Development vs Poverty and Hunger as a Result of Globalization Coursework

Development vs Poverty and Hunger as a Result of Globalization - Coursework Example Different societies have been impacted in different ways and magnitudes by the results of globalization (MSN 1). This paper will highlight the contributions and impacts of globalization with regards to development, poverty, and hunger.In presenting the first argument, it is true that for the modern world, globalization has been credited with economic growth. This has been achieved by the way it has liberalized trade in a manner capable of benefiting both developed and developing countries (Wells, Shuey, & Kiely 31). Through it, there have been innovations in services and goods because of the competitive and open nature of the global market. Countries select their trading partners based on which one has an advantage of production, which results in consumers getting cheaper services and goods (Dean & Ritzer 9). This development has enabled some countries from the third world to grow into first world status.However, even with the above positive aspects, globalization has been a widely c ontroversial issue (Hamilton 16). This forms the basis of the second argument. Although it has allowed countries to economically develop and improve standards of lives, challenges of globalization made up of anti-poverty campaigners, environmentalists and trade unionists claim free markets have only been reaping gains for Western multinational corporations. By joining a worldwide economy, the less developed countries expose themselves to external economic factors over which they command little or no control. Their diluted national sovereignty renders management of macroeconomics a challenging task, with a decline in their abilities to increase corporation taxation (Friedman 351). Furthermore, while developed countries gain, developing ones suffer when the demand for labor in the first word increases. This leads to diminishing labor forces locally and, ultimately, poverty. Therefore, globalization strengthens positions of developed economies capable of taking advantage of free market s but increases poverty levels of struggling economies.

BCOM 275 Article Rebuttal Essay Example for Free

BCOM 275 Article Rebuttal Essay Smoking bans, specifically in public places, has been a topic of debate for several years now. This debate has been originated primarily from medical or health-related origins. Many have felt strongly against the ban of smoking in public places. Although, almost an equal amount of people support the smoking ban. This paper will acknowledge the pros to proceeding with the smoking ban to rebuttal the argument presented in the article titled, â€Å"The case against smoking bans† by Thomas A. Lambert and analyze the reliability, credibility, and validity of the data used to support his argument. According to Lambert (2012), â€Å"Government-imposed smoking bans are unwise†. â€Å"Risk based argument are insufficient because the slight risks associated with ETS cannot justify the substantial privacy intrusion occasioned by sweeping smoking bans† (p 34). The author’s support against the smoking ban is based on the fact that the statements regarding the need for the ban due to the increase of health care costs for the smoker and those effected by the second-hand smoke. Lambert supports his argument based on the findings of a comprehensive study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1997. The study states, â€Å"†¦smoking probably has the effect of reducing overall healthcare costs because smokers die earlier than nonsmokers. The study’s authors concluded that in a population in which no one smoked, health care costs would be 7 percent higher among men and 4 percent higher among women than the costs in the current mixed population of smokers and nonsmokers† (Government-imposed smoking bans are unwise, 2012, p 36). Although, this data is credible based on its source, this information cannot wholly be deemed valid based on no stated facts to compare healthcare costs of the nonsmokers. â€Å"Logical fallacie s are errors in reasoning† (Cheesebro, T.,  O’Connor, L., Rios, F., 2010). There are four types of common logical fallacies, which are: faulty causation, hasty generalization, either/or thinking, slippery slope and faulty comparison. The justification based on the other data is an example of a hasty generalization and faulty comparison. A hasty generalization occurs when â€Å"†¦a few examples are selected to represent the whole of the conclusion† (Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., Rios, F., 2010). By committing to these generalizations, your conclusions may be incorrect because you are only acknowledging the data that will solely support your argument. The author’s argument is also a faulty comparison because he treats the unique situations the same. He strongly believes that there is no significant difference in the costs of health care in comparison to those who do not smoke. But the author fails to mention the health effects of second hand smoke and why it should be banned in public places In contrast, smoking bans in public places should be implemented because there are many studies that reveal that there is a real problem regarding exposure to second hand smoke. According to the CDC (2012), â€Å"Since 1964, 2.5 million nonsmokers have died from exposure to secondhand smoke†. That statement alone, which is evidence based, is a valid argument why smoking in public places should be banned. Non-smokers should not have to be victims caused by careless smokers who are more interested in feeding their addiction and pleasures. It is intrusion of someone’s privacy if they do not want to be exposed to secondhand smoke. Public places refers to as restaurants, parks, multiunit housing and casinos etc. For children, secondhand smoke exposure can contribute to respiratory and ear infections and higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome. For adults, it can cause lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. With that being said, if we choose not to smoke due to the health effects and increased risk of death, why should we forced to go down with the smokers? We have a choice and it should be respected. If these health conditions can be caused by secondhand smoke alone, consider what effects smoking has on a smoker’s body. As mentioned earlier, those who do smoke die earlier. So how can the statement regarding no difference in health care costs between a smoker and non-smoker be valid? In conclusion, due to the evidence-based bad health effects of secondhand smoke, smoking in public places should be banned. There is no justification for someone who chooses to live a healthy lifestyle in order to live longer,  to have a smoker determine how long they should live or what quality of life they should have. References Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lambert, T. A. (2007). The case against smoking bans. Regulation, 29(4), 34-40. Retrieved on March 7, 2014 from, http://search.proquest.com/docview/210517192?accountid=458 Smoking and Tobacco. (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on March 6, 2014 from, http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/healt h_effects/index.htm

The Curse and Blessing of Montana :: Free Descriptive Essay About A Place

The Curse and Blessing of Montana Montana seems to be one of those states that most people either love or hate. It is so distinct from any other state that it is no wonder this is the case. Montana is in so many ways such a great state to live in, with a wide variety of recreation, hobbies, and other enjoyable pastimes; however, many problems plague the state, from its lack of modern conveniences to its poor job opportunities. What many people do not realize is how much these good and bad characteristics are related. There are innumerable examples of Montana's good qualities, far too many to name all of them, but several of these examples are the recreation, history and beauty of Montana. Recreation in Montana includes sports like biking, skiing, hiking, and a many more outdoor recreational activities. The wide open areas create almost endless possibilities for outdoor recreation, and the relatively small population decreases the clutter along lakes, trails, streams, and other venues for recreation. Also, the small population and large open spaces have a preserving effect on Montana's historical buildings, monuments, and other objects of historical significance and interest. Montana is able to keep these historical sites safe because demand for these sites both for industrialization and by the general population is not too great. The small population and large open areas also allow for a broad range of wildlife habitation, which is excellent for both recreational activities like hunting and fishi ng and for wildlife viewing. Montana's beautiful and varied landscapes are also remarkable to view. The towering, craggy mountains; vast, spectacular forests; massive, grassy plains; and numerous lakes, rivers, and streams, many of which are very sparsely populated, are magnificent to behold. All these pleasurable aspects of Montana are direct results of its generally rural environment and would not be possible without this characteristic. It is evident that those who love Montana are most likely in love with its rural setting. Most of the reasons people dislike Montana are also directly related to its ruralness. Some of these reasons include difficult access to conveniences taken for granted in many areas of the U.S., the complete absence of other conveniences, and limited job opportunities. Because Montana is rural, many businesses are only attracted to the larger cities within the state. Because of this, many Montanans not living in these places must drive longer distances than would normally be required in most states to reach these businesses.

Mysterious Story Essay

It was a sunny Saturday morning, my first time hiking and we were on the road to the Drakensberg mountains. My dad, Lanny, was driving us and I was lying on the back seat listening to music. Oh yes and my little brother Ross was in the passenger seat speaking to my dad, asking him about hiking. When we had arrived at 11:00 am we were booking in at one of the hotels close to our hiking trails starting point. We were un-packing and ready to get some sleep for the big day ahead of us. Waking up at the crack of dawn was hard but we were able to do it and made snacks for the hike. At 6:00am we were ready to hike and at the trail. As we started it seemed easy but continued to get harder. My younger brother Ross was struggling up the mountain and asked me to carry his bag for him. I had a strange thought; I should be nice to him because if something had to happen to him I wouldn’t like it if the last thing I said was nasty. We had been hiking for just over an hour when we decided to stop for a break and brunch. My brother was in need of the toilet. We told him to just go behind the bush. I heard a rustle in the bushes around us and a cold shiver ran through me. HELP! We ran to the bush he was behind. Looking around we saw marks and footprints on the ground. We followed them down the bank. Running as fast as we could, we saw the huge creature. It turned around, we dived behind a shrub, I don’t think it saw us. Jumping up again, we were out of breath but continued chasing. The creature was very big with white fur, bigger than a gorilla or a bear. We were determined to find him and as we approached the village that these Sasquatch type beasts were using, we peeped over the fences made of steaks and vines, we were sure Ross was in great danger. When looking over the walls we saw many of the Sasquatches and searched for little Ross among the crowd of beasts. We had made up our minds, we were going in. After we tried to get his attention several times we noticed he was in such great shock that he didn’t recognize us. Hiding behind each tavern and bush. Jumping and rolling from bush to bush. Then Bang! There the sound of something landing behind us. We turned around and saw its giant feet then ran. But we were no match for them, they surrounded us. My dad said, â€Å"just be calm we’ll be fine†. They tied us up and put us each in separate taverns. I saw my back pack and tried to get the Swiss army knife out, but the primitive Sasquatch saw me and couldn’t understand what I was doing so he locked me up in small dark room. They took off my ropes and confiscated my bag. They left me in this room with only the belongings in my pockets and my clothes. I wrote this message on my cell phone and sent it to everyone I know. Please try save us!

Race, Ethnicity, & Prejudice Essay

At one point in time the U. S. Census defined someone as a â€Å"negro† if they were one-sixteenth black. That is, if one of your sixteen great-great grandparents was of African descent (and the other fifteen were of â€Å"white† European descent), you were defined as â€Å"negro†. In Jamaica, people believed to be of â€Å"pure† African descent are described as black. People who are bi-racial are usually described as â€Å"colored†. In Brazil, there are even more differentiations of those believed to be of African descent. The point of all this is that our definitions are culture-bound and socially constructed. They are, therefore, not particularly scientific and change over time. This does not mean that race and ethnicity have no real meaning. They have meaning because we give them meaning. 1. What method do census enumerators use to classify people according to race? A census enumerator is a person who collects census data. Before 1960, census enumerators were themselves responsible for classifying people according to race. However, in 1960 there was a switch to self-reporting. From this point on, individuals were in control of classifying themselves. It was no longer the census enumerators who classified individuals, but individuals who classified themselves. Census enumerators would just compile the results. 2. Which categories of ethnicity are used by the census bureau? The categories of ethnicity and race used by the census bureau have undergone numerous changes over the years. At first, from 1790 to 1880, the census recorded only â€Å"color. † During this time period it was a person’s skin color that was of importance and there were three categories: White, Black, and Mulatto. The categories expanded in 1890 and consisted of five gradations: Black, Mulatto, Quadroon, Octoroon, and White. It was in 1900 that the word â€Å"race† actually appeared in the census. The question now asked for each person’s â€Å"color or race. † At this time the census used only two categories: White and Black. It wasn’t until 1950 that the word â€Å"color† was completely dropped and the census only asked for the person’s race. In 1960 people were able to classify themselves. Shortly following the census added the category â€Å"other. † In 1977 there were four racial categories established: American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, and White. Plus there was the â€Å"Other† category. Also, the census added two ethnicity categories: Hispanic origin and Not of Hispanic origin. 3. How have categories changed for the 2000 Census? Since 1977, the racial and ethnic makeup of the country changed significantly. There were no questions as to whether the previous standards still reflected the diversity that was present in the United States. So, with that, the categories for the 2000 census were revised. The categories now consisted of: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and White. The category of â€Å"Some Other Race† is also included. In regards to ethnicity, there are two categories: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino. Aside from changes in the categories, another significant change for the 2000 census is that respondents are allowed to check off multiple â€Å"race† boxes. 4. What problems do you see with the Census definitions? The diversity in our society is increasing. Putting people in categories is becoming more problematic because the categories are arbitrary; none of the groups have clear or unambiguous boundaries. Classifying people into a certain category is restrictive and doesn’t take into account that â€Å"people classified as â€Å"Asian and Pacific Islander† represent scores of different national and linguistic backgrounds, and â€Å"American Indian or Alaska Native† includes people from hundreds of different tribal groups† (Healey 13). The census definitions are very limiting and they don’t do diversity justice. Also, there is still no place for a number of groups among the categories listed. â€Å"For example, where should we place Arab Americans and recent immigrants from Africa? † (Healey 13). I understand that it is unrealistic to have a category for every single group, but we should realize that the definitions used by the census, the classification schemes, have limited utility and application. In addition, there is a growing number of mixed-race individuals for whom there are no categories. Although currently that number is relatively small, it is projected to increase rapidly due to a growing number of marriages across group lines. How should those individuals be classified? Sources: Healey, Joseph F. (2010). Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Class: The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. (5th Ed. ). Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc. Sweet, Frank W. (2011, Feb. 25). A Brief History of Census â€Å"Race†. Retrieved from http://knol. google. com/k/a-brief-history-of-census-race U. S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Racial and Ethnic Classifications Used in Census 2000 and Beyond. Retrieved from http://www. census. gov/population/www/socdemo/race/racefactcb. html.

Applying to Go to Graduate School for a Different Major

Applying to Go to Graduate School for a Different Major Many students find that their career would benefit from additional studies that differ from their bachelors degrees. They may learn that their interests lie in a different field than their major or that their current field has grown and new avenues for study have emerged since their earlier years in academia. Demonstrate Your Capabilities While your graduate options are not limited by your college major, you still, however, have to work hard to demonstrate that youre a good candidate for graduate programs in your newly chosen field. Admittance to graduate school is all about how well you match the program. If you can demonstrate that you have the experiences and competencies to succeed, that may help your chances of getting accepted. Focus on the skills and life experiences that led you to switch your studies. Seek Related Experience Most graduate programs in biology will not accept a student without undergraduate science coursework. This is true of most areas of graduate study. To demonstrate competence you might consider engaging in internships or additional coursework. If, for example, your bachelors degree is in psychology and you wish to apply to a masters program in biology, take some science courses can demonstrate that you have a solid science background. Check your local community college or look into online courses. Take the Subject GRE If youre switching fields of study, its in your best interest to take the Subject GRE, even though its likely not required. A solid score on this exam illustrates your mastery of the subject matter, which can show your ability to succeed in the new field. Get Certified While a certificate is not the same as a graduate degree, many programs are rigorous and can be a great precursor to your next degree. Certifications are often affordable and can be done in a short period of time, and they can prove your mastery of the material. Some certificate programs offer courses similar to those youd find in graduate school and can prepare you for the rigorous studies ahead. Use Your Admissions Essay to Demonstrate Your Fit Your graduate school admissions essay is your opportunity to speak to the graduate committee. Use this essay to show how your education and experiences specifically align with the graduate program.  Some fields, like law, relate to many courses of study. Discuss your interest in the field and how your experiences have prepared you to succeed in the field. Draw attention to courses youve taken or experiences that illustrate your interest or competence in the area to which you aspire. For example, as a psychology major who wishes to study biology, emphasize the aspects of your education that overlap with biology, such as the emphasis on understanding the brain as an influence on behavior, as well courses in methodology and statistics, and your research experience. Explain why youre making a transition from one field to another, why you have the background to do so, why youll be a good graduate student, as well as your career goals. Ultimately graduate school admissions committees want to see evidence of your interest, knowledge, and competence. They want to know if you have the ability to fulfill degree requirements and if youre a good risk.  Keep the admissions committees perspective in mind, and youll have an advantage in the admissions process despite having the wrong undergraduate major.

Osmotic Pressure and Tonicity

Osmotic Pressure and Tonicity Osmotic pressure and tonicity often are confusing to people. Both are scientific terms pertaining to pressure. Osmotic pressure is the pressure of a solution against a semipermeable membrane to prevent water from flowing inward across the membrane. Tonicity is the measure of this pressure. If the concentration of solutes on both sides of the membrane is equal, then there is no tendency for water to move across the membrane and no osmotic pressure. The solutions are isotonic with respect to each other. Usually, there is a higher concentration of solutes on one side of the membrane than the other. If youre unclear about osmotic pressure and tonicity it might because youre confused about how the difference between diffusion and osmosis. Diffusion Versus Osmosis Diffusion is the movement of particles from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. For example, if you add sugar to water, the sugar will diffuse throughout the water until the concentration of sugar in the water is constant throughout the solution. Another example of diffusion is how the scent of perfume spreads throughout a room. During osmosis, as with diffusion, there is a tendency of particles to seek the same concentration throughout the solution. However, the particles may be too large to cross a semipermeable membrane separating regions of a solution, so water moves across the membrane. If you have a sugar solution on one side of a semipermeable membrane and pure water on the other side of the membrane, there will always be pressure on the water side of the membrane to try to dilute the sugar solution. Does this mean all of the water will flow into the sugar solution? Probably not, because the fluid may be exerting pressure on the membrane, equalizing the pressure. As an example, if you put a cell in fresh water, the water will flow into the cell, causing it to swell. Will all of the water flow into the cell? No. Either the cell will rupture or else it will swell to a point where the pressure exerted on the membrane exceeds the pressure of the water trying to enter the cell. Of course, small ions and molecules may be able to cross a semipermeable membrane, so solutes such as small ions (Na, Cl-) behave much like they would if simple diffusion were occurring. Hypertonicity, Isotonicity, and Hypotonicity The tonicity of solutions with respect to each other may be expressed as hypertonic, isotonic or hypotonic. The effect of different external solute concentrations on red blood cells serves as a good example for a hypertonic, isotonic and hypotonic solution. Hypertonic Solution or Hypertonicity When the osmotic pressure of the solution outside the blood cells higher than the osmotic pressure inside the red blood cells, the solution is hypertonic. The water inside the blood cells exits the cells in an attempt to equalize the osmotic pressure, causing the cells to shrink or create. Isotonic Solution or Isotonicity When the osmotic pressure outside the red blood cells is the same as the pressure inside the cells, the solution is isotonic with respect to the cytoplasm. This is the usual condition of red blood cells in plasma. Hypotonic Solution or Hypotonicity When the solution outside of the red blood cells has a lower osmotic pressure than the cytoplasm of the red blood cells, the solution is hypotonic with respect to the cells. The cells take in water in an attempt to equalize the osmotic pressure, causing them to swell and potentially burst.

10 Ways to Use Smartphones to Teach English

10 Ways to Use Smartphones to Teach English Smartphones are here to stay. For English teachers, that means we need to either ban iPhones, Androids, Blackberries, and whatever next flavor arrives, or we have to learn how to incorporate the use of smartphones into our routine. Students who sit in class and use their iPhone or Android are missing out; however, its also true that students are going to use their smartphones if they havent been taken away. Here are ten tips on how to constructively allow the use of smartphones in class. Some of the exercises are just variations on traditional classroom activities. However, encouraging students to use smartphones to complete these activities will help them learn to use their devices to actively improve their English skills. Finally, its important to insist that smartphone or tablet use in the classroom is approved only as a tool during a specific activity. In this way, they may not be tempted to use their smartphones for other reasons during class.   Vocabulary Exercises Using Google Image Search A picture is worth a thousand words. Have students use their smartphone to look up specific nouns on Google images or another search engine. Youve all seen how a visual dictionary can greatly improve vocabulary retention. With smartphones, we have visual dictionaries on steroids. Translation Activities Encourage students to read using three phases. Only allow smartphone use in the third phase. Students are pleased because they can look up words. However, theyre developing good reading skills by not immediately translating every word they do not understand. Read for gist: no stopping!Read for context: How can the words surrounding unknown words help with understanding?Read for precision: explore new vocabulary using a smartphone or dictionary. Use Apps for Communication Activities We all communicate with our smartphones in different ways depending on different apps. In other words, texting with a messaging app is bound to be different than writing an email on your computer. Take advantage of this and promote activities that are specific to a given context. One example might be to have students text each other to complete a given task.   Practice Pronunciation You can use smartphones to record audio as you model pronunciation for your students. For example, gather suggestions, then ask students to open a recording app. Read five different ways to make a suggestion aloud. Pause between each suggestion. Have students go home and practice mimicking your pronunciation in the pause between each suggestion. There are many, many variations on this theme.   Another great use for pronunciation is to have students change the language to English and try to dictate an email. Theyll have to work really hard at word level pronunciation in order to get the desired results. Thesaurus Activities Have students search on the phrase words like... and a host of online offerings will appear. Encourage students to use their smart phones during writing class in this manner while focusing on developing a wider range of vocabulary. For example, take a simple sentence such as The people spoke about politics. Ask students to come up with a number of versions using their smartphones to find substitutes for the verb speak. Play Games This is something we normally shouldnt encourage in class; however, you might encourage students to write down phrases they experience while playing games to bring into class to discuss in more detail. There are also a number of word games such as Scrabble or word search puzzles that are actually instructive as well as fun. You can make room for this in your class as a reward for completing a task, just make sure to tie it to some sort of report back to the class. Track Vocabulary There are a wide variety of MindMapping apps available, as well as a myriad of flash card apps. You can even create your own flash cards and have students download your set of cards to practice in class.   Practice Writing Have students write emails to each other in order to complete a specific task. Change up the tasks to practice different types of register. For example, one student might write a product inquiry with another student replying to the inquiry with a follow-up email. This is nothing new. However, just using their smartphones can help motivate the students to complete the task. Create Narration This is a variation on writing emails. Have students choose photos they have taken and write a short story describing the photos they have chosen. By making the activity personal in this manner, students engage more deeply with the task. Keep a Journal One more writing exercise for the smartphone. Have students keep a journal and share it with the class. Students can take photos, write descriptions in English, as well as describe their day.

Mintab assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mintab assignment - Essay Example HSE makes utilization of money matters in assessing the costs and profits of its mediation and in understanding the most extensive financial connection for well-being and security. The primary point of Health and Safety Executive (HS) is to break down the respects between laborers in the four separate segments furthermore to complete the strength of professionals in relationship between them. The Health and Safety Executive likewise asked to do an analysis in relationship between the length of administration and recorded well-being issues, for example, silicosis. Tile, porcelain and precious stone glass commercial enterprise. This study however, will incur and make use of variance test both H0 and H1. The samples associated with variance H1 will have different variances while H0 will have no difference in the variances between the samples. From this perception we realize that if one rejects the alternative if the p value is greater than 0.05, he or she will be forced to reject the null if the p value is less than 0.05 The main objective of this study is to analyse the deference’s between workers in the four different sectors and also to carry out the health of workers in relationship between them as far as Health and safety Executive (HS) is of concern. However, this study constitutes two hypotheses. The first hypothesis is H0 where there is no links in the recorded health of the workers and there is no variance in the health of the workers. The second hypothesis is H1 where there is a link in the recorded health of the workers and there is a variance in the health of the workers. The study will analyse and give justification on both hypotheses to oversee the null perception as far as p value is taken into consideration. In the light of the HSEs concentrate on empowering associations successfully to handle work-related stress using Variance approach, one would anticipate that the relationship will exist between

Research Methods in Academic Accounting and Finance Assignment

Research Methods in Academic Accounting and Finance - Assignment Example The present paper has identified that academic research requires orderly analysis into the topic of study through different materials and resources for utter conclusions and actualities. Significantly, it is a requirement for personnel in the academic institutions to be conversant with the terms ‘research’ and ‘research methods or research methodology’; some people have experience in the area but even if one does not its part of all the courses and training. Relatively, everyone establishes that for effectual research, the right research methods should apply to make the best out of the study; moreover, they determine the kind of results one gets from their project or research topic (Remenyi 2011). The research methods one should implement depends on factors such as the topic of study, a period set aside for research, the target population and the results one expects to gather at the end. Today, there are multiple research methods especially in the academic f ield, each having its merits and shortcomings; however, it all depends on the factors mentioned above. The classification of these methods also has relied on particular aspects; normally, there are those methods that will take a lot of time and resources while others take a few hours or days with very minimal expenses for the researcher (Gill 2008). Some of the courses such as those involving social science require research methods that entail a lot of interaction among people but for pure sciences or accounting and finance, one has a vast scope and selection of the essential research methods.  Case Studies, interviews and use of questionnaires are among the most recommendable research methods for any academic study or research; all the same, it is a requirement for students to be conversant in their application, and if not, one has to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. Most people argue that these methods are easy because of the common interviews on TV, case studies on b ooks or other literature, and the questionnaires from school and almost every institution. However, if one does not include a plan for implementation and management for any of these problems, the conclusions and results are inaccurate; moreover, a lot of time goes to waste.  

Investment management strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment management strategies - Essay Example The correlation coefficient between the daily stock return in each portfolio is also calculated and combined with the standard deviations in a covariance matrix to calculate the variance and standard deviation for each portfolio. Sensitivity analysis is also carried out by changing the weights of each stock in the portfolio to see how the performance changes. The variance and thus the standard deviation are far more difficult to calculate because the variance of a portfolio is not simply a weighted average of the individual variances of the stocks included in the portfolio except for the special case where the individual stock returns are uncorrelated with one another. The variance for a two stock portfolio is given by: We need to set up a covariance matrix to bordered covariance matrix to be able to calculate the 1variance and standard deviation for a portfolio of more than two stocks. For a three stock portfolio the bordered covariance matrix can be written as follows (Bodie et al., 2002): The portfolio variance is calculated from the above nine terms by multiplying the bordered weights by the corresponding covariance and then summing the different terms. The standard deviation is calculated by taking the square root of the variance. From the table above, the variance is given by: (3) and the standard deviation of the portfolio is given by: (4) The covariance matrix in table 1 above can be extended to any number of stocks. Haven discussed how to calculate the expected return on portfolio, the variance and standard deviation; we now apply the above models to the U.S and Australian portfolios. Std. Dev (%) Ave Ret (%) Citi Group Inc. 3.58 -0.03 American Express 2.99 0.26 Motorola Inc 2.25 -0.30 Boeing Co. 1.85 -0.38 McDonalds Corp 1.45 -0.44 Coca Cola 0.91 -0.34 Table two above show the standard deviation and average return of each of the stocks included in the U.S portfolio over the period under study (details of the calculations are found in the attached excel file). To be able to calculate the covariance between the different stocks, we need to know the correlation coefficients between the different stocks. We use the correlation function in Excel to calculate the correlation coefficient between the different stocks. Doing this we obtain the following correlation matrix for the different stocks: Table 2: Correlation matrix (U.S Portfolio) Citigroup Inc. American Express Motorola Inc Boeing Co. McDonalds Corp Coca Cola Citi Group Inc. 1.00 0.90 0.54 0.74 0.78 0.25 American Express 0.90 1.00 0.64 0.78 0.87 0.34 Motorola Inc 0.54 0.64 1.00 0.37 0.53 0.23 Boeing Co. 0.74 0.78 0.37 1.00 0.72 0.16 McDonalds Corp 0.78 0.87 0.53 0.72 1.00 0.31 Coca Cola Co. 0.25 0.34 0.23 0.16 0.31 1.00 To obtain the covariance matrix we use the following formula formula to calculate the

The East India Decline in year 1833 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The East India Decline in year 1833 - Essay Example This paper accounts for the decline of the East India Company in light of the political and commercial influences occurring in the Year 1833. It considers the fall in the East India Company with specific concern Charter Act 1833 It considers the fall in the East India Company with specific concern Charter Act 1833. The East India Decline in year 1833: Â § Introduction The East India Company was perhaps among the most powerful commercial organization that the world had ever witnessed. In its heyday it not only had monopoly on British trade with Far East and India but it was even responsible for the government of already vast Indian sub-continent. All of these factors meant that the British East India Company marked a greater historical event. The East India Company came into being in 1600 before collapsing completely in 1858 this was the phase when the Company was taken over under the direct control of Great British government. There are a number of reasons that contributed towards t he decline of the Company and eventually it being taken over. The decline of this megalomaniacal commercial entity was already destined by its own actions as far back as the mid-eighteenth century These include the short term factors such as the Indian Sepoy Mutiny as well as the other long term factors such as the internal mal administration of the Company (which had taken birth earlier than 1833), the ever increasing power of British government and to some lesser extent this can even be attributed to the change in public opinion over time. Charter Act 1833 Reform Act The period that had followed the enactment of the great Charter Act of 1833 witnessed very great change in England. (The Richest East India Merchant: The Life and Business of John Palmer of Calcutta, 1767-1836.) The industrial revolution had actually a greater impact in England. In the year 1830, the time when the Whigs came into super power in the wider political scenario of England, this opened a way of the triumph for the liberal principles. Consequently, the Reform Act was passed in the annual year 1832. (Reform Bill actually came into being by Parliament in June 1832. The Bill actually was directed against the political monopoly of the financial aristocracy and landed gave representatives of such industrial bourgeoisie access to the Parliament. However, the proletariat and petty bourgeoisie, the main forces towards the struggle for the reform had gained no electoral rights. ) The Reform Act with that the concepts of laissez faire and the rights of men were then duly emphasized. Introduction of Laissez Faire Laissez faire is a kind of style that is positive only in condition where the workers are very responsible and in the case of creative jobs where any person is thereby guided by his own aspirations. In such cases, less direction would be required so this style could have acted better. This was the kind of style where most people don't like someone looking over their shoulder of responsib ility, in that manner laissez faire style would promote a sense of trust in the workers. This style has more disadvantages this is due to the view that it is imposed as the lack of interest of the leader that leads to him being adopting this style. It just proves that there is an ineffective or poor management which makes the workers lose their sense of direction, purpose and focus. The disinterest of the leadership and management causes the workers to become less interested in their work and their dissatisfaction even increases. A laissez faire management might makes it easier for workers to do substandard job or to slack it off entirely but that usually cause a very high visibility problem to bring such workers to a lighter situation. Laissez faire, or a sort of hands off style of the governing, can lead to lots of corruption and anarchy. Many

Organizational Structure Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Structure Paper - Essay Example BPs marketing system has been to present itself as a green company producing new cleaner fuels for reducing CO2 emissions. On the other hand, this scheme might lead to loss of business to its competitors as people question its green image. Profit earned from selling product and services is shared among shareholders, used to fund future expansion and retains part of it to aid in search of new oil and gas reserves and invest on new technology or replace old machinery. Internal leadership and management are segmented into divisions that review contractors, thus enhancing flow of communication within the organization. Finally, BP focuses on diversification and branching out in its operations (Brown, 2012). Oil located in deep sea helps BP develop better processes for deep-sea drilling from cementing, testing for leakages, to well control and risk management. Functionally, BP should educate and train its personnel to enhance capability and competence. Departmentally, BP ought to adopt a centralized organizational structure as this will improve cost efficiency and inject consistency into operations. Finally, BP should focus on diversifying its marketing channels for the companys advantage (Bateman & Snell,

Education Reforms - Key Factors Institution Should Consider When Explo Assignment

Education Reforms - Key Factors Institution Should Consider When Exploring a Change in Divisions - Assignment Example The third factor is ethnic and gender issues. The fourth factor is the financial influence. Other factors include knowing athletes at the university, ethnic/gender ratio at the university, knowing someone on the team, and the number of alumni in professional sports. These factors include the academic performance of the athlete, classroom attendance, and participation, presence of computer labs and library use. For an athlete to move from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division he or she must display a history of more than an average academic performance for a division I team to allow any student to join them. Chances are that a student who is an athlete and performs in class is more likely to get a chance to join a Division I institution. Academic also involve the use of both the library and computer lab. A student who has some knowledge of how to operate computers is also considered because of digital technology being used in the sports industry (Hawkins, 2010). These factors influence the sociological aspect of students who are sportspeople to move from Division II to Division I. Higher education institution must consider the social environment at the university, social atmosphere of the team, campus and the personality of the coach. Social environment includes all the factors that relate to students interacting with other students, team unity and discipline of the student (Einhorn & Rapoport, 2005). A disciplined student is able to differentiate wrong from wright and at the same time advises the colleagues positively both academic wise and in sports. The personality of the coach is also considered. A good example is how public schools use sports to socialize and demonstrate the significance of the schools to the community (Guthrie, 2003). Higher education institution must consider the extent to which the media displays the team. A good team is that which has few media scandals relating to its players.  Ã‚  

Organizational Structure Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Structure Paper - Essay Example BPs marketing system has been to present itself as a green company producing new cleaner fuels for reducing CO2 emissions. On the other hand, this scheme might lead to loss of business to its competitors as people question its green image. Profit earned from selling product and services is shared among shareholders, used to fund future expansion and retains part of it to aid in search of new oil and gas reserves and invest on new technology or replace old machinery. Internal leadership and management are segmented into divisions that review contractors, thus enhancing flow of communication within the organization. Finally, BP focuses on diversification and branching out in its operations (Brown, 2012). Oil located in deep sea helps BP develop better processes for deep-sea drilling from cementing, testing for leakages, to well control and risk management. Functionally, BP should educate and train its personnel to enhance capability and competence. Departmentally, BP ought to adopt a centralized organizational structure as this will improve cost efficiency and inject consistency into operations. Finally, BP should focus on diversifying its marketing channels for the companys advantage (Bateman & Snell,

Electronics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Electronics - Coursework Example The gain of an amplifier is usually given in decibels or its unit less if the input and output variables are the same (all current, voltage or power. The power gain of an amplifier depends on the sources and load resistances used and its voltage gain. The amplifier should be linear in most cases hence its gain should be constant. Electronic amplifiers find their applications in Radios, Television Transmitters, Receivers, and high-fidelity stereo equipments, Microcomputers, and other electronic digital equipments. The 1Mï â€" and 10kï â€" potentiometer/decade boxes were used to set VCE and VBE to the values shown in table 1 to give the input characteristics of the BJT. The voltages across RB were measured and recorded for all measurements of VCE and VBE. The 10kï â€" potentiometer/decade box was s3et to its maximum value so that the output characteristics could be determined. The 1Mï â€" potentiometer/decade box was adjusted to set Ib to 10ï  ­A, and the desired values of RB were calculated using the measured values of RB. the value of 10kï â€" potentiometer/decade box was adjusted for all values of VCE in table 2 of the results analysis while Ib was kept constant. The voltage across the 100ï â€" resistor was measured and recorded for each combination of VCE and IB. In common emitter configuration, the input is connected between the base and the emitter while the output is taken between collector and emitter. The emitter is the common terminal as shown in the above figure. Emitt er base voltage is the input voltage, base current flows in the circuit and then the in the output resister, hence there will be high power and voltage gains and its output and input voltage ratio is moderate hence this configuration is commonly used. Increasing the supply voltage causes the base current to be lower for a given value of base-emitter voltage; this implies that higher values of supply voltage leads to greater collector-base junction reverse bias, hence greater depletion region

Analysis Soft Drink Essay Example for Free

Analysis Soft Drink Essay 1Analysis of the U. S. soft drink industry, based on the competitive forces model of Michael Porter. In the soft drink industry the entry of new competitors depends on the barriers to entry that are present, and also the reaction from existing competitors that the entrant can expect. I will now analyze the six major sources of barriers to entry the soft drink industry. Economies of scale deter entry by forcing the entrant to come in at large scale and risk strong reaction from existing firms or come in at a small scale and accept a cost disadvantage. If a company wants to decline its unit costs of their product, they will have to produce more to lower the cost. The more you produce, the lower the costs. In the soft drink industry establishing firms have brand identification and customer loyalties. The brand name can have differences. This is a high barrier to enter. Entrants are forced to spend a lot to overcome existing customer loyalties. The capital requirements within this industry are very high. Production, distribution and advertising are a must to compete with the industry leaders like coca cola and Pepsi. So if a new The aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles are pretty much dependant on the soft drink industry to survive in the business. This makes suppliers to have little power over the soft drink industry. The access to distribution channels is a high barrier because the most successful soft drink companies are aggressively spending their distribution channels and buying full ownership of bottling plants. Supermarkets are at present the largest channels in the U. S. and there the competition is very high. Switching costs is also a barrier to entry this business. Switching costs by changing from one supplier to the other may happened. Also employee training, new equipment, testing new technology. This things are common in this industry. This are barriers for new entrants.

Interpretations of William Faulkners A Rose for Emily :: A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner

Interpretations of William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" has been interpreted in many different ways. Most of these rely solely on hints found within the story. I believe that his life can also help one analyze this story. By knowing that Faulkner's strongest influence was his independent mother, one can guess that Miss Emily Grierson's character was based partly on Maud Falkner. William Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi on September 25, 1897. His family moved to Oxford, Mississippi when Faulkner was five years old (Larinde). His parents were Murry and Maud Falkner (Zane 2). Faulkner added the "u" to his last name on his Royal Air Force application for unknown reasons (5). Faulkner's great-grandfather, Colonel William C. Falkner had moved from Tennessee to the Mississippi Delta in 1841. The Colonel was a Civil War hero, plantation owner, railroad builder, and even a writer (Larinde). Faulkner's grandfather and father were both respected, though not wealthy. They were also both alcoholics. Faulkner and his father never had a very good relationship. He and his mother, though, were very close. Maud gave him his love of art and literature. She influenced Faulkner more than anyone else with her strong independence (Zane 3-4). She may have been the inspiration for the strong, independent character, Emily Grierson. "William Faulkner was a quiet but mischievous child, polite and rude, loving and withdrawn" (4). He did well in grade school, but began showing signs of truancy during adolescence. Faulkner dropped out of high school in eleventh grade. In 1918, Faulkner attempted to enlist in the U.S. Army but was turned down. He then applied to the Royal Air Force where he adds the "u" to his last name. He was soon discharged and returned to Oxford, Mississippi. Here he attended the university for two year. "In the decade that followed, Faulkner donned a host of other identities, alternately and aristocrat, a bohemian, or a derelict" (Zane 5). Faulkner established himself as a major novelist in 1929 with the book The Sound and the Fury (Larinde). He wrote twenty novels and many short stories (Zane 1). His greatest achievements were the Nobel Prize for literature in 1950, the National Book Award, and Pulitzer Prizes. All of these awards came after he was fifty (7). Although Faulkner lived in Canada, New Orleans, New York, Hollywood, and Virginia, most of his life was spent in his native Mississippi (Faulkner 177).

A Comparison of Orlando and Othello Essay -- comparison compare contra

Orlando and Othello In her novel Orlando: A Biography, Virginia Woolf draws upon Shakespeare's Othello to both enhance the images within her novel through allusion and further Orlando's character development using juxtaposition. Spanning about 400 years, various historical eras, and gender ambiguity in the characters, Orlando is certainly not a traditional novel. Thus, it follows that its use of historical information and literature breaks from convention as well. This is true for Woolf's use of Shakespeare's Othello. While the play is drawn upon in various contexts, from character traits to plot line, Woolf carefully places her allusions such that they support her plot line at one moment while they may be inconsistent at another. This works well within her novel because as she breaks from convention by utilizing multiple timelines and shifts in gender and sex for her characters she is able to shift in her parallels from the characters in Othello to the characters of Orlando. These shifts accen t the changes she is making within her characters and plot line and also force the reader to break with the long standing views of gender and "otherness" established in Shakespeare's work. During the first half of Orlando: A Biography, Woolf clearly draws off of the play Othello. At times this is clearer than others. In both Orlando and Othello, there is little reference to Othello by name. He is referred to instead by an ethnic background--he is the Moor. One might question the certainty of the Moor representing the figure Othello in the novel Orlando. In the case of the play, it is quite obvious that Othello is being referred ... ...his ideal of love. Orlando is jealous because of actions he observed Sasha make. While it seems that he would have more of a reason to be upset, he does not take the same magnitude of action. While is does have a long term effect on his life, he eventually moves on with his life instead of destroying it. 1 Orlando, pg. 13 2 Orlando, pg. 15 5m 3 Haines-Wright, Lisa and Kyle, Tracy L. "Fluid Sexuality in Virginia Woolf" Virginia Woolf: Texts and Contexts New York, NY: Pace University Press, 1996 4 Byles, Joan M. "The Winter's Tale, Othello and Troilus and Cressida: Narcissism and Sexual Betrayal" American Image: Studies in Psychoanalyss and Culture 36, no.1: 81 5 Byles, Joan M. "The Winter's Tale, Othello and Troilus and Cressida: Narcissism and Sexual Betrayal" American Image: Studies in Psychoanalyss and Culture 36, no.1: 83

Nutrition leads to Academic Success and better life

All of us have an amazing gift, have you ever considered how incredible the human body is? Just look at what the brain is capable of doing and how it deals with our daily classroom requirements. Our brain needs several very important ingredients to make it more efficient with our academic success. Shockingly, fats are critical, our brains need good fats. We also need proteins, carbohydrates and water. These ingredients are really necessary for us to process information effectively. We will now look at the way our brains work. Within your brain, a biochemical process of learning is occurring, that parallels the classroom experience. Making connections, finding meaning, and solving problems are learning tasks that require lightning-fast electrical impulses between areas of the brain It's 5:30pm. You just arrived for your class after a long day at work. You have prepared yourself for this learning experience of visual input, hands-on activities, reading and experimentation – to absorb as much as possible (Norman). You look around your class room, do you see bright eyes and positive, expectant expressions, or do you see squirming, sleeping, or distracted fellow students. Do you notice if your peers are stressed, depressed and anxious? According to experts, the internal environment of the brain is an integral part of learning, just as important as the classroom environment. You may find in some cases students are not able to learn due to poor nutrition or inadequate hydration (Norman). A balance diet is critical to health, and physicians are concerned about today’s increased marketing of junk food and fast food. A trend that so alarming that some have termed it the next â€Å"tobacco† (Jenkins). Within your brain, a biochemical process of learning is occurring, that parallels the classroom experience. Making connections, finding meaning, and solving problems are learning tasks that require lightning-fast electrical impulses between areas of the brain. Formation of memory requires physical growth and reshaping of networks of brain cells. So that wonderful experience – when the lights go on and you say, â€Å"I get it! † – is a neurochemical process as well as an academic one. By nourishing the brain with healthy food and water, you will optimize the internal environment, enabling you to truly engage in the classroom environment and achieve your potential by knowing what your brain needs (Norman). The nutrients that help our brains work well are found in high concentration in the Mediterranean diet (Jenkins). Place your two fists together, with your inner wrists touching. Your brain is about this size and shape. Most of us have seen the rubbery pink models which aren’t a good representation; the brain is amazingly soft, composed primarily of fat and water. It is grayish and pudding-like – composed of 100 billion brain cells – called neurons that drive our thinking, learning, feeling and states of being. Neurons need good fats, protein, complex carbohydrates, micronutrients – vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and water. These nutrients are necessary to power the learning functions of neurons. It’s amazing how our neurons connect (Norman). Just imagine your neurons are shaped like an outstretched hand, with fingers spread. Dendrites (fingers) receive information from other neurons, which is then sent through the axon (arm) to another neuron. The connection between two cells is called a synapse, where the dendrite of one cell nearly touches the body or axon of another cell. Neurons can connect multiple times with the same cell; grow extensions to connect with distant cells, and connect with many different cells at once by growing more dendrites. The brain is dynamic, responsive, and efficient: new connections will be made to record and integrate new information learned. Old, unused connections will be pruned away. This process of building and pruning is not confined to the time of the classroom experience, but continually evolves with all learning that occurs in your life, integrating what is learned within and outside the classroom, integrating life's experiences into the knowledge base and personality we have. The raw material for building and pruning of these connections comes from the food we eat. The big question is what should we feed our brains and body (Norman)? In past years fat was considered an unhealthy part of your diet, now we know that good fats are essential. Our solid matter of the brain is 60% fat, being that our brain consists largely of fatty membranes. Most brain fats are polyunsaturated, meaning their structure contains few or no double bonds which makes the molecules flexible. These fats help maintain flexible, dynamic membranes that are able to transmit and receive information, and maintain other cell functions such as energy production and stores water. Cholesterol is a saturated fat that is often linked Adkisson 4 ith heart disease, but the right cholesterol is an important part of a healthy brain. Sufficient quantities of cholesterol are manufactured in the body without dietary sources. Fat provides energy for the brain as well as a transformation using B-vitamins and other trace nutrients within the neuron to produce pure ATP. The best fats to consume are omega-3 oils from fish, nuts, seeds and dark leafy greens. The next ingredient provides the building blocks of our entire body (Norman). Protein provides amino acids that are used to form our neurotransmitters (NT) and support structures in neurons. Tryptophan from turkey and milk is used to produce serotonin, an NT creating feelings of well-being. Tyrosine, an amino acid found in almonds, an avocado, bananas and meat, is used to make dopamine, associated with enthusiasm (Norman). Our bodies produce about half of the twenty amino acids it needs the other ten are obtained from the foods we eat (Jenkins). Amino acids are also reassembled into powerful antioxidants that are used to protect DNA and other cell components from damage. Proteins also form receptors; structures embedded in membranes that aid in cell communication. All of us need energy and the best was to get it is through the following (Norman). Carbohydrates are the number one energy source for our brain. Sugar is the main fuel for the brain. Most of us have noticed a boost of energy when we eat something that provides sugar. Keep in mind that consuming excessive sugar for breakfast, causing bursts of energy followed by headaches, trouble concentrating, or drowsiness. When our sugar levels rise in our bloodstream, the pancreas releases insulin, which directs sugar into cells, to keep our blood sugar at a stable level. The more sugar we eat causes more insulin to be released, which leads to drowsiness. Many persons instinctively reach for more sugar to boost their energy, thus initiating this cycle again. People, who begin their day with a large donut and sugary juice drink, have a candy bar for a snack, followed by a soda afterwards. This becomes an addiction that’s very difficult to overcome the awful rollercoaster effect of the sugar-insulin response. The best way to overcome it is to make sure your meals contain complex carbohydrates – i. e. whole grains or products made with whole grain flour, rather than refined sugars. Nonetheless, the absorption rate of refined sugar is generally higher, causing a greater release of insulin. One must not forget the next very important ingredient that 60% of our bodies are made up of (Norman). I’m so amazed with the way our neurons store water in tiny balloon-like structures called vacuoles. Water is necessary for optimal brain health and function. Water maintains the tone of our membranes for normal neurotransmission. It improves our circulation and helps in removing wastes. It also keeps our brain from overheating; lack of water could cause serious damage. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, dizziness, poor concentration and reduced cognitive abilities. Even mild levels of dehydration can impact learning performance. It is interesting to note that hydration has been found to affect exercise tolerance. People who are dehydrated tend to feel tired during exercise and avoid activity, a risk factor for obesity. When you are hydrated well before exercise and drink water while exercising leads to an enjoyable experience with less fatigue. It’s encouragement to keep a water bottle at you desk to sip throughout your classes to achieve the recommended intake of water throughout the day. Nutrition and hydration make a difference that helps the foundation for healthy learning. Making healthier choices is an essential part of your education and well-being. Keep water bottle at your desk throughout your class periods. Eat healthy treats such as whole fruit, whole grain crackers, and veggies. Learn how to choose the healthiest foods from the menus at the mall or carry a lunch. Incorporate healthy nutrition at work and home. By making these small changes you’ll be more attentive, and able to enjoy learning and improve you and your families’ lives (Norman). We all have a gift from God, our bodies are temples. We need to take care of it by feeding it properly, exercising and keeping it healthy. Some of us do not do that, unfortunately. We live in an unhealthy nation. There are steps we can take to make changes that can improve our academic success and lives. Sixty percent of our brain is made up of good fats that we should ensure we get. Proteins support structures in neurons. Carbohydrates are the number one energy source for our brain and water is necessary for optimal brain health and function. A person should have enough respect for their bodies to feed it and make it healthy.

Healthcare and Poverty in America

The Dire Need for Universal Health Care The United States is considered by many to be the greatest country in the world. However, when it comes to health care the US is ranked behind 36 other countries, according to the World Health Organization. If one was to do any research at all, they would find that an overwhelming 34 of these 36 countries all have one thing in common. They all use a universal health care system. This is not just a mere coincidence.The problems and outrageous cost within the US healthcare system causes over 700,000 Americans to go bankrupt every year. This staggering problem simply does not occur in any other industrialized countries. Accounting for these facts the United States needs to move quickly to embrace the ideas and adopt the policies of a universal healthcare system. Not only will this help improve the quality of care but will also improve the life of its estimated 16. 3% or 50 million citizens without any healthcare insurance at all.An almost overwhel ming problem caused by the United States’ current health care system is that those with low incomes can't afford the necessary health care and thus already rely on occupations or government programs to receive coverage. This is evident if not by merely recognizing that 50 million citizens don’t have any health insurance, but also because the statistics clearly show that it is very uncommon for health insurance to be purchased directly by the individual. Using statistics taken by the US Census Bureau in 2010, we can conclude that of the 83. % of people with health insurance, the majority 55. 3% had it through employment –based benefits and 31. 0% were able to receive it through government funding. This compares to the measly 9. 8% of people that purchased their insurance directly from a provider. After examining this, it is evident that the vast majority of people rely on their employers or the government funding to keep health insurance. This fact clearly causes some problems when someone might be laid off or just simply makes a career change. Entire families can lose their health coverage due to the breadwinner being released from their job.The National Center for Health Statistics claims that over 50% of individuals lacking health insurance directly blame cost. Roughly 24% of uninsured people claim reasons related to a lost job or a change in employment. It is interesting to note that around 8% of people claim ineligibility for family insurance coverage due to age or leaving school. The primary reason for lacking insurance is money, and it could also be argued that money is directly or indirectly involved in almost every circumstance causing a family to lack the necessary health insurance to provide care.Several years ago in 2005 the NCHS began a study that found well over 40 million adults claiming that they were in need of but did not receive one or more of the health services that follow: medical care, prescription medicines, mental h ealth care, dental care, or eyeglasses. The best reason these 40 million citizens didn’t receive such basic forms of healthcare was simply that they could not afford it. The United States is the only industrialized country that does not provide some type of universal health care to its citizens. Furthermore, they have one of the highest rates for health care expenditures in the world.As a matter of fact, health care expenditures in the United States are by far the highest of any developed country. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development the United States health care expenditures is at 15. 3% of GDP. Next highest in spending is Switzerland, at only 11. 6% of their national GDP. This leads one to believe that the United States does not spend health care money very efficiently. Even according to the Congressional Budget Office in 2006 there were an estimated one-third of health care expenditures that did not help improve health outcomes.Thatâ€⠄¢s roughly 700 billion dollars, and represents nearly 5% of the United States entire GDP. The best solution that is currently being made to the United States healthcare system is what people informally call â€Å"Obamacare. † The actual name for the bill is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (abbreviated to PPACA or ACA). The PPACA has implemented a large amount of new rules and regulations regarding health care, with the purpose of making health care more affordable for everyone. There are some that stand in opposition of the PPACA.They argue that they believe these new rules and regulations take away too many freedoms and force people (both individuals and businesses) to do things they shouldn't have to. However, politicians have concluded that the positive effects of the PPACA far outweigh any negatives. The positive effects that will come about from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are so numerable it would take hundreds of pages to discuss. One important change will come about by lifting the patent protections on prescription drugs.The bill allows the Food and Drug Administration to approve more generic drugs, thus causing competition in the market to drive the prices downward. This in itself would lower the United States drug prices from being an astounding 35% to 55% higher than other countries to actually being competitive at a fair market value. The PPACA has also made new regulations that place a limit on just how much of a percentage of the money an insurer makes can be profit, to make sure they're not price-gouging customers. Obamacare† uses the philosophy that strictly regulating insurance companies profit margins will help prevent the health insurance price-gouging that has been running awry all over the United States. Helpless customers that desperately need to be insured have formerly had little to no control over the greedy insurance providers. The PPACA stepping in and regulating should be viewed more a s a protection for the consumer that a hindrance to the insurance suppliers. The PPACA also places new regulations on what new health plans have to offer.For example, insurance providers are now required to provide preventive care without requiring any sort of charge at all. Before this new regulation was put in place many health providers did not cover cost or still charged fees for things such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and many other forms of screening that would be unaffordable to many in the lower class. Requiring preventive care coverage should better the quality of health care provided in the US, especially to those at or below the poverty line.In conclusion, upon seeing the problems the current United States healthcare system creates for citizens struggling in or right above the poverty line, upon taking a glance at other countries healthcare systems that seem to be more efficient and less expensive, and upon already experiencing the positive changes that have come from i mplementing rules and regulations that create a universal healthcare system, Americans should begin to finally agree that healthcare reform should be at the forefront of our minds.Not only to help all those stricken with poverty to receive care, but to improve the quality of healthcare for all Americans. Word Count: 1197 words

Teaching Assistant Level 2

Level 2 Teaching Assistant Certificate – Assignment Three Unit 3 Supporting the Curriculum TASK 9: Using subject headings together with a brief summary of the subject, describe the range and main provisions of the relevant National curriculum in the school where you are employed. Creative Development: This Area of Learning relates to the development of children’s individual ways of developing and representing their notions and emotions in an imaginative way through assorted mediums and various forms of self-expression.Children explore as wide a range of stimulus as it is possible to provide given the resources available. They take part in art, craft, design, music, dance, theatre and movement activities. They have the opportunity to role play; to compose music or poetry; to develop their creative writing skills. They are encouraged to experiment with artistic mediums and represent their own feelings through their creativity, developing an ability to communicate and expr ess their individual creative ideas while also demonstrating an empathy with others. They are also encouraged to reflect upon their own work.Knowledge and Understanding of the World This subject builds upon children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them by developing different aspects of play, activities and experimental learning processes that stimulate their senses; encourage investigation into subjects or activities that spark an interest. The children are encouraged to ask questions about their surroundings; explore their environment and undertake studies that will help them to develop an interest in and awareness of the ideals, beliefs, views and opinions of thers. Through the use of experiential learning, starting with a familiar present or past experience (see: ‘spiral curriculum,’ as advocated by American psychologist Jerome Bruner (Smith, Mark k. 2002)), curious and exploratory play techniques are fostered and the children are encouraged to develop reflective skills so that they can revisit and draw upon their own individual experiences. Language, Literacy and Communication Skills Children are encouraged to engage in discussions that develop their thinking understanding and range of vocabulary.They become involved in speaking and listening activities throughout the foundation stage and are encouraged to ask for information with regard to anything that they do not understand. There are activities that involve words, rhymes, songs and stories where children join in. Early literacy is encouraged while consideration is given to the fact that, for all children, ‘learning to read’ is a unique personal experience as such should not be rushed. Ysgol Dolafon believes that reading should also be fun!Children are allowed ample opportunity to freely access books and quiet areas are provided. The following list contains just a few examples of techniques that have been implemented and proven to help with early liter acy: 1. Using children’s own books in class. 2. Using audio tapes in conjunction with books to help children follow a story. 3. Pointing out words and linking them to the relevant items, people or places in the picture. 4. Using role play, or props to act out familiar stories. 5. Reading stories and rhymes out in a fun and imaginative way. 6.Consistently pointing to the top left-hand as your starting point and indication the left to right orientation through-out the reading of a story. Reading is promoted as a pleasurable activity and allowing children to read books that bear a particular relevance to their own interests is often considered to be more useful than strict adherence to a commercial reading scheme. Children at Ysgol Dolafon are continuously provided with the opportunity to make pre-cursor writing marks an early age and and a great deal of effort is put into encouraging the children to develop writing skills and activities.From scribbles and mark making right thro ugh to participating in purposeful writing tasks, children develop and improve their writing skills as they move through the curriculum. At all stages (including very early mark making) the children’s work is positively encouraged, valued and exhibited. Mathematical Development Mathematical activities at Ysgol Dolafon are delivered in accordance with pupil’s individual needs and great deal of emphasis is given to continuity of learning.Ample opportunity is provided for pupils to discuss their understanding of concepts as they progress and teachers are aware of the importance of eliminating any gaps in the children’s mathematical knowledge. The Welsh Assembly Government guideline for Mathematical Development maintains that: ‘It is crucial that gaps in children’s mathematical learning are avoided, so that children do not miss out on essential elements in their understanding of mathematical concepts’ (WAG 2008) and Ysgol Dolafon fully agrees wit h that statement.Children at **** **** frequently engage in experiential activities where they are encouraged to explore indoor and outdoor environments and gain first-hand experience of recognising materials; making comparisons / recognising similarities and differences; estimating and predicting; counting; sequencing; weighing and measuring etc. Engaging in relevant discussions that provide an opportunity for the children to build their skills, increase their knowledge and extend their mathematical vocabulary is an essential part of the learning process.Mathematics is taught throughout the school day and across the entire curriculum. Its relevance to other subjects is frequently pointed out. For example: The need for accurate weighing and measuring of the ingredients used in cookery and the bearing that inaccurate measuring might have on the finished product would be discussed as part of the cookery lesson. Children might also be encouraged to work out half measures or double up o n ingredients in order to vary the portion size of the finished item. Personal and Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural DevelopmentThis element of the curriculum builds on the child’s past and present experiences and it provides the opportunities for children to ‘learn about themselves and their relationships with other children and adults both within and beyond the family’ (WAG 2008). Children at **** ***** are encouraged to develop confidence and assertiveness, while taking into account the needs and feelings of others. They are encouraged to challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping and staff lead by positive example.Staff at the school provide pupils with frequent opportunities to share their opinions and emotions and encourage them to pay appropriate attention to the feelings and emotions of others. Children are also provided with the opportunity to look after animals and plants in order to demonstrate that all living things require care an d respect in order to thrive. Children are introduced to concepts that build on their personal experiences and increase their knowledge and understanding of themselves and their surroundings. Once children are able to appreciate and understand the eelings of others the concepts of fairness, justice, rights and responsibilities can be realistically introduced. The aim is to fully prepare and equip children for a positive role in society and the intention is to achieve this ‘through a learning environment that reflects each culture appropriately. **** ***** is a dual stream Welsh/English school which is attentive to the distinctive and rich Welsh culture including all cultures that are part of the diverse society in Wales and it strives to provide activities that are suitably planned and resourced.The children are taught to appreciate and celebrate cultural differences and learn a great deal about the diverse range of cultures through the exploration of art, literature, music, f ashion, architecture and religion. Physical Development This aspect of the curriculum relates to the development, increased skills functioning and performance of the physical body. It also provides an understanding of the results that a healthy lifestyle delivers by exploring the effects of a balanced diet, exercise, fresh air, adequate sleep etc.Children at **** ***** are taught how best to take responsibility for keeping their own bodies healthy; they are taught to identify and understand the dangers of medicines and drugs, smoking, alcohol and other potentially harmful substances. Pupils are taught the importance of food and water in relation to the human body. They are encouraged to recognise healthy foods; develop a good knowledge of the different food groups and to understand how a balanced combination of foods is a requirement for a healthy mind and body.Children’s physical development begins with ‘gross motor skills’ (control of the large body muscles suc h as those found in the arms and legs). This stage is followed by ‘fine manipulative skills’ (the control and coordination of small muscles). Due consideration is given to the fact that children are unique and develop at different rates and staff are aware of the fact that children cannot increase they’re range of skills until the muscles required are sufficiently developed. Consequently the activities and resources used are checked for the suitable developmental needs of each individual child.Physical activities are introduced at the earliest opportunity and they are integrated into other lessons where appropriate. For example: the inclusion of actions performed to rhymes, stories and games is believed to foster a positive attitude to movement and exercise from an early age and as such actions are incorporated into much of the story telling in the three year old setting. For more demanding, physically active movement appropriate space is essential and open areas are available indoors and outdoors so that children can gain greater spatial awareness through experimentation of movement without restrictions.The children are provided with access to appropriate apparatus (for both supervised and unsupervised use) and consideration is given to the fact that enough time for the children to develop their skills is of equal importance to the provision of equipment and space. Pupils are encouraged to recognise that regular exercise makes them feel good and helps their bodies to work well. Welsh Language Development The foundation phase initially introduces Welsh through incidental Welsh.The everyday use of simple Welsh greetings; the repetitious recital of rhymes; the singing of songs and the telling of simple stories in informal play situations are part and parcel of the everyday routine. There are interactive displays designed to support the development of familiar concepts such as discussing colours, numbers, the weather etc. and any themes that w e explore: (e. g. the seaside, the farm, the fire station) have the key words highlighted bilingually. Next we have the introduction of structured sessions where simple phrases and language patterns are explored.The children are exposed to basic question patterns, such as ‘ble mae? ’ (‘where is? ’) and simple phrases are introduced into their play. Children in **** *****’s Foundation Phase learn Welsh through a holistic curriculum, through structured play, and through having a specific structured developmental and progressive programme. The language skills that they learn in Welsh support their development, knowledge and skills in English and vice versa. Examples of activities used to support the development of speaking skills at **** ***** include the following:Joining in with nursery rhymes, action songs and singing: Singing is seen as a good way for children to practise the sounds and pronunciation of a new language. Singing as part of a group pro vides them with security and helps develop confidence. As in all language teaching, the use of rhymes containing a strong rhythm, repetition, alliteration and homophones reinforces language development and pronunciation. Telling stories; sharing and recounting information; observing and respecting celebrations and events that are important to the children Circle time’ designed to provide opportunities for children to discuss; speak and listen to others’ ideas, feelings, emotions and events Relaying messages; sharing greetings in daily routines and giving instructions to others. Footnote: I feel it is important to add that In the opening descriptive paragraph of each of the curriculum subjects as outlined in The Foundation Phase Framework for Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales, it is stated that, ‘the guidance and Area of Learning should not be viewed or delivered in isolation; it should be planned for across the curriculum’ (swanseagf l. ov. uk) Complete a detailed study of one subject over one key stage. Describe how this would be planned, delivered and monitored and explain the terminology used. NB: The Foundation Phase replaced Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum from the start of the 2011/12 school year. The foundation phase covers four years from ages 3 – 7 (Wales. gov. uk. 2011 – 2012). I have chosen to complete a detailed study of ‘Language, Literacy and Communication Skills’ as delivered to a mixed age class of: ‘Nursery, Reception and Year 1 and 2 pupils’ (foundation phase). Oracy (Skills and Range):The children’s oracy skills are promoted though spontaneous and structured viewing, listening and speaking activities. Children are expected to make progress in their ability to listen, understand, communicate and make themselves understood. The use of movement, gesture and speech as communication tools is explored and developed and the children should become increasing capable of speaking clearly, understanding basic instructions, using appropriate language and conveying accurate meaning. They are expected to attain listening skills and develop the ability respond to the sounds around them.They should develop an understanding of variety in the language that they hear consequently becoming more and more able to respond appropriately to phrases or instructions that increase in complexity. Delivery of these skills should come in a variety of forms and locations and the following list contains some examples of where/how: 1. Children should be provided with the opportunity to experience activities in both indoor and outdoor settings. 2. Provision should be made for the experiencing of different types of play ranging from planned and structured to spontaneous and child initiated. . Talk/communicate for a variety of purposes included but not limited to: a. Presenting simple information b. Asking and answering questions c. Expressing emotions, likes, dislikes, need etc. and expressing personal opinions. d. Involvement in spontaneous learning activities such as dialogue and role play. e. Joining in with rhymes, songs and simple stories. f. Repeated recitation of songs, poems or raps. g. The conveying of personal or imaginative experiences using familiar language patterns. h.Extend their knowledge of language through activities that foster an interest in words and consequently increase their vocabulary. Reading (Skills and Range): The opportunities provided throughout the Foundation Phase should encourage children to show and interest in books and to enjoy reading. The skills taught in the Foundation Phase should enable children to progress in their ability to follow stories that are read out to them and respond to those stories in an appropriate manner. Children should be encouraged to explore books (with or without and adult) and to handle them in the way that a reader would.They should be aware that there are different t ypes of books. Adults should develop an underpinning strategy of demonstrating that text is read from left to right and of explaining how written symbols have sounds and meanings. The objective is for children to build on the knowledge that they already have and to ultimately gain the skills required to read with fluency, accuracy, understanding and independence. These skills provide them with the confidence needed in order to read their own work and other texts aloud; discuss written works in an informed manner (e. g. alk about characters and storylines or predict events and outcomes) and to ‘respond appropriately to books by considering what they have read in terms of content, ideas presentation, organisation and the language used. ’ (WAG 2010) Planning: This covers the three areas of oracy, reading (including phonics) and writing. The teacher’s plans with input from classroom assistants and the planning needs to cover skills development as well as age range. M edium Term Planning: Research books relating to topic. Plan aspects of literacy to be taught through these books: e. g. labelling; listing; captions; story; diary etc.The use of phonics – letters and sounds. Phonics: – three times a week. Weekly Planning: Chose a book for a week or a fortnight and plan on topic activities for oracy reading and writing. Differentiate activities for age groups and ability levels and include specific tasks for more able students or those with SEN. Delivery: **** ***** has a dedicated LLC every morning and but LLC is also delivered across the curriculum. Oracy is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Creative Development. Writing is developed through Knowledge, Understanding or Role Play. Children are divided into ability groups.The teacher and the teaching assistant work with a focus group while the other children work on enhanced activity or have continuous provision. Groups are rotated to ensure that all children work with the t eacher during the week. Monitoring: Classroom assistants provide feedback to the teacher and the teacher records progress/difficulties in a variety of ways: individual record sheets; post it notes; the annotation of plans are all ways in which the child’s progress is evaluated and this constant evaluation is an essential component of successful planning which adapts to the needs of the child/children.This monitoring is also used to write the child’s end of year report. Terminology explained: CVCC Words: Words which have a consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant pattern. Differentiation: The practice of delivering information to pupils in a way that is appropriate to their individual ability and level of understanding rather than their age. Digraphs: A combination of two letters representing one sound such as: ph; ch; sh; ee; and oo Graphemes: Graphemes are the smallest units in a writing system capable of causing a contrast in meaning.In the English alphabet, the switch fr om cat to bat introduces a meaning change; therefore, c and b represent different graphemes. It is usual to transcribe graphemes within angle brackets, to show their special status: , . The main graphemes of English are the twenty-six units that make up the alphabet. Other graphemes include the various marks of punctuation: , , etc. , and such special symbols as , , and (? ) †¦ LLC: Language, literacy and communication skills. Objective: The end result (as predicted in the planning) the final goal that you would be expecting the children to achieve. Oracy:Fluent, articulate and grammatically correct verbal communication Oral blending and segmenting: To practise oral blending, the teacher could say some sounds, such as /c/-/u/-/p/ and see whether the children can pick out a cup from a group of objects. For segmenting practise, the teacher could hold up an object such as a sock and ask the children which sounds they can hear in the word sock. The activities introduced in Phase 1 are intended to continue throughout the following phases, as lots of practice is needed before children will become confident in their phonic knowledge and skills.Phonemes: any of the perceptually distinct units of sound in a specified language that distinguish one word from another, for example p, b, d, and t in the English words pad, pat, bad, and bat. Phonics: A method of teaching reading based on the sounds of letters, groups of letters, and syllables. Range: A variety of planned activities which are specifically relevant to the subject. In this case: The opportunity to engage in spontaneous and structured communicative activities designed to expand the children’s vocabulary and encourage their interest in words.Stimulus would include: Stories (fictional and factual); media and ITC texts; information texts; poems; songs and nursery rhymes. Skills: Refers to the child’s capabilities – In this case their ‘oracy skills’ which should be developed pr imarily through the use of sensory stimuli: Speaking; listening and viewing activities which are ultimately intended to improve the children’s ability to listen and respond appropriately while continuously improving their attention/concentration spans and building on their previous experiences thereby helping them to attain general communicative accomplishment and increased self-confidence.Write dance: A technique developed by Ragnhild Oussoren encourages creativity, self-expression and confidence and by developing the child’s gross motor skills it theoretically helps to develop the prerequisite physical skills and co-ordination required for writing. The programme is described as being ‘of benefit all children,’ but it has been found to be particularly helpful for children with SEN. Briefly outline three recent strategies introduced by the government to raise standards in the curriculum. How would you access up to date information in curriculum development ?Recent strategies to raise standards: Literacy, numeracy and deprivation. The Minister for Education and Skills recently introduced a strategy for raising standards of literacy and numeracy in schools. In June 2011 he announced the intention to introduce a new National Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) and a system of national testing for all pupils aged 5 to 14. Deprivation: In brief, the strategy to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds ranges from the introduction of free breakfast clubs to classroom based strategies which include, learning in small groups supported by teaching assistants; customising lessons to individual tudents' learning needs; providing extra-curricular learning and study support; engaging and supporting parents in supporting their children’s learning and promotion of the idea that effort and perseverance pay dividends. In order to receive updated curriculum development information first hand I regularly visit the education and skills webpa ge at Wales. gov. uk – I have also registered for the WAG newsletter. Relevant and up-to-date publications are always available to read in the school staff room. What extra-curricular activities are available in a typical school?Complete a detailed study of one of the activities. A typical school would probably offer the following extra-curricular activities: Sports: Football;/rugby/ netball/ hockey etc. Choir Chess/board games Gardening club An In-depth Study of Chess/Boardgames Club at **** ***** Chess/board games club at **** ***** takes place every Wednesday afternoon during term time. It runs from 3. 30pm until 4. 15pm and is supervised by a member of the school’s board of governors. This gentleman also provides the medieval board games that the children use.Number of children in attendance: 10 (2 new players joined at the beginning of this term, both are from year 2). Gender: 4 girls & 6 Boys. Age range: Year 2 to year 6 (was year 3 upwards but the rules changed in September 2012). Duration of session: 45 minutes Number of games being played on Wednesday 19th Sept 2012: Four Types of games available: Chess and an assortment of hand-made Medieval, Tudor and Viking games; mostly 2 player games but some multi-player games. The games being played while I was in attendance were: Fox and GeeseFox and Geese is a medieval, asymmetrical game. Players have different objectives and different pieces/men. One player leads a fox whose objective is to kill all the geese by jumping over them. The other player leads the gaggle of geese whose objective is to corner the fox and stop him escaping. Nine Men's Morris Nine Men Morris is a two player, strategy board game of Roman origin. Each player has nine pieces which they place upon the board one at a time taking alternating turns. Players then take it in turn to move their own pieces in an attempt to build a line of three.A straight line of three wins the player the right to take any one of his/her opponentâ €™s pieces. The object of the game is to leave the opposing player with fewer than three pieces. It is possible for either player either player to force the game into a draw. Tafl (meaning ‘table’ in old norse) Games Tawl Bwrdd is the Welsh name for an 11Ãâ€"11 Tafl board as described (with the rules of play) by Robert ap Ifan in 1587 in a Welsh document (p. 4 Peniarth ms) now in the Welsh National Library. Thought to be of Viking origin and found in one form or another everywhere the Vikings travelled, includingIceland, Britain, Ireland, and Lapland; the game represents the final stages of a battle where the king, on the losing side, is being attacked on four sides by an army with twice the number of men to his defending army. To win he has to escape to one of the corners. The king loses if he is surrounded on four sides. Chess A medieval style chess set was in use but during play I saw no deviation from the chess rules that most of us are familiar with today. TAS K 10 List and briefly outline the main factors that influence teaching and learning.The quality of the planning and delivery of the lesson. Meeting the needs of all the students. Making the lesson engaging by ensuring that the different learning styles of the students are catered for. Students achieving the learning objective that is: Every student should make adequate progress. Planning Ability to communicate clearly Behaviour management And external factors weather conditions, home life, etc. Using your preferred method of research, study various teaching assistant’s job description and explain the variety of support a teaching assistant ight be expected to give in the classroom whilst supporting, planning and evaluating learning activities. The following is a ‘cut and pasted’ job description taken from Powys County Council’s ‘Vacancies’ webpage. P. C. C. lists all TA posts as ‘Non-teaching staff’ despite the fact that this term is no longer frequently used. Marland (2001; cited in David Fulton in association with The Open University, Primary Teaching Assistants, Learners and Learning) suggests that the title is offensive. P. C. C. Example: Teaching Assistant (Non-teaching Staff)Main Purpose of Post: Working under the overall supervision of the responsible teacher to: -provide support in addressing the needs of pupils within the class; -assist and support teaching and learning; -work with individuals or groups and assist in providing for general care, safety and welfare of pupils. Principal Responsibilities: 1. Contribute to implementation of plans. Assist in the delivery of lessons/sessions and interact with the teacher and pupils as required. Undertake agreed learning activities/teaching programmes, adjusting according to pupil responses. . Promote positive values, attitudes and good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own behaviour. 3. Encourage good relationships between pupils. Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils, encourage them to interact and work co-operatively and engage in activities. Assist with pupil supervision in the playground and on school trips. Monitor pupils’ achievement, safety and welfare. 4. Promote independence and development of self-esteem in all pupils. 5.Support and use ICT in learning activities & develop pupils’ competence and independence in its use. 6. Undertake to promote the ethos of the school and be familiar with school policies 8. Undertake routine tasks: photocopying, collecting and distributing resources. 10. Work with the teacher to establish an appropriate learning environment e. g. helping with displays, tidying and organizing resources. 11. To co-operate with the employer and follow health and safety advice and instructions. 12. To abide by the principles and practice of equality of opportunity as laid down in the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy. The above example gives the typical specifications for a Powys primary school but official titles and job descriptions tend to be subject to a fair amount of regional and local variation. Learning support assistant; teaching assistant; classroom assistant and learning mentor are a few of the titles that I have encountered during my research for this assignment and all appear to be fundamentally the same thing. Ask a cross-section of people who do the job what the associated duties are and the descriptions that you get will be even more varied than the titles.There seems to be no ‘set in stone’ criteria; the responsibilities appear to vary from school to school and tend to be depended upon specific requirements at specific times; this is particularly noticeable in the case of SEN positions which are closely tailored to the individual needs of the child or children concerned. In summary, the general job description is as follows: The teaching assistant’s role is to complement the professional work of teachers and accept responsibility for agreed learning activities under an agreed system of supervision, supported by direction from teaching staff in line with school policies and guidance.The role may involve planning, preparing and delivering learning activities for individuals/groups or short term for whole classes as well as monitoring pupils and assessing, recording and reporting on their achievement, progress and development. Teaching assistants with a level 3 or higher qualification might also be responsible for the management of other teaching assistants including allocation and monitoring of work, appraisal and training. Typical day to day teaching assistant duties appear to involve a variety of tasks which might consist of of any or all of the following: . Assisting the teacher in the planning and execution of classroom activities. 2. Working with small groups of children on exercises that have been set by the class teacher. 3. Setting up lesson resources/equipment before lessons; the packing away or appropriate disposal of resources after the lessons. 4. Setting up audio/visual equipment. 5. Creating displays and mounting children’s work. 6. Photocopying, filing , book sorting, and general admin duties. 7. Working one to one with children who are struggling with some aspect. of numeracy or literacy. 8. Playground duty. 9.Helping the younger children to change before and after sport activities. 10. Helping younger children with toileting and hand washing 11. Stock rotation; general stock taking and ordering of art and craft materials etc. 12. Listening to children read on a one to one basis. 13. Helping children to reach expected targets. 14. Monitoring pupil progress and reporting back to the class teacher. 15. Leading by example with regard to good manners, morals, social interaction, racial and sexual equality etc. 16. Dealing with instances of argumen t, fighting or bullying in the appropriate way. 7. Ensuring health and safety guidelines are followed and routine checking of tools and equipment for any H&S issues. 18. Routine maintenance and repair (where practically possible) of equipment and resources. State why you think it is important to plan and prepare learning activities. How will the experience and qualifications of the teaching assistant affect the support they are able to give? Teachers and teaching assistants need to have clear ideas about the lesson they wish to set up and it is important for them to have made adequate preparation if the lesson is to be a success.Good communication between teachers and teaching assistants is hugely important. There are three main elements that need to be considered when planning lessons. Firstly one must consider the aims and outcomes the lesson is intended to achieve. Next they should choose an effective learning environment, appropriate activities, relevant resources and sequencing of these and finally they would need to monitor and evaluate pupil’s progress in order for the teacher to be able to decide whether or not the lesson has been successful.Teaching assistants undertake a wide range of supportive tasks, the variety and importance of which are dependent upon their level of qualification/experience. Those with the most qualifications/experience are naturally expected to be able to assume more responsibility than those who are just starting out in the job or working at a less qualified level. The LEA and/or individual schools tend to make decisions with regard to the level of experience or qualifications they would expect from someone applying for a teaching assistant position.As a bare minimum you would usually need to be able to demonstrate good reading, writing and numeracy skills and it would usually be preferred that you would have some experience of working with children of the relevant age. What feedback might a teaching assistant be expect ed to provide and in what form and to who might they be required to deliver it? More often than not feedback would be delivered to the class teacher, verbally, at the end of the lesson but in special circumstances such as one to one reading feedback would be written in the pupil’s reading record book where teachers/parents can access it later.When working with a pupil or group where extra support is required feedback might be best delivered ‘as and when required’ throughout the duration of the lesson. TASK 11 When assisting in the delivery of learning activities, describe how a teaching assistant might be expected to; 1. Assist pupils and keep them on track The general consensus is that happy children are more likely to get involved and learn and with that in mind the teaching assistant should try to make lessons as enjoyable as possible, however, it is equally important to set clear and firm boundaries in order to prevent fun from descending into unbridled chaos . . Encourage pupils to work independently Research into independent study has indicated that teachers and teaching assistants who involve learners in lesson planning get good results from the practice. This type of collaboration often helps to make the lesson interesting and relevant for the pupils and involving children in the learning process can also provide them with where-with-all to reflect upon their own needs. It is well known that children learn better if their efforts are appreciated and they feel valued. As they gain in confidence they will automatically become more independent.Teaching Assistants can play an important role in helping raise the self-esteem of children. They can do this not only by demonstrating an interest their school work but also by expressing an interest in activities that they enjoy outside of the school environment. Group working is also proven to be highly beneficial strategy for building confidence; it can provide students with an opportunity to learn from one another and this temporarily switches control from the teacher to the learners resulting in increased confidence and greater independence. 3. Use learning material appropriatelyThe teaching Assistant should possess the knowledge and ability to be able to prepare appropriate equipment and materials for lessons that they are involved in and they should be practiced in the techniques involved for the use of specific tools, equipment and resources. They should possess up to date knowledge of Health & Safety legislation as it relates to the activities or lessons that they are preparing for; this should include COSHH and all other applicable regulations. In addition to these skills the TA also be capable of undertaking routine maintenance and/or general repairs to tools and equipment. . Monitor responses The teaching assistant would usually be expected to monitor and evaluate pupil responses to learning activities using a range of assessment and monitoring strategies. They should have the ability to be able to record the progress and achievement of a child or group or children in lessons/activities and systematically and accurately provide evidence of the range and levels of progress that the child/children achieve. The expectation would be for them to be capable of providing objective feedback and/or accurate reports on pupil achievement as and when they were required.They should be able to ensure the availability of appropriate evidence to back up any reports that they make. Explain how a teaching assistant might recognise problems that might occur whist supporting individuals and how they could be managed? Behaviour management should be implemented In accordance with guidance provided by the class teacher. The Teaching Assistant would usually be expected to provide support to the teacher when dealing with disruptive or potentially disruptive behaviour from pupils.That said, the Teaching Assistant might often find them-selves in a position where the y are able to spot the early signs of disruptive behaviour of potential bullying and in these circumstances they may be able to divert the child/children’s attention to other, more positive things, effectively preventing the potentially negative situation from occurring in the first place. References: Welsh Assembly Government. (2008). WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. Available: http://www. swanseagfl. gov. uk/learn_agenda/foundation_p/wag_docs. asp Last accessed 29th June 2012.Welsh Assembly Government. (2011 – 2012). National curriculum – Key Stage 1. Available: http://wales. gov. uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum1/? lang=en Last accessed 29th June 2012. Smith, M. K. (2002) ‘Jerome S. Bruner and the process of education', the encyclopedia of informal education http://www. infed. org/thinkers/bruner. htm Last accessed 29th June 2012. Ragnhild Oussoren . (2010). Write Dance. Availab le: http://www. schrijfdans. nl/write-dance. html Last accessed 18th July 2012. Dwr Cymru. 2005). Think Water. Available: http://www. dwrcymru. co. uk/English/community/education/think/index. asp. Last accessed 13 Sept 2012. Hancock, R. , Collins, J (Eds) & Colloby, J. (2005), Primary teaching assistants, Learners and learning, Chapter 1: p7, Eight titles and roles, Published: David Futlon in association with the Open University (2005) Reprinted: Routledge 2009. Gothic Green Oak. ( ). Games. Available: http://www. gothicgreenoak. co. uk/index. html. Last accessed 19th Sept 2012. ———————– PAGE 1 Margaret Lorraine Voss SH34393/NCC Assignment 3