The European Renaissance Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The European Renaissance Essay, Research Paper The European Renaissance The Renaissance was a period of European history, considered by modern bookmans as that between 1300 and 1600. Many dramatic alterations happened during the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a period of new innovations and beliefs. The Renaissance was drastically different from the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages the church held most of the power and it # 8217 ; s economic system was agriculturally based. Exploration and acquisition was about put to a halt. During the Renaissance society was transformed into a society progressively dominated by cardinal political establishments with an urban commercial attitude. Besides, people # 8217 ; s wonder overcame their fright and many people started to venture out and research. New schools and colleges became more and more common. The Renaissance was started by many rich Italian metropoliss, such as Florence, Ferrara, Milan, and Venice. Because these metropoliss were really affluent, many merchandisers started to pass money on different things, such as picture, larning, new banking techniques, and new systems of authorities. These things gave rise to a new type of bookman, the humanist. Humanism was topics concerned with world and civilization. They studied assorted things such as Latin, Greek linguistic communication, literature and doctrine. Music and mathematics were besides studied as good. The Renaissance gave manner to new signifiers of picture, art and sculpture. During the Renaissance, creative person were no longer regarded as mere craftsmans, as they had been to the medieval yesteryear, but for the first clip emerged as independent personalities, compared to poets and authors. Many craftsmans merged mathematics with art, in order to go more precise in their measurings and to do certain an object was supported both rationally and proportionately. As a consequence painters tried and frequently succeeded into doing their picture a window into the universe. Artists besides studied the manner light hits objects and the manner our eyes perceive visible radiation. A new sort of pigment called oil pigment was used. This allowed the creative person to make texture, mix colourss, and let more clip for corrections before it dried. The printing imperativeness was likely the most of import progress in engineering. Europeans foremost used movable metal type to publish a book. On little pieces of metal they engraved individual letters of the alphabet. These could so be arranged and rearranged to organize words and sentences. Johan Gutenberg is normally given chromium edit for the first book printed, a transcript of the Bible. By the 1500 # 8217 ; s printing imperativenesss where reasonably good spread. The printing imperativeness had many effects on the universe. First of wholly, it made books much easier to come by, which made them cheaper. That meant common people could afford them. As a consequence literacy became more widespread, in contrast to the Middle Ages where normally monastics and church functionaries were the lone able to read. Second, since many more people were able to read, they wanted to read topics other than spiritual or scientific work. So books on other topics were published every bit good. Besides many books were published in languages other than Latin, such as English, Portuguese, Spanish, Gallic, and Italian. A 3rd consequence was that bookmans had better entree to one anothers work. They could besides read the great plants of the antediluvian and medieval periods. The Renaissance besides had an consequence on the general society. Many people became interested in political relations. Besides, people became interested in the universe outside of their towns. Many became adventurers, merchandisers, and map shapers. Religion particularly changed during the Renaissance. In the Middle ages people were chiefly concerned with functioning the church and acquiring to heaven. But the addition in humanistic disciplines and instruction gave people something to look frontward to, and a life worth life. So in bend, people based their lives around assorted other things alternatively of the church. Because of the addition in literacy people learned that the Catholic Church merely told the thickly settled what they wanted them to hear. This caused many people to interrupt away from the church and signifier Protestant faiths. The Renaissance produced many great heads. Leonardo district attorney Vinci was one of these. Although he was non regarded as a mastermind in his clip. He had legion plants of art such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. He besides is now regarded as a great discoverer. He is credited for coming up with the thought of the chopper. He dissected cadavers to larn more about human anatomy. Another great adult male was a German monastic, Martin Luther. He taught Biblical surveies at the University of Wittenberg. Luther # 8217 ; s beliefs challenged the church although many people agreed with his thoughts. He was finally excommunicated from the church and he started Protestantism. In decision, the Renaissance was a clip of new waking up in Europe. It include the general loss of power by the church, an addition in literacy and instruction, and an geographic expedition period.

Brave New World vs Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde essays

Brave New World vs Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde essays Everybody seeks truth, some seek absolute factual truth and some people seek truths based on what they want to believe and what makes them comfortable. The novels The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley are similar because they talk about a person protecting their reputation and outward appearance. These novels are also contrasting because the characters find different truths and deal with them in different ways. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel about a man who takes on the role of investigator yet has problems handling the truth about his case. He discovers a truth so menacing that he is quiet with the information and sure of himself when he finally decides to share it with the authorities. Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in 1850 and had no other siblings. He suffered from poor health as a child and missed school regularly. He went to Edinburgh University at seventeen and soon discovere d his hostility towards his parents. He then adopted the role of liberal bohemian and took up the study of law, though he knew he would never practice. Brave New World is a novel about an outsiders experience with the World State and how he struggles to fit in. Huxley was born in Surrey, England in 1894 into a family that included some of the most distinguished members of that part of the English ruling class. His grandfather was a great biologist who helped develop the theory of evolution. His mother was the sister of Mrs. Humphrey Ward, the novelist; and the niece of Matthew Arnold, the poet. The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Brave New World are intricate novels that illustrate the extents that people will go to avoid scandal, maintain their reputations and how people deal with the reality of life in the end. People will avoid scandal rather than discovering the truth. In The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the main ch...

A Brief Introduction for Chinese Culture

Xia culture represented the early Chinese culture and Zhou culture contributed to the form of more than 2000 years of feudalism culture in China. The May 4th Movement of 1919 was also an important date because it symbolized that it entered into a new culture period. In the spring and autumn and warring-states period, slave society gradually turned into feudalism society and a lot of thinkers sprang up with their immortal work. Among those, Confucianism was the most successful, which helped to build up the norms and values of Chinese people in the following centuries and also was used as a method for emperors to rule the country. However, after the fall of Qing dynasty, the last feudalism dynasty, Confucianism, which was seen as the product of feudalism society lose its dominant position. But its influence still lasts until now. Besides Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism also once played an important role in ancient Chinese. Nevertheless, nowadays most of Chinese are atheists. Buddhism is the biggest religion in China with a history of about 2,000 years. Then Muslim comes the second. It is popular within minority nationalities such as Hui and Uygur. Christianism and Catholicism are also believed in by some people. However, Taoism as indigenous religion has the fewest followers. Moreover, China is a multi-national country with quiet different 56 groups, in which Han has the largest population. Every group has its own language, customs, festivals and some fixed residence. In order to solve the problems of communication between groups and facilitates management, the government standardized language through popularizing mandarin, which is mostly based on Beijing dialect. Cultural values The development of Chinese values can be divided into two phrases:the former is the traditional cultural values; the latter is modern cultural values, which is affected by the western culture since the 20th century. Confucianism is the core element in traditional values. Deeply influenced by Confucianism , Chinese people tightly adhere to the Doctrine of Mean and try to avoid conflicts. Afterwards, with time going by, Confucianism experienced improvements by combining with Taoism and Buddhism. In this period, Confucianism focused on human, for example, the relationship between human and human, human and nature and so on. Under the influence of the above factors, Chinese traditional values can be concluded into the following aspects: -believe in self struggle ‘Man’s determination can conquer the nature’ is an old Chinese saying. Chinese people believe that through their efforts they can change their life. -emphasis on the art of tolerance Tolerance is another characteristic for Chinese nation. Chinese people won’t be easily infuriated by others. They are used to avoid conflicts and keep peace. It seems to be a little cowardly . But the truth is that many great men succeed because of temporary tolerance . -follow the majority This is still a serious problem in today’s society. Conformist mentality has proved to have negative effect on building up one’s confidence and independence. People are not willing to express its own opinion to keep conformity with the majority and become passive. -respect the old Respect for the old is a Chinese traditional virtue. Not like western individual consciousness, Chinese parents think it’s their duty to look after their children and do all that they can do for them. So when children grow up, they tend to be grateful for their parents’ contribution. As a result, the old enjoy a high position in the family. Moreover, since the old experience much more than the young, young people are willing to listen to their opinions when making decision. -collectivism This means that Chinese, in general, is a collective society that strives for harmony and group belonging, whether to family, friends, work, or country. The Chinese are more willing to suppress their own feelings and needs for the good of the group. This value has been passed down the Chinese culture from folklores where martyrs sacrificed their lives for their community or country ever since the dynastical eras 5,000 years ago. The arrival of western cultural value stroke Chinese traditional culture values and helped to discard some backward or bad parts of traditional values. Moreover, it also brought something new such as freedom, charity, democracy and etc. Cultural norms -saving face and losing face ‘Fcae’ stands for one’s position in a certain social group. It’s related to honor, good reputation or respect. Consequently, loss of face is not simply a form of embarrassment. Saving face is another concept. Chinese people respect a person who is friendly and who carefully avoids hurting the feelings of others. Loud, untactful or boisterous behavior is usually regarded as very poor taste. – greeting When meeting for the first time, a handshake is the most common greeting. In order to express some special esteem, to those elderly people or government officials, a slight bow might be given. -gift When visiting a family it is appropriate to bring a small gift, such as fruits, to the host, especially around New Year’s time. Gifts should be given and received with both hands. It is also a Chinese custom when receiving a gift to thank you for it and then place it to the side without opening it. eating  ·Chopsticks and a soup spoon are common eating utensils. Food is not passed around the table, but remains in the center. The host usually chooses the food for his guests and serves it to them from the central dishes on the table.  ·Refusing to drink is sometimes thought as dishonor to the people who toast to you. -relationship (guan-xi) Guan xi is a Chinese word which means relati onship. One’s guan-xi, is an important factor in the individual’s social status. It is also an important Chinese business element. Having a right guan xi helps companies to minimize the risks, frustrations, and disappointments. Guan-xi relationship, like face behavior, is obligation between individuals for the purpose of maintenance of group integrity. -parents dominant Parents are accustomed to interfering children’s decision and sometimes just determine for them regardless of their own wishes. -look down on girls In some remote areas, the natives still prefer boys to girls. If a family has two children and they can’t afford the education fees for both of them, the boy will have more chance to go to school. Ways of communication -nonverbal communication Chinese is a high context country. Nonverbal communication is as common as verbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes facial expression, tones of voice , gestures, and eye contact. They’re quiet important in Chinese daily life and sometimes it is even more powerful than the verbal interaction. Different gestures have different meanings. Due to different cultural background, even the same gesture has different meaning for people in certain context. -avoid speaking directly Speaking directly is often considered rudeness. Try to be â€Å"diplomatic† and tactful where possible, as the Chinese may be offended by directness in some situations. For example, it is a terrible thing to be criticized in public due to the fact that harmony is highly valued in Chinese society. -conversation tips Find some common areas to talk about such as family, sports and etc. Don’t verbally attack China and be careful about criticizing things there, as many Chinese will feel personally attacked by this. Avoid political arguments, as many Chinese feel reluctant to speak or explore their true opinion about the current government. saying â€Å"Thank you† â€Å"Thank you† is said a lot less than in the West. In a lot of instances, for example when someone opens a door for you or passes the soy sauce, saying â€Å"thank you† is seen as being over polite and without meaning, and is often met with requests for you not to be so polite (over-polite). -saying â€Å"Excuse me† â€Å"Excuse me † is not used as often in China. People are expected to give way naturally to one another on the street or when walking around, without anything being said. Interrupting somebody talking or doing something else to ask a question, make a request, etc. also happens regularly without any warning or apology. -compliments Be careful when complimenting someone’s possessions or somebody because they may think it’s a kind of flattering rather than appreciation. In conclusion, Chinese culture is based on the wisdom of Confucius and quiet different from western culture in many aspects. But nowadays because of the process of globalization, Chinese people are striving to learn from mainstream culture and improve and develop their own culture. A Brief Introduction for Chinese Culture Xia culture represented the early Chinese culture and Zhou culture contributed to the form of more than 2000 years of feudalism culture in China. The May 4th Movement of 1919 was also an important date because it symbolized that it entered into a new culture period. In the spring and autumn and warring-states period, slave society gradually turned into feudalism society and a lot of thinkers sprang up with their immortal work. Among those, Confucianism was the most successful, which helped to build up the norms and values of Chinese people in the following centuries and also was used as a method for emperors to rule the country. However, after the fall of Qing dynasty, the last feudalism dynasty, Confucianism, which was seen as the product of feudalism society lose its dominant position. But its influence still lasts until now. Besides Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism also once played an important role in ancient Chinese. Nevertheless, nowadays most of Chinese are atheists. Buddhism is the biggest religion in China with a history of about 2,000 years. Then Muslim comes the second. It is popular within minority nationalities such as Hui and Uygur. Christianism and Catholicism are also believed in by some people. However, Taoism as indigenous religion has the fewest followers. Moreover, China is a multi-national country with quiet different 56 groups, in which Han has the largest population. Every group has its own language, customs, festivals and some fixed residence. In order to solve the problems of communication between groups and facilitates management, the government standardized language through popularizing mandarin, which is mostly based on Beijing dialect. Cultural values The development of Chinese values can be divided into two phrases:the former is the traditional cultural values; the latter is modern cultural values, which is affected by the western culture since the 20th century. Confucianism is the core element in traditional values. Deeply influenced by Confucianism , Chinese people tightly adhere to the Doctrine of Mean and try to avoid conflicts. Afterwards, with time going by, Confucianism experienced improvements by combining with Taoism and Buddhism. In this period, Confucianism focused on human, for example, the relationship between human and human, human and nature and so on. Under the influence of the above factors, Chinese traditional values can be concluded into the following aspects: -believe in self struggle ‘Man’s determination can conquer the nature’ is an old Chinese saying. Chinese people believe that through their efforts they can change their life. -emphasis on the art of tolerance Tolerance is another characteristic for Chinese nation. Chinese people won’t be easily infuriated by others. They are used to avoid conflicts and keep peace. It seems to be a little cowardly . But the truth is that many great men succeed because of temporary tolerance . -follow the majority This is still a serious problem in today’s society. Conformist mentality has proved to have negative effect on building up one’s confidence and independence. People are not willing to express its own opinion to keep conformity with the majority and become passive. -respect the old Respect for the old is a Chinese traditional virtue. Not like western individual consciousness, Chinese parents think it’s their duty to look after their children and do all that they can do for them. So when children grow up, they tend to be grateful for their parents’ contribution. As a result, the old enjoy a high position in the family. Moreover, since the old experience much more than the young, young people are willing to listen to their opinions when making decision. -collectivism This means that Chinese, in general, is a collective society that strives for harmony and group belonging, whether to family, friends, work, or country. The Chinese are more willing to suppress their own feelings and needs for the good of the group. This value has been passed down the Chinese culture from folklores where martyrs sacrificed their lives for their community or country ever since the dynastical eras 5,000 years ago. The arrival of western cultural value stroke Chinese traditional culture values and helped to discard some backward or bad parts of traditional values. Moreover, it also brought something new such as freedom, charity, democracy and etc. Cultural norms -saving face and losing face ‘Fcae’ stands for one’s position in a certain social group. It’s related to honor, good reputation or respect. Consequently, loss of face is not simply a form of embarrassment. Saving face is another concept. Chinese people respect a person who is friendly and who carefully avoids hurting the feelings of others. Loud, untactful or boisterous behavior is usually regarded as very poor taste. – greeting When meeting for the first time, a handshake is the most common greeting. In order to express some special esteem, to those elderly people or government officials, a slight bow might be given. -gift When visiting a family it is appropriate to bring a small gift, such as fruits, to the host, especially around New Year’s time. Gifts should be given and received with both hands. It is also a Chinese custom when receiving a gift to thank you for it and then place it to the side without opening it. eating  ·Chopsticks and a soup spoon are common eating utensils. Food is not passed around the table, but remains in the center. The host usually chooses the food for his guests and serves it to them from the central dishes on the table.  ·Refusing to drink is sometimes thought as dishonor to the people who toast to you. -relationship (guan-xi) Guan xi is a Chinese word which means relati onship. One’s guan-xi, is an important factor in the individual’s social status. It is also an important Chinese business element. Having a right guan xi helps companies to minimize the risks, frustrations, and disappointments. Guan-xi relationship, like face behavior, is obligation between individuals for the purpose of maintenance of group integrity. -parents dominant Parents are accustomed to interfering children’s decision and sometimes just determine for them regardless of their own wishes. -look down on girls In some remote areas, the natives still prefer boys to girls. If a family has two children and they can’t afford the education fees for both of them, the boy will have more chance to go to school. Ways of communication -nonverbal communication Chinese is a high context country. Nonverbal communication is as common as verbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes facial expression, tones of voice , gestures, and eye contact. They’re quiet important in Chinese daily life and sometimes it is even more powerful than the verbal interaction. Different gestures have different meanings. Due to different cultural background, even the same gesture has different meaning for people in certain context. -avoid speaking directly Speaking directly is often considered rudeness. Try to be â€Å"diplomatic† and tactful where possible, as the Chinese may be offended by directness in some situations. For example, it is a terrible thing to be criticized in public due to the fact that harmony is highly valued in Chinese society. -conversation tips Find some common areas to talk about such as family, sports and etc. Don’t verbally attack China and be careful about criticizing things there, as many Chinese will feel personally attacked by this. Avoid political arguments, as many Chinese feel reluctant to speak or explore their true opinion about the current government. saying â€Å"Thank you† â€Å"Thank you† is said a lot less than in the West. In a lot of instances, for example when someone opens a door for you or passes the soy sauce, saying â€Å"thank you† is seen as being over polite and without meaning, and is often met with requests for you not to be so polite (over-polite). -saying â€Å"Excuse me† â€Å"Excuse me † is not used as often in China. People are expected to give way naturally to one another on the street or when walking around, without anything being said. Interrupting somebody talking or doing something else to ask a question, make a request, etc. also happens regularly without any warning or apology. -compliments Be careful when complimenting someone’s possessions or somebody because they may think it’s a kind of flattering rather than appreciation. In conclusion, Chinese culture is based on the wisdom of Confucius and quiet different from western culture in many aspects. But nowadays because of the process of globalization, Chinese people are striving to learn from mainstream culture and improve and develop their own culture.

Leadership and Management Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Leadership and Management Theories - Essay Example A person through learning acquires exemplary leadership; leadership skills and knowledge, however, processed by a leader. These leadership skills and knowledge mainly influenced by beliefs, character, values, and ethics; these factors contribute to leadership process. Leadership process has four principal factors that are the leader, situation, communication, and followers. These factors form the basis of outstanding leadership in an organization, hence the organization’s success while undertaking organizational operations. Several theories of leadership have been produced by students of leadership these theories include Trait, Skills, Styles, Situational, Contingency, Path-Goal, Leader-Member Exchange, Transformational, Servant, Authentic, Team and Psychodynamic theories (Chemers, 1997). These theories are vital in maintaining a sound leadership in an organization, the most common theories in an organization, which will be dealt with in this paper are the transformational the ory, situational theory, and contingency theory. According to transformational theory, leadership is a process through which a person’s engagement with others establishes a connection, which normally results in encouragement of morality and increased motivation for leaders and its followers. The theory attributes leaders with qualities such as confidence, extroversion, and the values stated; with these qualities, the leaders are able to motivate followers (Chemers, 1997). Under transformational leadership, the leader needs to pay attention to the follower’s needs and motives if their potential is to be attained. Transformational leadership does attempt to explain leader’s efforts to implement initiatives and develop crucial and significant changes in any given organization.

THEORIES OF MOTIVATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THEORIES OF MOTIVATION - Essay Example Their work has become generally predictable with little or no challenge, especially with the supervisor involving himself at the floor level for telling the workers what to do, and often doing it himself. The workforce needs motivation to get out of its present de-motivated state. Maslow’s theory of motivation with its emphasis on analyzing individual needs and psychological factors will help to find solution. This contrasts with Herzberg’s or McGregor’s theories that place greater importance on situation analysis and management style respectively. Key words: Motivation, Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor, needs, psychological factors, Theory X, Theory Y, Gen Xers, Millennials, relationship, team-spirit. Case Study: Sun-2-Shade - Theories of Motivation Case summary The Sun-2-Shade case reflects the situation whereby workers do not feel motivated in spite of the business flourishing, good pay and a supportive supervisor. The significant descriptive words in the case like boring job, resenting supervisor help and late-coming clearly point to the estrangement between the supervisor and his workers, who are said to be around his age group (Gen Xers and Millennials). There is an absence of team-spirit, no sense of belonging or accepting responsibility for their lackadaisical attitude. One needs to analyze the case in the light of theory of motivation vis-a-vis the supervisor’s approach and characteristics of the age group of the workers/supervisor. Using Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation Maslow’s hierarchical nature of human needs point to what motivates a person at a particular stage of his/her career. For example, people at the bottom of the 7-stage pyramid of the hierarchy value the basic physiological needs more. When the lower stage needs are met, the relevant factors lose their importance as motivators and a higher degree of motivating factors come into play, which are more psychological nature. Thus, as they move up to, f or example, the fourth stage, self-worth and self-esteem become more relevant as ‘needs’ – in other words, motivating factors (Martin and Jumis, 2007, pp.72-75). Significantly, Sun-2-Shade workers seem to be yearning for such recognition having already achieved secure jobs, good pay and working in a progressive/growing company. A word about the interaction of the age factor is relevant. The supervisor and the workers are of the age group – Gen Xers (born 1965-‘76 period) and Millennials (born 1977-‘98 period) (Thielfoldt and Scheef, 2004). Obviously, the age group is a mix of the seniors of the former and juniors of the latter categories. Gen Xers prefer ‘flexibility and freedom’ while Millennials value ‘structured, supportive environment’ but can ‘expect and demand more’ (ibid.). Hence there are subtle differences in the groups of workers and this can point to the solution to the problem. Using Herzberg a nd McGregor theories Herzberg’s two factor motivation theory proposed that hygiene factors have the ability to reduce dissatisfaction while motivators increase job satisfaction (Anon., n.d, online). The hygiene factors like pay and benefits, job security, working conditions, company policies, etc. determine how an individual rates his job/employer against his own expectations. In the process of such assessment, the individual is less concerned about his own credentials and more concerned with what he is getting out of the job. The better the hygiene factors the more the satisfaction level, which then works as the basis for the motivators. The motivators like work content, recognition, promotion etc. help an individual to gain a sense of job satisfaction. Hence, the Herzberg theory supports the view that motivation cannot be achieved if the underlying hygiene factors are ignored. McGregor’

Classroom Management Plan Essay Example for Free

Classroom Management Plan Essay I will provide the right environment for all students to learn. I will generate energy, ideas and opportunities to foster student achievement. I will motivate learners to high academic achievement. I will care for, love and understand my students. I will center my decision making about curriculum around my students. I will never feel that I cannot better myself as a teacher. My Philosophical Beliefs About Teaching In evaluating my philosophy for my future teaching career, I have been very seriously considering my values and beliefs about discipline, my own management style and the social goals for my students. As organization is one of my top priorities as a student, I will strive to be as organized as possible when I start my career. My goal is to organize the logistics of my classroom so that I can make my classroom student-centered instead of teacher-centered. I value the education process, and young minds and new ideas never cease to intrigue me. I am committed to making my classroom a safe and challenging environment and engaging my students through the curriculum as well as getting to know them and interacting with them one-on-one. I believe that meeting the needs of my students is a very crucial part of my classroom. I want them to be comfortable with the other students, as well as me, so that there can be meaningful discussions and interactions. Talking will be common place in my classroom, along with group work. I want to encourage all students to participate in class so that they can learn from each other as well as me. I want to have a democratic and equitable classroom so that students can learn. I want to be a fair as I can be, so the students trust me. I feel that I have a very patient and calm attitude with my class. I ask students about their life outside of class and feel that they respond in class even more, knowing that someone is paying attention to them. I want them to feel comfortable asking questions of me. I think my attitude towards the students is not overbearing or authoritative. I do not believe in forcing the students to do anything. I want to work with them in all circumstances so that we can achieve together and they do not feel like I am spoon-feeding them information. I want students to be a part of their learning. I want to motivate students to learn and keep their interest by using engaging curriculum. I want to involve students in rules about the classroom as well as what curriculum they would like to study. I believe if students feel they are involved in the workings of the classroom, they will be more motivated to engage in the class and in turn, learn. In order to be as organized as possible, the structure of my classroom will be variable, allowing me to change parts of my plan from year to year. I realize that this management plan is a work in progress and what I value now as important points to address in my first management plan may eventually come easily to me with experience and other issues of management may require more attention than those I have addressed. In order for my classroom management plan to be effective it needs to align with my beliefs and values. Therefore, I have chosen the theories and practices that reflect my personal teaching style. There are numerous beliefs and practices that serve as the foundation on which I am building my classroom management plan. I believe that the teacher and students should work cooperatively together in order to create a safe and inviting classroom. Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline theory emphasizes that the teacher and students should work together to make class decisions. Albert recommends informing and involving the students’ parents in class decisions as well. This can be accomplished by implementing what Albert refers to as the Three C’s: connections, contributions, and capabilities. I agree with Albert that the classroom should be safe and free of threat for all students. The classroom should be a place that the students feel welcome. If the students are contributing to the class, they will feel as if they are an asset to the class. Finally, I believe that the teacher and students should work together because it is essential to developing a community of learners. I believe in creating a code of conduct cooperatively as a class. This belief coincides with Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline as well. A class code of conduct indicates how students are expected to behave instead of how they should not behave. Albert states that the teachers and students should work together to determine consequences for when a student does not follow the class code of conduct. When the students are involved in the determining the consequences, Albert feels the students are more likely to follow them because they are connected to them. I believe that having a class code of conduct in the classroom allows the students to know how they are expected to behave. The students will be more likely to remember what is expected of them because they were involved in creating the expectations. Therefore, the students feel as if the expectations are reasonable and can be met. I like that the teacher is not telling the students how to behave. I feel that students should play an active role in the classroom, and that students are capable of making good decisions. I will be sure to place the code of conduct in a visible spot in the classroom so the students can refer back to it. I believe in using â€Å"I-messages† to communicate my feelings to the students. This practice is introduced by Thomas Gordon in his theory of Discipline through Inner Self-Control. â€Å"I-messages† allow the teacher to share their personal opinion with the students in a non-threatening way. On the other hand, â€Å"you-messages† blame the students for their behavior which causes the students to become defensive. I believe that the teacher should have open communication with students, but in a positive way that creates a safe environment. This method could be taught to the students as well in order to help them solve conflicts. I believe that teachers should encourage their students. William Glasser refers to teachers who provide encouragement to their students as â€Å"lead teachers†. Glasser states that teachers should not try to force information into their students. This makes common sense to me because who likes to be forced to do something. I agree with Glasser that the students’ motivation to learn resides within themselves. It will be my job as a teacher to spark their interest to learn. Therefore, as a teacher I will need to create engaging activities, and be there to provide support to the students as necessary. I believe in creating a sense of community in my classroom. Alfie Kohn mentions that classrooms should be â€Å"learning communities in Beyond Discipline. A classroom should be a place where the students feel cared about and are encouraged to care about others. Eventually, the students will begin to feel connected to one another and see themselves as part of the whole class. I believe that in order for my classroom to be an effective learning environment the students need to feel comfortable. A sense of community will encourage my students to be active participants in class matters. I believe that the teacher should teach â€Å"life skills† to the students so that they can be successful not only in the classroom, but in life as well. Kagan, Kyle, and Scott’s Win-Win Strategies promote the use of â€Å"life skills† in the classroom. They refer to â€Å"life skills† such as self-control, anger management, good judgment, and empathy. These theorists believe that if the students require these skills they will be able to live more successfully. I believe that teachers are responsible for preparing students for life so this theory matches my belief. After my students leave my classroom, I want to see them succeed in life. I am strong believer that one needs to be the change that one wants to see in the world so I will model these â€Å"life skills† for my students. I believe that a teacher should handle behavior problems privately. If the teacher must get involved, Glasser believes that the teacher should do so in way that does not punish the student. I am going to take this one step farther, and say that the teacher should talk to this student in private about his/her behavior. Hopefully, the student and I will be able to determine a longterm solution for the behavior problem. I believe that students should be taught procedures in order to maximize their learning and show them responsibility. The Wong’s Pragmatic Classroom Management Plan supports this belief. Harry and Rosemary Wong state that most students will act responsibly if taught the procedures to do so. They believe students’ achievement is affected by how well the procedures are laid out and taught to them. I agree with Harry and Rosemary Wong that procedures are an important aspect of a classroom. I believe that procedures provide students with a structure that lets them know what is expected of them. This will help cut down on disruptions if the students are not confused about what they are supposed to be doing. Management Plan Goals Having the right environment for all students to learn. The ability to manage childrens behavior. Students will have a complete understanding of the classroom rules. Keep parents involved and â€Å"in the know† of their child and the classroom. Instructional strategies will be taught to the best of my ability. Physical Environment The importance and variety of a properly designed early childhood classroom cannot be over-emphasized when providing a learning environment for children. I will provide in my classroom safe and orderly spaces, filled with a variety of materials that will make the classroom more satisfying for both the teacher and the children. Furthermore, well-designed areas will decrease the number of conflicts that may arise. Quite naturally, any space must accommodate all the activities it will be required to house. Therefore, when making my classroom environment safe and orderly, I must make accommodations to have certain spaces to be multipurpose. It will be very important to make sure these areas, as well as other areas in the classroom, are filled with a variety of materials organized into appropriate activity areas. Clearly defined interest areas will allow young children to work best in small groups where they can learn to relate to other children, establish friendships, and solve problems together. The use of low furniture in these areas will allow me to see into all areas while at the same time giving children a sense of privacy. Use of low furniture also helps define work spaces that help children concentrate because they will not be distracted by other activities taking place in other areas. These different areas will be defined by what activities will be taking place in them. For example, I will have such areas as: dramatic play, art area, building area, science/sensory area, game area, and quiet area. I will also make sure to provide an area where children can relax and be alone with friends. This space will have large pillows, beanbags, and carpet. This so called â€Å"soft area† is very important for young children because it is important to their mental health and it promotes positive behavior because children who spend long hours in a group environment need time to themselves where they can rest. When it comes to supplies and materials in the room, they should be displayed on low shelves where children can reach what they need. This helps promote independence because the children will be responsible in getting materials out and putting them away. When displaying materials on shelves they must be in the area where they will be used. I will place labels and pictures showing where each object belongs. Logical grouping of materials promotes their appropriate use. Labeling the place for each object helps children maintain a clean and orderly environment. When it comes to the teacher’s supplies and materials, I will keep them up and away from the children so that they cannot access them. When the children walk through the door, they will be hit with all different colors coming from the pictures and posters on the walls. I hope to have a room with big windows that allow for natural lighting. The pictures I will have on the wall will be displayed on the children’s eye level, thus children will take better notice. I will also display the work of the children. Displaying their original artwork shows them respect and value for their hard work and effort. One last important thing to me, when it comes to the physical environment of my classroom, is that I will make sure the classroom materials will reflect the cultural richness of our society, the backgrounds and life experiences of the children, and people with different abilities. Children need materials they can relate to through past experiences, before they are asked to learn new concepts. A respect for diversity is important for identity and self-esteem. Behavior Management Many disputes and conflicts can be prevented by careful planning and with positive adult support. There is always a reason behind children’s behavior. Misbehavior is usually directed at achieving one of four goals: revenge, power, attention, and/or feelings of adequacy. I know I can’t force a child to change his or her way of behaving, I can only change the way I behave with the child. My ultimate goal in behavior management and child guidance is not to manage children’s behavior, but to help children manage their own behavior. I am aware that conflict situations provide important learning opportunities for children. Therefore, when it comes to classroom management, I will not deprive the children these opportunities to learn problem-solving skills. My role as a teacher in children’s conflicts is to de-escalate them when the children can no longer work out their problems by themselves. When I communicate with the children in my classroom I will use â€Å"I† statements instead of â€Å"you† statements. I will use gentle body language and make sure that I listen to both sides of the issue. I will try to focus on the present and future of the child’s behavior instead of past behavior. Also, I will focus on the child’s behavior and not the child. Most importantly I will keep in my mind the needs of each child and their best interest when it comes to fixing their misbehavior, and not focus on my best interest. My classroom rules will consist of four basic principles. Those four basic principles will be caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. I believe any rule thought up by a child can fit into one of these four basic principles. For example, if a child is not keeping their body to themselves, they are not respecting the other child’s space. That is why I will not have a list of rules in my classroom, but rather have these four principles posted in my classroom where every child will see them. Therefore, when a child is not following the rules I will state what they are doing wrong and how it relates to one of the four principles. When it comes to classroom management and discipline, I will not use punishment, but logical consequences. There are two types of logical consequences. They are naturally occurring consequences and imposed consequences. Naturally occurring consequences usually occur when the problem belongs to the individual on whom the consequences fall. For example, Sally leaves her coat out on the playground and when she goes back for it, the coat is gone. I then say to her, I am sorry that it is gone and tell her it is her responsibility to keep track of it. Imposed consequences often occur when a behavior creates a problem for another person who then must impose consequences in order to change the behavior of the individual creating the problem. When I impose logical consequences on the children in my classroom I will try to keep certain things in my mind. Such things as being a consultant in helping the child solve his or her own problem. Keep the burden of the solution on the child and not me while implying that the child is capable of solving his or her own problem. I must also tie the time and/or place of the misbehavior to the consequence. These are just a couple of ways I will try to manage children’s behavior in my classroom. Parent Communication One of the most vital parts of teaching children and managing a classroom is communicating with their families. There is no one right way to communicate with parents, therefore as a teacher, I have to utilize many different methods to communicate with parents to build rapport. One of the first methods I am going to use is a parent board. On the parent board will be pictures of the activities the children have been doing and other information such as the weekly curriculum and things the children have to bring from home to school. I will have the parent board on a table where there will also be a notebook where parents can leave me messages, and where I can leave them messages. I will also have monthly newsletters to the parents that I will set out on the parent table. Another way I will communicate with parents is by having parents come into the classroom and be a classroom helper. I would try to get every parent to come into the classroom at least one time during the school and spend the day with their child or at least a couple hours. This would help me to get to know the parents of the children I teach and this would give me a good chance to build rapport with the parents so that communication will be made easier. Some of the most basic methods I will use to help me communicate with parents are by use of the telephone. I will call parents when need be and make sure that they know they can call me when needed. Finally, the last way I will communicate with parents is by talking to them face to face. Things I know to remember when talking to a parent are to first approach them with a smile or pleasant look and then introduce myself if I have not ever done so in the past. I will always try to start out the conversation with the parent with something positive about their child. If I were communicating with the parent because of a problem their child is having in my class, I would first tell them the issue at hand and then offer some possible solutions. I then would tell them what I want their role to be after I let them talk about what solutions they have. If they need to further talk to me I would offer them other times they can talk to me. I also would give them other possible people to talk to if they feel that they need to. When communicating with a parent I want them to feel that they can ask me questions about their child’s education or other issues they might have. If I can’t answer their questions, I will flat out tell them I don’t know the answer, but I will find out. I also will make sure not to make promises I can’t keep. If need be, I will always make myself available for a teacher-parent conference when scheduled ahead of time Instructional Strategies and Methods When it comes to instructional planning in my classroom I am going to start with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. The reason I am going to start with the standards is because in the classroom the students are working towards a goal, and those goals should be set higher than the standards. If I do not teach my students to at least the level of the Pennsylvania standards, then I have not set the goals high enough for my instructional planning. If I set goals for my instructional planning, that gives me a start in what direction I need to go in my lesson planning. The second step I am going to take in my instructional planning is assessment. I have to measure the progress of achieving my goals by doing assessments of my students. Two kinds of assessment I will be doing are what you would call summative assessment and diagnostic assessment. The summative assessment will be tests, examinations, final projects, or other things depending on grade level of the students. These types of assessments will tell me if the students are learning the objectives and making progress towards meeting the goals. On the other hand I will use diagnostic forms of assessments when it comes to planning on how far I have to go to get my students to reach the goals or in meeting the standards. I will use diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the school year and before I begin each new unit. The third step in my instructional planning is planning for the long-term. My long-term plan will be as simple as planning my year end academic goals and group those goals into some discrete units to make sure that I cover my long-term academic goals. When it comes to the delivery of my lessons, I am going to keep it as simple as possible. Even though there are many different formats of lesson plans I can use, there is one general way I can make all the different types of lesson plans fit me. Using the following format to teach my lessons will help my students obtain the goals and objectives of my lessons. The format I will use is to first introduce the lesson. Then have an opening to the lesson, which is when I will tell the students what they will learn and why it is important. Next, I introduce the new material and teach it to the students. Afterwards, I allow time for guided practice and then independent practice. These two areas are where I make some informal assessments to check to see if the students learned the objectives. Last, but not least comes the closing. This is where I stress the connection of the lesson and check the students understanding by doing some type of assessment, usually a summative form of assessment. Schedules and Routines. When I go to a class, I like to see a schedule of what we are working on for the day. I believe that all students should be given this courtesy of knowing what is going to be happening during the school day by reading a daily schedule of the day’s activities. I will always have the schedule posted at the front of the class, each day updating any changes in the schedule. In addition, I will list the specifics of the day: for instance, what we are working on that day in math. I have seen schedules that list the basic outline of the day: math, language arts, social studies, lunch and science. I would like to take the schedule one step farther and include some details about the day and what will be happening. Not only are daily schedules helpful for students to see what is happening during a given school day, but my daily schedule will allow me to evaluate my the activities in my classroom, assuring that the type and variety of activities are appealing to different types of learning situations. Also, I want to find a good balance between teacher directed instruction, independent work and cooperative group work. Repetitious activities can sometimes impede the school day as it may evoke comments such as â€Å"We’re doing this again? † However, having routines in which students can predict what will happen can ease the transition from the bus, car or the walk to school to the classroom. To be specific, I will have a beginning of the day routine and an end of the day routine, so that I maintain consistency each day and convey the message that in our class, we use all of our time together to learn and we do not like to waste time. For my start of the day routine, I will play music as the students walk in. I will play quiet music that sets the tone for the day: a warm and relaxing learning environment where we are safe and ready to learn. I will have a welcome message posted on the board with a list of housekeeping items to do before we get settled for the day: sharpen pencils, turn in homework, put coats and backpacks away. In addition to this everyday welcome, I will have a list of activities that students can work on from previous days of school, including plenty of options to accommodate those that have finished all of their work. Also, I will greet my students as they enter the classroom, talking to each student as they get settled for their day, ensuring that I get to see each student and have contact with each one first thing in the morning. At the end of the day, I will take the last ten minutes to wrap up the day. I will post an end of the day wrap up list on the overhead for students to use a guide to get ready to go home. I will have mailboxes with the days handouts in them and my students can collect these handouts and place them in their â€Å"take home† folder. Then I will ask groups to get their backpacks and put away all of their materials. I will ask that they clear off their desks and the area on the floor around their desks so that the custodian does not have to clean up after us. As the students line up to go home, I will have my goodbye salutation: a piece of poster paper with four types of goodbyes: a handshake, high five, or smile. The students can pick any combination of these goodbyes when the leave. I want to have this goodbye so that I can be sure to have contact with each of my students before they leave for to go home. In doing this, I want to convey to my students that I care about them and I want to wish them a safe trip home and tell them that I look forward to seeing them tomorrow. By having structured routines for the beginning and end of the day, I will be setting the tone for the school day. For the beginning of the day, I want to imply that we structure our mornings so that we can get off to a good start with our minds and materials ready for the day. At the end of the day, I want to bring the day to a close with daily routine to ensure that my students understand that every part of our school day together is as valuable as any other part. Individualization In order to promote individualization and responsible behavior, I will implement a job chart where students will have jobs throughout the week. I will have paper passers, overhead cleaners, board erasers, recyclers, lunch duty, and line leaders. I will introduce these jobs on the first day of school and assign jobs to random students. Emphasizing the importance of the jobs will enhance the students’ desire to have the job to demonstrate their responsible behavior. I will have a policy stating that any student who cannot demonstrate responsible behavior and reliably complete their job will have to give up their job title and a different student will get their job. I have seen such a job system in another classroom in which I worked and this system was very successful in creating a sense of responsibility among students. Reflection As I complete my management plan, I feel that I am fully prepared to teach tomorrow. However, I know that that is not the case. My management plan will forever be growing and changing. My management plan focuses on the students’ needs in my class. By organizing many structured components of the school, I am attempting to prepare myself for any discipline problems that may occur. I will organize many aspects of my class before the year starts, but I will also sit down with my students during the first weeks of school and have discussions about rules and expectations to determine what they need from me and from each other. While I know that some misbehavior will occur in my classroom, I am instituting this plan to assist me in dealing with these issues as they occur. I believe classroom management is the key that unlocks the ability for children to learn and in creating an environment where children feel safe. I will set high expectations and encourage my students to succeed. Finally, my classroom management will not only be about creating a good rapport with the students, but creating a rich and engaging curriculum. | | | | | | | | | | | | References Albert, Linda, Pete DeSisto, and Linda Albert. (1996) Cooperative Discipline. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Web. Guillaume, Andrea M. (2004). K-12 Classroom Teaching: A Primer for New Professionals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall. Print.

AES Corp Essay -- essays research papers

Strategy AES distinguishes itself through developing new products and applications at a low cost. It is committed to social responsibility and empowering its employees through its four main principles which include integrity, fairness, social responsibility and fun. It is â€Å"different† from other corporations because AES is focused on retaining its core values and culture as the corporation expands in size. The company’s sources of sustainable competitive advantage include technical leadership through its innovative research and development team and its worldwide network of distributors and strategic partners. AES is committed to penetrating international markets, specifically in developing or emerging economies, and constantly improving on product development. The case states that AES believes their competitive advantage is a result of its â€Å"agility or speed and its ability to commit to corporate equity and to arrange complex financial transactions.† Structure AES is operating in a network structure. In this structure, employees form groups to solve problems and achieve common objectives. Employees may volunteer for task forces, without any formal credentials, because they are interested in a particular subject or want to set effective company policies. Although employees are not given a formal career path at AES, they are given latitude to move up the career ladder within the company to other positions. The organization has five hierarchical levels, consisting of a set of divisional/regional managers, and three additional levels that exist in the plant. The plant organization consists of three levels: the plant manager, the seven area superintendents, and the front line people. The two cofounders decided â€Å"to avoid creating bureaucratic organizations resembling the government† because of their bad experiences working for the government. As a result, the structure of AES is highly decentralized. This allows managers and employees to both take ownership of their roles and have input on the success of the company. It also allows individuals to develop leadership skills for potential promotions. This flat management structure encourages high employee involvement in all decision-making opportunities. Systems The case revealed that AES uses four measures of performance; shared values, plant operations, assets and sales backlog. Shared values is described as how f... ...n address how to review the manual and make changes if necessary. Finally, the members of the HR manual task force should be adequately compensated for the time and effort they put into the project in addition to their regular job duties. A monetary bonus or compensatory day off will be required to reward them for their hard work and diligence. The next step for AES is to establish a human resource information management (HRIM) system. A HRIM system will allow employees to access information contained in the HR manual through a company intranet. A HRIM system could also help AES employees track their training and development, look for courses to take, search for job openings or cross training opportunities throughout the company, and locate benefit information. As AES plants become more geographically dispersed, a HRIM system will help to communicate the company’s values and strategy to all employees. References: 1.Organizational Alignment: The 7-S Model, Harvard Business School, November 19, 1996 2.Human Resources At The AES Corporation: The Case Of The Missing Department, Graduate School of Business Stanford University, February 1997; Mgt 7640 Course pack 3. www.aes.com

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay

The nation’s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of millions of Americans. Skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs have pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger for many Americans and children are particularly affected by these conditions. Find out below a summary of the myriad effects of poverty, homelessness, and hunger on children and youth. Various volunteer opportunities and resources have also been listed that provide information and tools on ways to fight poverty in America. What are the current poverty and unemployment rates for Americans? The ongoing economic crisis has negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), the unemployment rate is 7.9 percent as of January 2013. Despite the data showing an increase of only 0.1 percent from December 2012, the unemployment rate is still high by all accounts, having doubled since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. * U.S. Census Bureau data shows that the U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent (46.2 million) in 2010, an increase from 14.3 percent (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and the highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2 percent (39.8 million) Americans lived in relative poverty. * In 2000, the poverty rate for individuals was 12.2 percent and for families was 9.3 percent. * In 2010, the poverty threshold, or poverty line, was $22,314 for a family of four. * Over 15 percent of the population fell below this threshold in 2010. * The percentage of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all Blacks and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, compared to 5.8 percent of Asians and 4.3 percent of Whites. * While non-Hispanic Whites still constitute the largest single group of Americans living in poverty, ethnic minority groups are overrepresented (27.4 percent African American; 28.4 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native; 26.6 percent Hispanic, and 12.1 percent Asian and Pacific Islander compared with 9.9 percent non-Hispanic White). * These disparities are associated with the historical marginalization of ethnic minority groups and entrenched barriers to good education and jobs. Where is child poverty concentrated? * U.S. Census data reveals that from 2009 to 2010, the total number of children under age 18 living in poverty increased to 16.4 million from 15.5 million. Child poverty rose from 20.7 percent in 2009, to 22 percent in 2010, and this is the highest it has ever been since 1993. * Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty rates persist among children. The poverty rate for Black children was 38.2 percent; 32.3 percent for Hispanic children; 17 percent for non-Hispanic White children; and 13 percent for Asian children. * The National Center for Children in Poverty reports that 17.2 million children living in the U.S. have a foreign-born parent, and 4.2 million children of immigrant parents are poor. It is reported that child poverty in immigrant families is more closely related to low-wage work and barriers to valuable work supports. * The Population Reference Bureau (2010) reports that 24 percent of the 75 million children under age 18 in the U.S. live in a single-mother family. The poverty rate for children living in female-householder families (no spouse present) was 42.2 percent in 2010; 7 in 10 children living with a single mother are poor or low-income, compared to less than a third (32 percent) of children living in other types of families. A staggering 50.9 percent of female-headed Hispanic households with children below 18 years of age live in poverty (48.8 percent for Blacks; 31.6 percent Asian, and 32.1 percent non-Hispanic White). * Single-mother headed households are more prevalent among African American and Hispanic families contributing to ethnic disparities in poverty. What are the effects of child poverty? Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s children. Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities. * Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools which adversely impact our nation’s children. * Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for several negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and socio-emotional problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays. * These effects are compounded by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to access physical and mental health care. * Economists estimate that child poverty costs an estimated $500 billion a year to the U.S. economy; reduces productivity and economic output by 1.3 percent of GDP; raises crime and increases health expenditure (Holzer et al., 2008). Poverty and academic achievement * Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. * Chronic stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn. * The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2008, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about four and one-half times greater than the rate of children from higher-income families (8.7 percent versus 2.0 percent). * The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly pronounced for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers. * Under resourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential. * Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty. Poverty and psychosocial outcomes * Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems. * Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting along with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder. * Some emotional problems may include feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. * Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may experience chronic stress, depression, marital distress and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children. * Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to violence which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future violent behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile justice system. Poverty and physical health Children and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems: * Low birth weight   * Poor nutrition which is manifested in the following ways: 1. Inadequate food which can lead to food insecurity/hunger 2. Lack of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity * Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia * Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity * Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps * Exposure to violence in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortality What is the prevalence of child hunger in America? * The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that in 2010, 22 percent of children under the age of 18 lived in food-insecure households and one percent in households with very low food security. Food insecure means that at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to lack of money or other resources. * In 2009 – 2010, 21 states and the District of Columbia had at least one in four households with children (25 percent or more) facing food hardship, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The District of Columbia had the highest rates of food hardship for households with children, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. FRAC data shows that Metropolitan areas in the South and South West, and California were hard hit by food hardships. Use of food stamps increased to 16% (13.6 million households) in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. States with the largest increase (over 30%) in food stamp use included Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida. * Approximately 1 in 4 Americans utilize at least one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nutrition assistance programs each year (USDA, 2011). * The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reports that 53% of infants born in the United States receive support from the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program. * In 2010, more than 31.7 million children each day got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Approximately, 20 million children received free and reduced price lunch, according to the Food Research and Action Center (2010). What are the effects of hunger and under nutrition on child development? Prenatally * Maternal under nutrition during pregnancy increases the risk of negative birth outcomes, including premature birth, low birth weight, smaller head size, and lower brain weight. * Babies born prematurely are vulnerable to health problems and are at increased risk for developing learning problems when they reach school-age. In infancy and early childhood * The first three years of a child’s life are a period of rapid brain development. Too little energy, protein, and nutrients during this sensitive period can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development. * Protein-energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, iodine, zinc, and other vitamin deficiencies in early childhood can cause brain impairment. * Failure to thrive, the failure to grow and reach major developmental milestones as the result of under nutrition, affects 5-10% of American children under the age of three. * Hunger reduces a child’s motor skills, activity level, and motivation to explore the environment. Movement and exploration are important to cognitive development, and more active children elicit more stimulation and attention from their caregivers, which promotes social and emotional development. In childhood * Families often work to keep their food-insecurity hidden, and some parents may feel shame or embarrassment that they are not able to feed their children adequately. Children may also feel stigmatized, isolated, ashamed, or embarrassed by their lack of food. * A community sample that classified low-income children ages six to twelve as â€Å"hungry†, â€Å"at-risk for hunger†, or â€Å"not hungry† found that hungry children were significantly more likely to receive special education services, to have repeated a grade in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children. * In this same study, hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers. * Among low-income children, those classified as â€Å"hungry† show increased anxious, ir ritable, aggressive, and oppositional behavior in comparison to peers. * Additionally, the multiple stressors associated with poverty result in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and functional problems. School-age children who experience severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes: * Homelessness * Chronic health conditions * Stressful life conditions * Psychiatric distress * Behavioral problems * Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem The effects of under nutrition depend on the length and severity of the period of hunger and may be mediated by other factors. * Improved nutrition, increased environmental stimulation, emotional support, and secure attachment to parents/caregivers can compensate for early under nutrition. * Babies who receive enough nutrition while in the womb appear to show higher cognitive performance in later childhood. * The human brain is flexible and can recover from early deficits, but this also means that brain structures remain vulnerable to further negative experiences throughout childhood. * Breastfeeding, attentive caretaking, and attention to environmental factors, such as sleep cycles and noise, can also promote healthy development. Who are homeless children and youth in America? * In 2009, an estimated 656,129 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. Homelessness affects people of all ages, geographic areas, occupations, and ethnicities, but occurs disproportionately among people of color. * Access to permanent and adequate shelter is a basic human need; however, the ongoing economic downturn (composed of the foreclosure crisis, spiking unemployment, worsening poverty rates, and inadequate low-cost housing) is likely to increase rates of homelessness. * The National Association for Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports that during the 2009-2010 school year, 939,903 homeless children and youth were enrolled in public schools, a 38% increase from the 2006-2007 school years. The data is an underestimate since it does not reflect pre-school age children, toddlers and infants. * The United States Conference of Mayors (2009) reports that in 2010 more than 1.6 million children (1 in 45 children) in America were homeless and that approximately 650,000 are below age 6. Families with children are a major segment of the homelessness population. Families with children comprise a third of the homeless population and are typically comprised of a single mother in her late twenties with two young children. * Approximately 47 percent of children in homeless families are Black, although Black children make up just 15 percent of the U.S. child population (Child Trends Databank, 2012). On the other hand, although White children make up 66% of the child population, they account for 38% of homeless children. Hispanic children make up 13%, whereas Native American children make up 2% of the homeless children population. * Homeless single mothers often have histories of violent victimization with over one third having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and over half experiencing major depression while homeless. An estimated 41 percent develop dependency on alcohol and drugs and are often in poor physical health. Maternal depression and parental substance abuse has a series of negative outcomes for children. * Unaccompanied youth (sometimes referred to as runaway youth) may number between 575,000 to 1.6 million annually and typically range from ages 16 to 22. The major causes of homelessness for unaccompanied youth are mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing. * Family conflict is the primary cause of their homelessness with 46% having experienced abuse and an estimated 20-40% identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT). * Homelessness is traumatic for children because they often experience frequent moves, family split-ups, and living in crowded places before using homeless shelters (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). * States in the south and south west where poverty is more prevalent have more homeless children than states in the north and northeast. Homelessness affects children’s health and wellbeing, their brain development, causes stress, and hinders readiness for school. What are the risk factors for homelessness in children and youth? * Extreme poverty is the strongest predictor of homelessness for families. These families are often forced to choose between housing and other necessities for their survival. At least 11% of American children living in poverty are homeless. * Female-headed households (particularly by women with limited education and job skills) are also particularly vulnerable. The current economic climate has made the labor market even less hospitable as many of them do not have more than a high school diploma or GED. * Teen parents are also particularly at risk of homelessness as they often lack the education and income of adults who become parents. * Lack of affordable housing is also a risk factor for homelessness, particularly for families who devote more than 50% of household income to paying rent or those who experience a foreclosure. Foreclosures affect vulnerable tenants as well as homeowners who are delinquent in their mortga ge payments. * Substance abusing or physically violent parents and stepparents are the major drivers of homelessness in runaway youth, particularly for those who identify as GLBT. What are the outcomes of homelessness for children and youth? * Homelessness has particularly adverse effects on children and youth including hunger, poor physical and mental health, and missed educational opportunities. * Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement. * Schooling for homeless children is often interrupted and delayed, with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade, or to be suspended from school. * Homelessness and hunger are closely intertwined. Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger as their non-homeless peers. Hunger has negative effects on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. * A quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence and 22% have been separated from their families. Exposure to violence can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties for children both emotionally (depression, anxiety, withdrawal) and behaviorally (aggression, acting out). * Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care. * Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins, and chronic illness (e.g. asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care. * Unaccompanied youth are often more likely to grapple with mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) and substance abuse problems. * Many runaway youth engage in sexually risky behaviors (sometimes for their own survival), which places them at risk of HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancies. Also, emerging research has shown that GLBT homeless youth are 7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime. What can you do to help children and families struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness? * Volunteer your time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to low-income and homeless children and families. * Donate money, food, and clothing to homeless shelters and other charities in your community. * Donate school supplies and books to under-resourced schools in your area. * Make your voice heard! Support public policy initiatives that seek to: i. Improve access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care for low-income ii. Americans by eliminating barriers such as limitations in health care coverage. iii. Create a â€Å"safety net† for children and families that provide real protection against the harmful effects of economic insecurity. iv. Increase the minimum wage, affordable housing and job skills training for low-income and homeless Americans. v. Intervene in early childhood to support the health and educational development of low-income children. vi. Provide support for low-income and food insecure children such as Head Start, the National School Lunch Program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) authorization. vii. Increase resources for public education and access to higher education. viii. Support research on poverty and its relationship to health, education, and well-being.

Strategic Management in Non Profit Making Organization

Introduction Strategic Management is the process by which managers make the choice of a set of strategies that will enable it to achieve better performance. The context of strategic management can be defined as the societal role of the organization, environmental, technological and human resource factors. With changes in a context, a unique set of managerial constraints arise (Stevens & McGowan, 1983). Context influences the nature of managerial behavior: the actions of a manager in arriving at a decision regarding how to deal with a given context.The way that a strategic plan is developed depends on the nature of the organization's leadership, culture of the organization, complexity of the organization's environment, size of the organization and expertise of planners. The not-for-profit sector is extremely diverse in terms of the organizations it encompasses and the work it undertakes. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the creation and consolidation of non-pr ofit organizations of various sizes, with diverse objectives and different scopes of action.More often than not, these organizations are managed by individuals who are dedicated or committed to the company's goals but have not had the opportunity to undergo specific training for this purpose. There are diverse types of non-profit organizations globally e. g. hospitals, social, cultural and political organizations. Most of the NGOs startups will usually come up with a strategy formulation paper which will consist of the vision, goals and objectives, implementation strategies and the budgets. This is because most of them are funded through grants and donations which will normally require a well done funds mobilization proposal. Related essay: â€Å"Support Positive Risk Taking For Individuals†However, most of them are less likely to engage in procedural strategic management implementation as a formal exercise. Also, these organizations are less likely to exhibit the features of a sound strategic plan as follows: †¢ Whereas one of the features of strategic planning is the long term nature of these plans, most of the non-profit organizations tend to be managed more on a short-term operational basis rather than in a strategic sense. †¢ Secondly strategy formulation takes into account the customers and competitor behavior.For nonprofit organizations, the influence of their clients or customers is often limited. These organizations will normally decide what is best for their clientele/customers and implement. †¢ Whereas strategic management is dynamic and continuous, most NPO aren’t very receptive to changes. They are comfortable in their current positions and transformation is quite an uphill task for them. Most of them thrive on tradeoffs between efficiency/productivity vis a vis processes. They are mostly driven by their social and community focus and appeal more to the conscience. This in turn stifles innovation and productivity and may hamper the decision making process. However, this will also be determined by the leadership style of the leader. . Requirements for strategic planning in non-profit corporate strategies Non profit organizations, just as for business organizations, can and should be designed to bring success and avoid failure. This can be done by capitalizing on the strongest capabilities of the non-profit organization in question, and exploiting the greatest opportunities, while reducing risk associated with organizational weaknesses, and environmental threats.This shared understanding of the overall strategic situation of the organization gives a sound basis for strategic decision making. The primary requirement for an overall non-profit or ganization set of strategies is that they should be developed to cover two main dimensions, bringing success and avoiding failure when things go wrong. †¢ Non-profit strategies must give the organization a very good chance of hitting the target for satisfactory performance and even exceeding it. †¢ At the same time, strategic planning nonprofit style must not expose the particular rganization to such risks that its performance might fall below to that considered to be failure. Additionally strategic planning in non profit must have a set of strategies that meet these requirements- †¢ Make full use of all the organization's most impressive strengths. †¢ Correct or neutralize all major weaknesses. It must not be based on these weaknesses. †¢ Either eliminate or reduce the impact of all the major threats. †¢ Exploit any highly rated opportunity for enhancing non-profit performance. Be strictly practical and relevant to the precise strategic situation of th e particular non-profit organization, and hopefully be †¢ Imaginative in the sense of being able to engage staff in implementation, and stand out among similar non-profit organizations in some way, and not be a pale imitation of what everyone else is doing, so as to strengthen the community standing of the organization and its non-profit mission. The following are some of the strategic contexts for non-profit organizations. (i) Governorship The not-for-profit organizations are not governed by organic law (constitutions).Top management teams are empowered by the corporate charter to engage in strategy implementation. A direct link between strategy formulation and implementation and the active involvement of all relevant parties throughout the process is deemed to be essential to effective private sector policy making. (ii) Openness to External Environment Not-for-profit organizations even though open to the external environment, the chief executives or board directors may ignore contributions into policy formulation and implementation processes from the various stakeholders.Failure to consider such contributions does not necessarily put their careers into risk, neither the legitimacy nor the credibility of the organization. (iii)Clearly defined goals Not-for-profit organizations generally operate within the framework of a limited number of relatively stable goals such as growth, profitability or market share. As (Peters & Waterman, 1982) noted, the top managements of more effective organizations appear to focus their attention on a limited set of clearly defined objectives. (iv) Cultural orientation Strategy formulation is largely affected by culture in non-profit organizations.Informal processes are used; for example an outstanding performer awarded a bonus in a not-for-profit organization is received well and does not attract bickering from other staff. (v) Human Resource Strategies In non-profit organizations, the personnel system is not based on merit. Employment, reward and advancement are done haphazardly thus creating a dependency relationship between the junior and senior staff. (vi) Separation of functional authority Not-for-profit organizations do not have a separation of functional authority like in the public sector.The organizations may be run by the directors who have founded them. The directors make day to day decisions and could even head departments in the organization. (vii) Marketing Strategies for non profit organization †¢ Website platform. †¢ Social media †¢ Brand enthusiasm †¢ Newsletters †¢ Creative Viral Programs †¢ Monitring. REFERENCES Peters, T. J. , & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In Search of Excellence. New York: Harper & Row. Stevens, J. M. , & McGowan, J. R. (1983). Managerial Strategies in Municipal government Organizations. Academy of Management Journal.

Biography of A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights Activist

Biography of A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights Activist Asa Philip Randolph was born April 15, 1889, in Crescent City, Florida, and died May 16, 1979, in New York City. He was a civil rights and labor activist, known for his role in organizing the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and for heading the March on Washington. He also influenced Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman to issue executive orders that banned discrimination and segregation in the defense industry and the armed forces, respectively. A. Philip Randolph Full Name: Asa Philip RandolphOccupation: Labor movement leader, civil rights activistBorn: April 15, 1889 in Crescent City, FloridaDied: May 16, 1979 in New York CityParents:  Rev. James William Randolph and Elizabeth Robinson RandolphEducation: Cookman InstituteSpouse: Lucille Campbell Green RandolphKey Accomplishments: Organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, chair of the March on Washington, recipient of the Presidential Medal of FreedomFamous Quote: â€Å"Freedom is never granted; it is won. Justice is never given; it is exacted.† Early Years A. Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida, but grew up in Jacksonville. His father,  the Rev. James William Randolph, was a tailor and minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; his mother, Elizabeth Robinson Randolph, was a seamstress. Randolph also had an older brother named James. Randolph likely inherited his activist streak from his parents, who taught him the importance of personal character, education, and standing up for oneself. He never forgot the night that his parents both armed themselves when a mob set out to lynch a man at the county jail. With a pistol beneath his coat, his father went to the jail to break up the mob. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Randolph stood watch at home with a shotgun. President of the Brotherhood A. Philip Randolph, sitting at his desk. Rex Hardy Jr. / Getty Images   This was not the only way his mother and father influenced him. Knowing that his parents valued education, Randolph excelled in school, as did his brother. They went to the Jacksonville area’s only school for black students at that time, the Cookman Institute. In 1907, he graduated as valedictorian of his class. An Activist in New York Four years after high school, Randolph moved to New York City with the hope of becoming an actor, but he gave up on his dream because his parents disapproved. Inspired by W.E.B. DuBois’ book â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk,† which explored African American identity, Randolph began to focus on sociopolitical issues. He also concentrated on his personal life, marrying a wealthy widow named Lucille Campbell Green in 1914. She was a businesswoman and a socialist, and she was able to provide financial support for her husband’s activism, including his oversight of a magazine called The Messenger. The publication had a socialist bent, and Columbia University student Chandler Owen ran it with Randolph. Both men were opposed to World War I and were monitored by the authorities for speaking out against the international conflict, which the United States became involved in during 1917. The war ended the following year, and Randolph pursued other forms of activism. Members of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first successful African-American Labor Union, proudly display their banner at a 1955 ceremony celebrating the organizations 30th anniversary. Asa Philip Randolph (1889-1979), Union president, seen wearing black and white shoes, holds up Brotherhood flag.   Bettmann  /  Contributor Starting In 1925, Randolph spent a decade fighting for the unionization of the Pullman porters, the black men who worked as baggage handlers and wait staff in the sleeping cars of trains. Randolph not only knew a great deal about unions, but he also did not work for the Pullman Company, which manufactured most of the railroad cars in the US during the first half of the 1900s. Since he did not have to fear that Pullman would retaliate against him for organizing, the porters thought he’d be a suitable representative for them. In 1935, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters finally formed, a huge victory. No African American labor union had been organized before. Taking on the White House Randolph parlayed his success with the Pullman porters into advocacy work for black workers at the federal level. As World War II unfolded, President Franklin Roosevelt would not give an executive order to prohibit racial discrimination in the defense industry. This meant that African American employees in this sector could be excluded from jobs based on race or paid unfairly. So, Randolph asked African Americans to march in Washington, D.C, to protest the president’s inaction against discrimination. Tens of thousands of black people were prepared to take to the streets of the nation’s capital until the president changed his mind. This forced  Roosevelt to take action, which he did by signing an executive order on June 25, 1941. Roosevelt also established the Fair Employment Practices Commission to see his order through. Additionally, Randolph played a key role in getting President Harry Truman to sign the Selective Service Act of 1947. This legislation outlawed racial segregation in the armed forces. During this time, black men and white men served in different units, and the former often were placed in high-risk situations without the proper resources to defend themselves. Desegregating the military was the key to giving black servicemen more opportunity and safety. US President Dwight Eisenhower (1890 - 1965) meets with Civil Rights leaders at the White House to discuss desegregation, Washington DC, June 23, 1958.   Abbie Rowe / Getty Images If President Truman had not signed the act, Randolph was ready to get men of all races to take part in mass nonviolent civil disobedience. It helped that Truman was counting on the black vote to win his reelection bid and knew that alienating African Americans would put his campaign at risk. This prompted him to sign the desegregation order. During the following decade, Randolph continued his activism. The new labor organization the AFL-CIO chose him as vice president in 1955. In this capacity, he continued to advocate for black workers, striving to desegregate labor unions, which had historically excluded African Americans. And in 1960, Randolph founded an organization exclusively focused on black workers’ rights. It was called the Negro American Labor Council, and he served as its president for six years. The March on Washington Mahatma Gandhi often gets the credit for influencing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders to take a nonviolent approach to activism, but A. Philip Randolph was an inspiration to civil rights activists, too. Without using violence, he’d ushered in the formation of the first major black labor union and influenced two different presidents to sign executive orders to ban racial discrimination. Knowing how effective Randolph had been, the new crop of black activists followed his example. August 1963: More than 200,000 protesters gather to demand equal rights for black Americans on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC. Among them are Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968) (4th L), A. Philip Randolph (2nd R) as well as Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young and Rabbi Joachim Prinz.   MPI / Getty Images When they called for 1963’s March on Washington, the biggest civil rights demonstration in the history of the United States, they appointed Randolph as chair of the event. There, an estimated 250,000 people turned out to march for jobs and freedom for African Americans, and witnessed King give his I Have a Dream speech, arguably his most memorable. Later Years While 1963 was certainly a standout year for Randolph because of the March on Washington’s success, it was also a tragic one. His wife, Lucille, died that year. The couple had no children. 1964 Wahington, DC: President Johnson presents A. Philp Randolph with the presidential Medal of Freedom. Bettmann  Ã‚  /  Contributor In 1964, Randolph turned 75 years old, but he continued being singled out for his advocacy work on behalf of African Americans. That year, President Lyndon Johnson honored him with the  Presidential Medal of Freedom. And in 1968, Randolph presided over the new A. Philip Randolph Institute, which works to garner African American support of trade unions. During this time, Randolph kept his position on the AFL-CIO Executive Council, leaving the role in 1974. A. Philip Randolph died on May 16, 1979, in New York City. He was 90 years old. Sources â€Å"A. Philip Randolph.† AFL-CIO.â€Å"Hall of Honor Inductee: A. Philip Randolph.† US Department of Labor.