, what corrective action the child can perform, and how the teacher may be able to help the student so they do not repeat the behavior. For the fourth infraction, an orange card is placed in the pocket, the student is sent to the Think-About-It Table, complete a behavior plan, parents are notified of the repeated inappropriate behaviors and informed that the continuation of such behavior will result in more severe actions. For the fifth infraction, a red card is placed in the pocket, the student is sent to the office and parents are again notified. Finally, in cases where the offense is so extreme as in the case of verbal or physical abuse of the teacher or another student, a black card is placed in the pocket, the office is called, the student is removed from the room, and parents are contacted. Classroom Collecting data Strategies ABC data collection uses basic observations and forms to collect data on a specific behavior, as well as the related antecedent and consequence. That information is essential to conducting a functional behavior assessment in order to analyze behavior and determine consequences. Behavior in children can be better managed and more effectively changed when the interventions are based on a functional analysis of ABC data. Data collection forms do not have to be complicated. They can be written in any  format as long as they allow for all of the needed information. The required information on the form should include the name of the person being observed, the date and time of day, and a good setting description. Additionally, observed behaviors, what was happening right before they occurred, and the response or consequence of the behavior should be noted. Many data collection forms for ABC data only have three columns. The columns are for the antecedent, the behavior, and the consequence. However, it is also important to note the time of the behavioral occurrences, their intensity, especially if they involve an emotional response, the duration, and possibly a place to tally the frequency of specific behaviors. The following is an example of ABC data collection. Typically it is a format that is used when an external observer is available who has the time and ability to observe and document behaviors during specified periods of the day. It is time and personnel intensive. From this data, we can see that when the student is asked to end an activity he is enjoying, he screams, refuses to leave, and ignores. We also can see that the response to Joe’s refusal consists mostly of empty threats. If we follow Joe throughout the day, we may find that he is asked repeatedly to follow directions. In addition, the data reveals that Joeâ€⠄¢s family uses threats that are not followed through. Joe has learned that persistence, ignoring, and refusal will wear parents down. (See appendix #3) Behaviors always have a trigger. That trigger could be to escape an unpleasant situation or to gain recognition or acceptance. Behaviors could also be triggered by the desire to fulfill a physical need. Other behaviors could be the result of a deficit in a particular skill area. It is important to note details about what was happening right before the behavior occurred, the antecedent, in order to determine the true trigger for the behavior. Many antecedents are not observable. For example, things like physical ailments, embarrassment or not understanding what to do can all result in a behavioral response. Sometimes, the ABC data collection may need to include getting information from the individual being observed. Of course, they should not know they are being observed so any questioning should be done after the fact or by someone else. Behaviors should always be specifically described in objective terms. Vague descriptions should be avoided. Additionally, any subjective  evaluation of the behavior should be avoided. For example, if a child would not comply with a request, the behavioral description should avoid references to defiance or attitude. However, a good description might be that a student was seated and did not appear to do anything or that a child said â€Å"no† or walked away and did not comply. A lack of a behavior, or not doing anything when a behavior is required, is still a behavior. Teachers sometimes say that a student does not have any concerning behaviors, only to find out that he is failing that class because he refuses to do anything. Behaviors that can be a concern are not limited to disruptive behaviors. It is also important to note any lack of needed behavior. Consequences include any response or result the behavior achieved for the child. For example, the same single behavior occurrence might get a child attention from the teacher and peers, as well as getting him out of doing work. Additionally, it could result in a poor grade. All consequences should be noted. It is important not to ignore any consequence because consequences often serve to promote that same behavior happening again. For example, it might seem obvious that a poor grade was not what a student wanted and so it could not possible be reinforcing. However, it is not unheard of for students to set themselves up for failure due to things like not being emotionally prepared for life after graduation. Never discount a consequence as not being important. Taking good data on the antecedent, the behavior, and the consequences, can provide the essential information for a good functional analysis of behavior. It is the basis for ultimately determining interventions, supports, and consequences that will change inappropriate behaviors into desired behaviors. ABC data collection can make a teacher’s and a parent’s job much easier. As a conclusion this candidate teacher can bring to a close that, purpose of discipline is to aid in this exciting process by explaining expectations to a group with differing ideas of what learning, school, science and good behavior are. By explicitly stating the responsibilities and consequences of actions in the classroom teachers can smooth these differences enough to focus on teaching students the excitement of discovering new ideas. Discipline is a part of the learning process rather than separate from it. Students’ brains are busy organizing and processing information all the time. There are layer upon layer of lessons to be taught, a whole world of  examples to be set and ideas to be sparked and I am thrilled with challenged and the opportunity to teach students so much. References Everston, M., Emmer, E., and Worsham, M. (2006). Maintaining an Effective Learning Climate [Custom Edition e-text]. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Pearson Custom Publishing Scholastic (n.d.). Our Classroom Standards. Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/LessonPlans/unit_teamworkstandards.pdf Teachers Tips Training. Retreived from http://deborah-o-banion.suite101.com/antecedent-behavior-consequence-abc-data-collection-a282857 Teachnology (n.d.) Classroom Rules: Elementary Level. Retrieved from http://worksheets.teach- nology.com/misc/back/rules/elem/ The Essential Elements of Cooperative Learning in the Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-1/elements.htm University of Phoenix. (Ed.). (2002). Maintaining an Effective Learning Climate [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing Appendixes Apendixe 3 |Antecedent |Behavior |Consequence | |Parent asks Joe to stop playing on the |Joe screams, â€Å"NO!† and refuses to|Parent tells Joe to leave the computer again. | |computer. |leave the computer. | | |Parent tells Joe to leave the computer. |Joe again refuses to leave. |Parent starts counting to 10 as a warning to | | | |get off the computer. | |Parent starts counting to 10 as a warning to|Joe does not move from the |Parent finishes counting to 10 and again warns| |get off the computer. |computer station. |him to get off the computer. | |Parent finishes counting to 10 and again |Joe stays at the computer and |Parent threatens that Joe lose computer | |warns him to get off the computer. |refuses to leave. |privileges in the future. | |Parent threatens that the Joe will lose |Joe ignores and continues working|The parent count to 10 again and again | |computer privileges in the future. |on the computer. |threatens future computer use. | |The parent counts to 10 again and again |Joe ignores and continues |The parent becomes angry and leaves the room. | |threatens future computer use |computer use. | | Appendix A Checklist 2 Norms, Expectations, Rules, and Procedures Check WhenProcedures/ Complete SubjectExpectations _ What are my short- and long-term goals for myself this year? _ What are my short- and long-term goals for my students this year? Room Use How will I establish basic procedures in the following areas? _ A. Teacher’s desk and storage areas _ B. Student desks and storage areas _ C. Storage for common materials _ D. Drinking fountains, sink, pencil sharpener _ E. Restrooms _ F. Centers or equipment areas _ G. Computer stations _ H. Board Individual Work and Teacher-Led Activities _ A. Attention during presentations _ B. Participation _ C. Talk among students _ D. Obtaining help _ E. When individual work has been completed Transitions into and out of the Room _ A. Beginning the school day _ B. Leaving the room _ C. Returning to the room _ D. Ending the day Procedures for Small-Group Instruction _ A. Getting the class ready _ B. Student movement _ C. Expected behavior in the group _ D. Expected behavior of students out of group _ E. Materials and supplies Procedures for Cooperative Group Activities _ A. Roles of group members _ B. Expected behavior _ C. Interaction to include each member _ D. Interaction to move toward instructional goals General Procedures _ A. Distributing materials _ B. Classroom helpers _ C. Interruptions or delays _ D. Restrooms _ E. Library, resource room, school office _ F. Cafeteria _ G. Playground _ H. Fire and disaster drills _ I. Classroom helpers (Everston, Emmer, and Worsham, 2006, p. 39-40) Appendix B Checklist 5 Planning for Instruction Check WhenNotes Complete Before the Lesson Ask Yourself _ A. What are the most important concepts or skills to be learned? _ B. What kind of learning is your goal (memorization, application, appreciation)? Have you communicated this to your students? _ C. What learning style is targeted by this lesson? Are you varying learning modalities? _ D. Are there difficult words or concepts that need extra explanation? _ E. How will you help students make connections to previous learning? _ F. What activities will you plan to create interest in the lesson? _ G. How will you make transitions between activities? _ H. What materials will be needed? Will students need to learn how to use them? _ I. What procedures will students need to know to complete the activities? _ J. How much time will you allocate for the lesson? For different parts  of the lesson? _ K. If activities require that students work together, how will groups be formed? How will you encourage productive work in groups? _ L. What examples and questioning strategies will you use? Prepare a list of examples for explanations and list higher-order questions. _ M. How will you know during and after the lesson what students understand? _ N. What are some presentation alternatives if students have trouble with concepts (peer explanation, media, etc.)? _ O. Are there extra- or special-help students? _ P. How will you make sure that all students participate? _ Q. How will you adjust the lesson if time is too short or too long? _ R. What kind of product, if any, will you expect from students at the end of the lesson? _ S. What will students do when they finish? _ T. How will you evaluate students’ work and give them feedback? _ U. How will the concepts you present be used by students in future lessons? (Everston, Emmer, and Worsham, 2006, p. 109-110) Appendix C Checklist 6 Planning for Cooperative Group Instruction Check WhenNotes Complete Item Room Arrangement _ A. How will student seating be arranged? _ B. How will individual and group materials and supplies be stored? Routines and Expectations _ A. What are your expectations for student movement to, from, and during group work? _ B. What expectations about talk will you communicate to students? _ C. What group attention signals will be used? _ D. Will students have specific roles? _ E. Do any group skills have to be discussed, modeled, or practiced? Monitoring, Accountability, and Feedback Procedures _ A. Will group work have individual products, group products, or both? _ B. How will individual or group work be assessed? _ C. How will you monitor student behavior and work during group activities? _ D. How will students receive feedback about individual and group performance? _ E. How will students receive feedback about their behavior in groups? Group Skills That Must Be Discussed, Modeled, or Practiced _ A. Social skills? _ B. Explaining skills? _ C. Leadership skills? (Everston, Emmer, and Worsham, 2006, p. 130-131) Apeendix 1 Lesson Plan for Classroom Management |KS2004 Correlated Sets | |[pic] | |KS2004.CA.6.1.4.10 |KBI: identifies the topic, main idea(s), supporting details, and theme(s) in text across the content areas and | | |from a variety of sources in appropriate-level texts. | Specific Content Objectives Students will be able to identify the topic, main idea, and supporting details of a grade level passage in a variety of content areas. Language Goal The language goal is to read for comprehension. Expected prior Knowledge Students need to be able to decode words and use context clues to identify words. They need to read at a fourth grade level with 75% comprehension. They need to have a basic vocabulary knowledge level for fourth grade reading material. They need to be able to work with a partner for reading and discussing ideas. Procedures/Management Review procedure for classroom discussion: listen when the teacher is talking, raise hand, listen to others, one person speak at a time. Review procedure for working with partners: taking turns reading (2’s read first, 1’s write), both discussing, raise hand with question after consulting partner. Review procedures for turning in work: classroom clerks for the week collect papers and put in bin. Technology links I got my practice sheets from edHelper.com Students can work at computers in partner groups to: look up unknown words at http://dictionary.reference.com look for Internet articles on related topics of interest Instructional Strategies for learner success The paragraphs and articles students will read include information about science, social studies, music, and art. Students work with partners to read passages and decide what the topic, main idea, and supporting details are. They will first answer multiple choice questions about passages and then fill out graphic organizers together. If there is time, or on another day, they will look up topics of interest on the Internet and determine the topic, main idea, and details. Day 1: Anticipatory Set (Jump-start) I will have chosen a short article of high interest from Scholastic Magazine. I will write several vocabulary words that may be new from the article on the board. I will ask students what the words are and what topic they may be about. We will discuss the words, meanings, and I will assess prior knowledge about the topic from the discussion. Day 1: Purpose/ Motivation I will tell the students that they will be able to identify the topic, main idea, and supporting details about something they read. This matters because they will read for information throughout their lives. They will use this skill when reading about things they need to learn about, as well as items of interest to enrich their lives. Day 1: Modeling/ Direct Instruction After explaining that they should listen for the topic, main idea, and details, I will read a short, high- interest article from Scholastic Magazine while they follow along with copies for each partner group. I will show them a multiple choice question about what the main idea of the article is, and we will answer it as a class. I will write the main idea on the board or overhead. Then I will talk about supporting details and give several examples. I will underline these details on my copy on the overhead. I will ask for input about details and underline them. Day 1: Guided Practice I will guide students as they write the main idea and underline the supporting details on their copies of the article in their partner groups. I will give each group two practice pages. One has short passages with multiple choice questions, and the other has short passages with instructions to write the main idea and underline supporting details. Each partner group will do these together. Students will be numbered 1 or 2. 2’s start with the reading and 1’s start with the writing, and then they switch with each passage. I will have a checklist for each group with tasks for this lesson: Write main idea and underline supporting details for the article I read. Read and answer multiple choice questions for passages on corresponding sheet. Look at/read articles of choice from Scholastic Magazine for 15 minutes. May discuss with partner. Read, write main idea, and underline details on corresponding sheet. Groups can check off each task as they complete it. When they are finished, 1’s put the papers in the bin and students read library or classroom books quietly until the others are finished. I will walk around, observe, informally assess, and give verbal praise and tickets toward a class auction as students work. Groups will also get points for cooperating and being polite in groups. These points will add up toward activity rewards. I make sure they have a lot of reinforcement at the beginning of the guided practice, and as they begin the underlining practice sheet. I will do the first multiple choice question as a class. If necessary, I will do the first one on the underlining sheet as a class. Students at a lower reading level will be given passages at a lower reading level. I will pair very low students with partners that can help them more. My para or I will read the passages to very low groups if needed. Day 1: Assessment I will observe and informally assess students throughout the lesson, and as they do guided practice. I will have a check sheet for students as they do group work. The completed papers will be graded and returned with feedback. After several days of doing other related activities, I will give a test to assess individual comprehension of main idea and details. Day 1: Reflection/ Plans for Diverse learners After instruction, reflection on the engagement level and pacing of the lesson, on the procedures and transitions, and on the assessed level of competency of the students provides the avenue for fine-tuning the next day’s lesson. Tutoring, pre-teaching, re-teaching, and scaffolding are strategies available to ensure success of diverse learners. Once it is evident that learners lack the skills needed for the task, a plan must evolve for building those skills. I will grade the papers and use the results along with the engagement level of the students to determine if students understand the concept so far. I will reflect on whether or not the procedures were understood and followed, and how the transitions went. If necessary, I would re-teach these, or make changes in these aspects. I will also decide whether the lesson was presented at a good pace. If many of them do not get the concept, I will plan to do more multiple choice questions on passages with them before moving on. I could also plan more verbal responses to finding the main idea and details. They could work on reading and sharing verbal responses as a class and in groups. I would do re-teaching and use more examples and have more verbal responses. I could review using context clues to identify unknown words, and review some basic phonics skills. If the students understand and are ready to move on, I will plan to have them read passages and write the main idea and details on a graphic organizer. They will also find articles on the Internet and identify main idea and details. Finally, they would write a short passage and have other students determine main idea and details. Day 2: Anticipatory set (see descriptor above) Day 2: Purpose/ Motivation Day 2: Modeling/ Direct Instruction Day 2: Guided Practice Day 2: Assessment Day 2: Reflection/ Plans for Diverse Learners Day 3: Anticipatory Set Day 3: Purpose/Motivation Day 3: Modeling/ Direct Instruction Day 3: Guided Practice Day 3: Assessment Day 3: Reflection/ Plans for Diverse Learners Day 4: Anticipatory Set Day 4: Purpose/ Motivation Day 4: Modeling/ Direct Instruction Day 4: Guided Practice Day 4: Assessment Day 4: Reflection/ Plans for Diverse Learners Day 5: Anticipatory Set Day 5: Purpose/ Motivation Day 5: Modeling/ Direct Instruction Day 5: Guided Practice Day 5: Assessment Day 5: Reflections/ Plans for Diverse Learners Appendix 2 |SAMPLE PARENT LETTER | |Greetings Students and Parents! | |Starting August , you willing be embarking on an exciting journey; a journey that will lead you to, my classroom! Through several forms of| |instruction, I am committed to educating, engaging, and challenging you who are willing and eager to learn! | |You will be pleased to hear that in my class, there are no rules; only expectations. My classroom expectations are clear, simple, and easy| |to follow: | |Listen attentively and follow directions. Throughout the year, our class will be doing many fun and exciting activities. Some will test | |what you know and others will challenge your mind to explore into ideas that you may not know quite yet. It will be important for you to | |listen and follow my directions. | |Ask for permission. I am very flexible and open to allowing you the chance to explore and learn things through hands-on tasks. Some | |activities may require you to use equipment and tools that you are not familiar w ith. For your safety, it  is very important that you ask | |me for permission before handling materials. | |Be respectful of personal space and property. Students enrolled in my class are guaranteed the right to personal space and respect. To | |ensure our class is engaged and on task, I ask that we each honor the people around us by respecting their space and things. If in doubt, | |use the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. | |Participate in the group as well as individually. Students are encouraged to succeed and give it their all. My class motto is: I will do | |my best, not be the best, but expect the best from others in the class as well. A student will not be judged by the ability of another | |student. All I can ever ask and expect from the students in my class is that they do their very best—not try to be the best in the | |class—and encourage others to do their best as well. | |HAVE FUN! School is hard work and I believe we are in for a great journey. A journey would not be of any importance unless you had great | |fun along the way! It is my intention to provide several opportunities for you to explore learning through difference perspectives and to | |have a great deal of FUN! | |I plan to use a positive attitude as well as various teaching techniques to meet your needs. I am hoping to create and maintain an | |open-door policy of communication for parents and students. If you have any questions before the first day of school, I encourage you to | |give me a call at home (812.346.7632) or on my cell phone (502.403.7320). | |Make this year count! Come join the fun and see what the party is all about! | |Mr. James Vincent, 5th Grade | |Spartan Elementary School | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Classroom Rules or Expectations | |My classroom rules are: | |1. Speak kindly to others | |2. Listen when the teacher is talking to you | |3. Follow adult instructions the first time given | |4. Keep area clean | |5. Keep hands and feet to yourself | |6. Do your own best work | | | | | | | | | | | | |