Ta Diploma Course Assignment 4

Teaching Assistant Diploma Course Questions on Assignment Four. Explain the legal responsibilities of the school relating to the duty of care and the welfare of the child. All adults working on behalf of, or alongside children have a responsibility to keep them safe. Key people working in schools have responsibilities laid out in child protection laws. The Children Act 1989 states that the welfare of the child is paramount and sets out to detail what Local Authorities and Courts should do to protect children.A school should designate a Senior Teacher with specific responsibilities for child protection, this teacher should be clear about what children are on the Child Protection Register & the key professionals involved with the family, the boundaries of confidentiality, and their training needs in relation to child protection. They should be clear about their role in offering advice and guidance to other colleagues who are unfamiliar with the child protection process. In small school s the designated teacher is usually the Head Teacher, however no one person should be responsible for more than 250 pupils.Teachers have a duty of care to their students and as they have daily contact with them they are able to observe and detect any signs of abuse, neglect, failure to develop or changing behaviour. If a member of staff has any knowledge or suspicion that a child is, or has been suffering harm they must express their concern to the designated member of staff as soon as possible. All allegations should be taken seriously and the student involved should be informed that the information can’t be kept confidential and must be passed on to the designated member of staff in the school.Staff that receive any allegations of abuse or neglect must make an immediate written record of the conversation including all dates and times of reported incidents, the names of all of the people involved, nature of abuse and if any injuries have been observed. The designated Child P rotection Co-ordinator will then notify Social Services by telephone and then confirm the allegations in writing, which is to be signed and dated by the referrer. The Children Act 2004 sets out the process for providing services to children so that every child is able to achieve the five outcomes described in the Every Child Matters green aper, and all schools should aim to support this new approach to the well-being of children and support them in achieving these goals. The five outcomes of the Every Child Matters approach are to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make positive contributions and finally, to achieve economic well-being. It is very important that support is given to children both at home and school as parents and teachers are the biggest influence in a child’s life.Discuss 5 important school and statutory frameworks that directly impact on the teaching assistants work with pupils. Teaching assistant need to be aware of all school and statutory framework s affecting the content and delivery of the curriculum, child protection, health and safety and any other aspects of school life, especially the frameworks that directly impact on their own work with pupils. The first framework that directly impacts the teaching assistant is the Equal Opportunities framework.The teaching assistant has an important role in ensuring that each pupil has equal access to learning opportunities. Teaching assistants are often hired to help individuals or groups of pupils to provide additional or different support in order to achieve equality of opportunity. On some occasions, under constant supervision from the class teacher, teaching assistants may be asked to work with the whole class so that the class teacher can focus on helping individual pupils who may be finding their work difficult.The second framework a teaching assistant should be aware of is Health, Safety and Hygiene. This is a high priority in any school setting because of the importance of pr otecting any person in that setting, for example the pupils, staff or school visitors. Every school will have policies and procedures that outline the intensions to implement Health and Safety legislations and how to put these into practice. The framework and policies to be followed should be known and understood by all staff and parents.The policies should cover such areas as the role of the Safety Officer, dealing with accidents, accident prevention and food storage. The third framework that has a direct impact for the teaching assistant is confidentiality. Teaching assistants must follow all policies and procedures outlined in the framework when it comes to confidentiality. This requirement covers information on colleagues and pupils and extends to communications with others in work related situations and social situations. The fourth framework is Diversity.Teaching assistants should always demonstrate the values of every pupils personal, racial, or any other characteristics so t hat they can develop a sense of identity and build up their self esteem. It will also promote an understanding and appreciation of different cultures and religious beliefs in all pupils. The fifth and final framework is Supporting Inclusion. Some teaching assistants are employed with certain responsibilities to work with individual pupils whereas others are given more general responsibilities in the classroom.No matter what responsibilities a teaching assistant has, supporting inclusion is a key element. A teaching assistant should aim to facilitate learning and participation to build confidence and self esteem as well as independence so that all pupils are able to fulfil their full potential alongside their classmates. Describe the teaching assistants role in helping to keep the environment for children safe, healthy and hygienic. The teaching assistant has a big role in helping the class teacher to keep the environment for children safe, healthy and hygienic.The teaching assistant should liaise with the class teacher at the start of the lesson to determine what materials or equipment will be needed for the lesson. The teaching assistant would then need to ensure that the work environment is clean and safe and that all of the equipment is also clean and safe for the children to use. The teaching assistant must also make sure that the environment is equipped with a first aid box, fire appliances for example a fire extinguisher, smoke detectors and an alarm, and signs to mark fire escape routes.The teaching assistant should ensure that all pupils that will be working in the environment are clear and understand the procedures and rules to follow in the event of a fire, the teaching assistant should also reiterate what the class teacher has taught the pupils with regards to this. The teaching assistant must also make sure that there are soft surfaces and safety mats for activity play, and ensure that that are all in good, clean condition. It is the teaching assis tants job to make sure that the washing acilities are clean and that there are paper towels, liquid soap and nail brushes available to the children. The teaching assistant also has a responsibility to ensure that all the children wash their hands after activities and also clean their equipment. After the activities are over, it is the job of the teaching assistant to clean the environment making sure that it is clean, safe and hygienic. It is very important that all cleaning products such as disinfectant are kept in safe storage where they cannot fall and cause injury, and where the children cannot access them without the help of a responsible adult.There should also be clean cloths for cleaning the learning environment before and after activities, and these should be cleaned thoroughly after use. By doing these tasks, the teaching assistant is ensuring a safe and happy learning environment for the teacher, pupils and also the teaching assistant. How would you carry out a risk asses sment whilst organising a game of football in the school playground. A risk assessment is a careful examination of what could cause harm or pose a threat to children so that one can judge if enough precautions have been taken to prevent it.Control measures are the procedures used to eliminate or reduce the risk of harm. To carry out a risk assessment the steps taken should be to check for hazards, deciding where improvements are needed and in what areas, developing a plan of action that specifies the actions required, the timescale for action, the person responsible for the action and any funds that may be required. A risk assessment should also ask questions that give a yes or no answer, but should also leave space for any additional comments or plans for improvement.The questions should be devised to outline potential problems with the premises used, the equipment used by staff and pupils and the activities performed by practitioners, volunteers and children. There should also be a risk assessment checklist including things such as security, windows, doors and floors, storage, outdoor area, procedure for adults, hygiene, fire, first aid and medication. To carry out a risk assessment whilst organising a game of football in the school playground the teaching assistant must first check for any hazards in and around the playground, for example holes or uneven surfaces on the layground, broken glass, stones or loose gravel. They must then decide what areas need attention and develop an action plan. The next step is to answer the questions that the risk assessment asks, and make any further comments or observations and concerns. Then comes the checklist, every item that will be used for the football game needs to be inspected to ensure that there are no problems and that they pose no threat to pupils, for example, the football nets must be safe and secure to make sure that no harm will come to the children by using them.Everything on the checklist should be up to the standards set in the health and safety legislation, this includes storage space, heating and lighting, footballs, nets, cones or markers, or any clothing the pupils, teachers or other people involved may have to wear. Once any hazard or potential threat has been identified they must be dealt with and sometimes this will happen in two stages. The first stage is to take immediate action to prevent danger in the short term and the second stage is to take more permanent long term action to prevent it from happening again.Once the risk assessment has been performed and any hazards have been eliminated the football game can take place. What training needs may exist for a teaching assistant and how best might they be identified and met. A teaching assistant is always under the watchful eye of the class teacher and the line manager, who are key elements in determining what level of training needs are needed. The line manager is responsible for all issues concerned with teaching assistan ts including recruitment, induction, deployment, timetabling, professional review, training and performance.The line manager also deals with concerns and day to day issues. Regular meetings should be held between the line manager and teaching assistant to discuss any problems or issues that the teaching assistant may be encountering, and the line manager will also keep the teaching assistant up to date with all school development. Decisions regarding a teaching assistants professional and personal development must be a joint agreement with the line manager. By meeting with the line manager on a regular basis a teaching assistant should learn how to form a realistic judgement of their progress and if any further training is needed.There are many training options available to teaching assistants and by determining how much progress they have made it will determine what level of further training they need. DFES induction course are run by Local Authorities , they run induction programm es as well as additional courses covering a range of issues that are relevant to teaching assistants. Then there is Local Authority run training, most Local Authorities run a range of courses that teaching assistants have the opportunity to sign up for.The next option would be school based training; this is training that happens in a school setting, the school should support a wide range of professional and personal development approaches including in-school training using the expertise available in the school. More in-school training could come in the form of distance learning such as Stonebridge college courses, or practical experience; working voluntarily in a school setting is a way to build up a good knowledge of what to expect in a school setting.Involvement in local and national networks would also be a step towards further training. The final option would be long term training in a college or university studying towards an NVQ or degree. Talking to the line manager will help in determining the best option for the teaching assistant and how to go about finding more information on the chosen option. Discuss the teaching assistants role with regards to the promotion of equal opportunities and diversity. Teaching assistants have an important role in the promotion of diversity and equal opportunities.A written policy for equal opportunities will help to ensure that equal opportunities are given to all children and their families throughout every aspect of the school. To provide a school setting that celebrates diversity and does not discriminate against pupils is to ensure that there are certain practices in place, for example ensuring that parental activities are accessible to all parents and children and that all activities reflect the backgrounds of all the families in the community. The way that adults treat children will have a huge influence on them.To promote equal opportunities and celebrate diversity the school should aim to follow practices such a s avoiding stereotyping. The way adults act can send strong messages to a child about the appropriate ways for them to act. For example, suggesting that it is ok for a boy to do something but not for a girl to do the same sends a negative message to the pupils and can restrict possibilities for future development by limiting their expectations of the roles they can play in life. All children develop misconceptions about various racial and cultural groups from the media and the society that we live in.Therefore the environment that they are brought up in is an important way of helping to overcome stereotyping. Also, by treating every child equally a teaching assistant may have to treat them differently to other pupils so that they can adapt appropriately to meet their individual needs and characteristics. Making sure that children have equal opportunities to learn will help them to get the most out of life. There are also legal requirements relating to equal opportunities and to prev ent discriminatory practice and the expression of prejudice.The laws can prevent frameworks that make certain practices punishable but can’t change people’s attitudes. Children Act 1989 is a good example of a law that actively encourages good anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 aims to stop gender discrimination. And then there is The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which works to stop discrimination against disabled people in employment, and in the provision of goods or services. A teaching assistant is a big role model to children and by promoting these values it should encourage pupils to embrace these values too.

Forklift truck design – planning systems to enhance forklift safety

I have indentified a need that there is nominally a high rising â€Å"accident† rate which involves forklift trucks, with injuries and fatalities occurring to other workers and members of public who are in the area of the forklift truck whilst in use. I have chosen to design a product that could be fitted, to a forklift truck, which will improve safety and reduce â€Å"accidents† whilst a forklift truck is in use. Resulting in taking all of the above into account my single phrase function statement being â€Å"prevent accidents† however, theirs already methods, procedures and regulations in place to try and prevent â€Å"accidents† such as regulated speed limits, sufficient training in using a forklift truck and warning fixtures such as a drivers horn, hazard light. If an accident was to occur in most cases it will be blamed as an operators fault even if the safety scheme was in place. Employer areas of using forklift trucks, which are also known, to cause accidents. > Lack of training or improper training of employees who operate forklift trucks. > Time factors, having little time to carry out the job in hand causing stress and speeding. > Lack of proper attachments and accessories. > Wrongly tasked job of forklift truck or operators. – Not qualified, using the forklift incorrectly to do the wrong things. > Poor maintenance of forklift trucks Operational areas of using forklift trucks, which are prone, too cause accidents. > Incorrect reversing techniques. > Incorrect turning, use of space > Incorrect use – over loading & over reaching > Incorrect warnings to others about a forklift in use nearby, no signage or alarms/hazard lighting > Poor contact throughout joint jobs, or in shared spaces, could this result in the need of a banks man. > Giving rides on the forklift truck or load – also comes back to incorrect use. > Playing games, not taking the job in hand seriously resulting in stunt driving, erratically driven Having had a quick look at forklift trucks and the ways that they are used I have come to the decision that it would be very rare for a forklift to be involved in an â€Å"accident† due to malfunctions of the forklift truck itself but would result in the incorrect use due to operator error or areas which haven't been covered or have been vaguely thought about by the employee. â€Å"There are reputed to be over 8,000 reported accidents involving the use of forklift trucks in the UK each year and some of these result in fatalities. The majority of these accidents are caused by the lack of sufficient training of the operator, operator error, a lack of knowledge about the equipment and the working environment, bad truck maintenance, poor lighting conditions, inadequate gangways and unsuitable premises in which forklift trucks are used. In fact, slightly more pedestrians are injured as the result of a forklift accident than the operators themselves.† The above statement is taken from http://www.workplacesafetyadvice.co.uk/forklift-truck-safety.html This statement stands by and proves what I have pointed out regarding forklift truck accidents. Having carried out some brief research I can now focus my thoughts onto exactly what I want to be able to achieve for example demands would be things that I would need the final product to have, the principle ideas if you will. wishes, would be the additions, which we don't exactly need but would be an added bonus. Demands Wishes To prevent accidents! Compact Easy to install alongside existing accessories Cheap to produce Universal fitting Works well alongside other accessories Robustness Looks nice Reliable Looks original against existing product Pedestrian safety improved Improved driver visibility Just from carrying out a simple task of listing demands and wishes explores areas, which are possibly endangering humans and infrastructures for example if the product we design does succeed with its demands, then the product its self with reduce risks and risk of accidents, therefore this would result in less employee time off work, less accidents and a lower risk of the health and safety executive getting involved resulting in a fine. All of these problems/potential incidents can be prevented by carrying out the correct procedures and using efficient products and accessories to do so†¦ for example an add on product/accessories that is built and engineered to these exact demands! Outline Specification An outline specification specialises in exact specifications during the early stages of a design process, this being the designing of an accessory to improve the safety whilst forklifts trucks are being used. The specification is to include the need of the particular product, which can then be quantified, by converting each demand into a specific broken down form. Functionality. The functionality would be to try and improve the driver's visibility, increase safety & awareness for pedestrians. User interaction. User Interaction would be visual for example – VDU Monitors so the forklift truck driver can closely examine what is going on with the truck in blind spot areas. Alarms & sensors could be also fitted so as these sound the operator will interact up on hearing these alarms and respond efficiently knowing that something or someone is potentially at risk Physical Form. The physical form of the product should improve the forklifts lifting capabilities and working in tight spaces. Robustness & Operating Environment. The product will have to be robust I,E it is going to be used in different climates, both hot, cold, wet and dusty. If electrical or electronic components are to be used these should be waterproofed in some kind of way, designing a casing that can with stand these conditions could do this. It would need to be made out of a heavy duty material due to the kind of environment being used in, to do this you could design the casing out of a heavy duty plastic or some kind of metal. Signals. Signals of the particular unit or accessory dependant on whether it is electrical/electronic based, it should be ensured that fast response times between display & alarm units are as close to real time as possible. Having Latency type effects will delay the operators response therefore could have already caused an â€Å"accident† Power Supply. Depending on the type of unit a separate battery source (12VDC) could be used, charging the unit off of the existing battery package, it would charge the unit whilst in use. However this may not be very efficient, with solar powered technology becoming more and more common, a little solar panel could be fitted therefore creating its own power supply and charging its own battery source. Safety. The final product designed would need to reach the EU standards and be CE certified, it would need to be proven that the product is safe, and is capable of carrying out the specified task Product Failure. If the product were to fail, it would have to be self-notifying i.e. and integrated alarm with in the unit to notify the operator that it is not working. If the product was to fail and not give any notification of doing so then the operator would still be relying on a piece of accident prevention equipment which could in fact cause an â€Å"accident† Maintenance. The Product should be easy to maintain, be located in a place where it is to do so, maintaining the product would mean checking that the product is working correctly and the connections are all in order. However the product will be designed to last in excess of 5 years under normal operating conditions before it should be due a â€Å"service† Costs. The Estimated development cost of producing this extraordinary accessory would be: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50k+ with the forklift truck product retailing at around: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½350 with a DIY fitting package. However an installation and service/maintenance contract could be agreed resulting in extra income. Schedules. The schedule from designing the specified product to developing it would be roughly around 6 – 12 months. Development schedule would depend on Function Solution Matrix: Function Solution Principle Driver Visibility Cameras – Improving the view of driver, integrated VDU unit 1 Mirrors – Improve the drivers view 2 Maneuverability 5 Second reverse delay – Giving the driver a good chance to look round 2 Restricted speeds for built up area – Reducing the risk of accidents/crashes1 Pedestrian Visibility High-Visibility color's – Another way of enforcing the forklift trucks visibility 1 High intensity lights & Alarms – making people aware of the use of a forklift truck 2 Cordoned off areas/hot spots – reduces the risk of accidents to humans Object sensors Laser Sensors – limit speed of forklift truck depending on how close an object is to the truck, alerting driver Infra Red sensors – limit speed of forklift truck depending on how close an object is to the truck, alerting driver Solution one is rather complex when compared to solution two because it contains more electronic components This means that it may be of a higher potential to fail as there is more that could go wrong. However it would ensure that forklifts trucks that would be lifting more abnormal heavy loads the operator would be easily informed In comparison to solution one, the second solution is much more simple approach to satisfying the specification set. With this would bring better reliability however the product wouldn't be original. The use standardized alarms and hazard lights should be set as a standard, the more complex clever device is the 5-second reverse delay unit. This would delay the operation from putting the forklift truck into reverse giving the operator enough time to check and look around, investigating at this point in time the best route to take and look for instructions The unit would be an all in one manufactured unit in 1 part except the hazard lights. I have chosen to design and build a 5 second reverse power delay (Solution 2) with alarms to indicate a forklift truck is in presence. The 5-second delay gives the operator plenty of opportunity to look around to plan the route to be taken, and there are no objects/people in the way. Picture Taken from http://www.esoftbank.net.cn/images/product_b/10004921/forklift_truck.jpg Standard alarm alerting people of forklift truck operation Hazard light visibility increased for blind/loss of sight people are notified of a forklift trucks operation When the main board detects the forklift truck is put into reverse there is a 5 second delay with restricted power/speed Finally a power source overseeing the whole operation ensuring there is power to all components in order for them to work

Teenager in an extreme credit card debt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teenager in an extreme credit card debt - Essay Example One of the issues is teenagers and the credit card debt. Credit card debt has been an issue especially on campuses. It is said that most of the students have competence in handling these cards. However, it has been found that some of the students get into debt. The causes of these debts among teenagers have been shown to be a belief about future earnings, debts attitudes and financial knowledge (Jill and Phillip 1). Most of the teenagers lack proper financial training. Likewise, those with necessary financial training are not willing to change their behavior. As a result, it has been a big problem with most of the teenagers becoming consumers debtor. Most of the teenagers using these cards lack the necessary information. This is because most teens fail to realize the reality of excessive interest rates and fees on these cards. Majority of the students arrive in schools with cards. Most of the teenagers underscore the time it will take to repay the money with interest (Jill and Phillip 1). The other issue is the reason behind increasing number of teenagers with the cards. The companies make teens their target through promotion. These promotions are meant to lure teenagers to get cards. One of the promotion strategy adopted by the companies is through giving of incentives. Such incentives include giving t-shirts or mugs (Jill and Phillip 1). In addition, the companies remove some of the requirements of getting cards. For example, some companies waive the information requires on the previous cardholder. Some other companies even offer food items. As a result, most of the teenagers are lured into getting these cards without knowing the consequences. Promotion of cards has also been taken in schools. This has occurred as some of the schools accept these cards as a way of paying tuition. In some institutions, students groups sponsor the card companies. In the end, the group retains some amount for each application the

Admission Eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Admission Eassy - Essay Example A specific industry that interests me a lot is enervation. I want to become a world leader in new enervation technologies and implementing them into a business environment. Completing an MBA degree will help a lot towards achieving my professional goals. The MBA program will improve my analytical abilities, market research capabilities, and quantitative reasoning. The enervation movement is important to me because the planet depends on the efforts of corporations in order to find ways to save energy and protect our environment. My professional experience includes working as a business analyst, instructional support technician, and salesman. These experiences have helped me improve my people skills. I have learned to work and deliver under pressure. My background in business at the undergraduate level and my working experiences make me an excellent candidate for the MBA program. Studying at the graduate level is going to be a very gratifying experience for me because I will get the ch ance to improve my knowledge base and meet a lot other students that have similar professional

Should or Should Not Doping Be Allowed in Sports Essay

Should or Should Not Doping Be Allowed in Sports - Essay Example On the other hand, the misuse of drugs is also detrimental to the health of competing athletes. In general doping devalues the integrity and image of sports. Doping has elicited vicious debate from both the medical and sporting aspect. While others question where the integrity of sport falls, when household personality in sport finds themselves in difficult places when discovered to have used performance enhancing drugs, others enjoy the use of performance enhancing drugs (Wiesing 168). In competitive sport, doping has been considered an unethical venture that does not emphasize the integrity of sports. Several high-profile athletes – men and women have had their career thrown to the doldrums after having been found guilty of doping or making a public statement on doping. On the other hand, proponents of doping claim that doping in sports is necessary especially for those superstars who feel that they need to remain on top of their game and they would want to do that at all costs. The essence is that they would not want to lose their fame in sports and for that reason, they resort to doping. They are role models, icons and revered names to their fans and that is what they fear losing (Eber 345). This paper looks at doping in both contexts as to whether it should be allowed or not in sports. It also gives relevant examples of athletes who have thrown away their integrity in sports after being discovered to have used doping substances. While doping is consider ed as a contrary action to fair play, there are several athletes who believe in fair play. Certain competitive athletes stress on the need for fair play, and they are considered conditional cooperators because are guided by the values and principles of fair play. In other words, they do not take drugs because they believe their competitors do not use them as well. The biggest problem, however, becomes coordination of their intentions that would wander and resort to using performance enhancing drugs in competitions (Devine 637). Doping has become a global problem because of many international sporting events world over. Most international sports associations guided by International Olympic Committee (IOC), have for a long time worked on ways of stopping the spread of doping, but they have met resistance. As expected, the introduction of testing, education programs and other medical treatment, would reduce the behavior. Unfortunately, the efforts have managed to bear little fruits bec ause undetectable and more powerful doping techniques have come up. There are several doping techniques

2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2 - Essay Example This discussion explains how they American Patriots won the Revolutionary War. American colonies won the Revolutionary War through the use of various strategies that disadvantaged its enemies. It is necessary to explain that a good war is fought by an army that is located near its home. America fought a war that took place on its major colonies and thus it was very easy for military orders, troops and supplies to reach their destination without delay. On the other hand, the British colonized a very expansive region and this means that there were challenges in transporting troops and other military supplies to soldiers. The distance covered by British troops was longer and cumbersome compared to the one covered by American troops. Therefore, geographical barriers became a huge hindrance to the British Empire and this put their troops at a disadvantage (Zinn 55). On the other hand, it was very easy for American troops to be organized and get military supplies and new recruits within a short time. Secondly, Americans had clear objectives that motivated its troops to fight and ensure they were achieved. In addition, Americans supported their troops to help them have adequate supplies that would enable them to fight without being in a disadvantaged position. It is necessary to explain that Americans believed that no country had a right to invade its territory and command its citizens. Therefore, they fought to reject violation of their rights and ensure they were allowed to do what they wanted without restrictions. In addition, America had been colonized by the British for a long time and it was time to become self-governed. One of their main objectives of waging war with Britain was to eliminate the British rule and become independent. It was not easy to become independent without engaging in bloodshed. On the other hand, the British had no

Organization Theory and Design by Daft, RL Essay

Organization Theory and Design by Daft, RL - Essay Example Rites of Renewal: The 'culture fit' after a long time in practice wanes its characteristics. To rejuvenate the organization with more or less the same culture-specific new rites are implemented from time to time. They are essentially system-supportive; and enthuse in the employees' mind a hope that their expectation is being realized, so that they reinforce their motivation in the organization as before. Rites of Passage: They help in new recruitments in the organization. The pre-training in the military and the police, extensive and intensive testing, screening, counseling, group discussion, interviews and assessment exercises are examples of these rites. Rites of Integration: These rites foster social co-relation by reviving common feelings and realsing individuals' commitment to the bound to the organization. They attempt at bringing people of different hierarchy through recreational activities like giving parties, picnic and joining en mass the common eating, drinking, dancing and other exchange performances. 1(b). Mission Culture: The 'mission culture' is as defined by D Denison in 'Corporate Culture and organizational Effectiveness' (1990) is a hypothesis that concentrates on certain values, goals and cultures (or subcultures) to achieve within a timescale. For this it lays a set of shared definition of the function and purpose for an organization. It is concerned with both internal factors and external environment to make the shared values positively effective. It has primarily two focused motivations. One, it instills in the mind of the employees non-economic reasons along with the economic targets, for employing their efforts for the well-being of the organizational set-up: there lies their own wellbeing. It sets a defined direction and cherished end-goals to follow for the organization. The Adaptability Culture: Adaptability culture is however more plastic in nature. It involves risk taking efforts, trusting each other. It follows a proactive approach to organizational life and is quick to recognize a possible hurdle and find its solution. It instills a positive confidence in the ability of the persons of all ranks and thus enthuse in them to achieve the 'mission culture'. Good examples of the 'mission cultures' which have made themselves a name to reckon with in the world are the McDonalds, Honda, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). McDonalds has a mission culture, while its varying menus for different cultures is the example of its adaptability culture. Therefore we may say that adaptability culture is more effective in achieving the target than the mission culture which is its mere identity with all unique technologies. 1(c). Culture strength: The strength that derives an organization is enshrined in a set of rules to be followed by strictly. Deviation is not tolerated. It rather makes people to instill assurance and certainty about the organization and is closely associated with durability of it. Only then the employees have faith in the organization and hence can be motivated to accomplishment. (Hmapden-Turner; 1990:13). Subcultures: They are just opposite of the culture strength in characteristics. Every dominant culture is characterized by some small homogeneous sets of beliefs, values and assumptions within it. The dominant culture

Why Do Students with Disabilities Drop Out of High School Essay

Why Do Students with Disabilities Drop Out of High School - Essay Example The study is focused in finding out the reasons why the special education students drop out, hence putting emphasis on the students’ experiences. The method to use in this type of study is the phenomenological approach which asserts that the meaning of phenomena can be understood through the experiences of those who are involved (Wiggan, 2008, p. 322). Research Questions Given this objective, the key question that will be answered in this proposed study is â€Å"Why do students with disabilities drop out of high school?† This chapter discusses how this question will be answered. Because it is a â€Å"why† question, the qualitative methodology was selected as it is more appropriate when contending with such abstract human behaviors, such as the act of dropping out of school. This proposed study requires a flexible research design because it addresses a human phenomenon that should also make space for behavioral factors. Hence, the qualitative method’s objec tives of describing and explaining variations, relationships, individual experiences and group norms make it the most suitable for this study. For instance, when observing and interviewing participants, the set of interview questions determined beforehand should allow enough room for follow-up questions. This is by using a nonstructured format (Morocco, et al, 2006). Likewise, analyzing the data to be gathered will involve flexibility as categories that are not expected will arise and factors that seem inconsequential may became significant. The study may need to be adjusted in the coding and analysis of the data as these previously insignificant factors and categories may become more important in order to be able to present more accurate and comprehensive results. Design Qualitative research can â€Å"see precisely which events led to which consequences and derive fruitful explanations† (Miles and Huberman, 1994, p. 1). Moreover, it has a higher chance of being able to arriv e at unanticipated findings and new combinations and reationships (Miles and Huberman, 1994). These reasons are why the qualitative research design has been selected for this study as it can provide a clear view of why students with disabilities drop out of high school. It must be clarified that although quantitative data, such as statistics and percentages, will be used in the study, it only serves as supportive numbers that will lay the groundwork for this study. Furthermore, it is intended for this qualitative research to act as a precursive study for more accurate and extensive quantitative study on the same topic. Active Observation The study will employ a qualitative research design that will be based on active observation with â€Å"a nonstructured format to allow for maximum flexibility† (Morocco, et al, 2006, p. 140). The qualitative research design has been criticized by many for its supposed inexactness due to its â€Å"interpretative, subjective, impressionistic and diagnostic† nature as it has been claimed that there are no unbiased observers (Thomson, 2007). However, when contending with abstract data, like â€Å"the often contradictory behaviors, beliefs, opinions, emotions, and relationships of individuals† and in this case, the reasons why certain people act a particular way, active observation is best employed as its strength lies in its capability to be able to provide a textual characterization of complex events such as human experience (Mack, et al., 2005). Intensive Interview Data will be collected through intensive interviews of special education high school student dropouts through personal (face-to-face) meetings and via electronic mail (e-mail). An iterative questionnaire would follow the interview in order to elicit the

Wall Street the movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wall Street the movie - Essay Example This is the case with the main character Gordon Gekko and as the film progresses, also that of his protà ©gà © named Bud Fox who started out as a bit player in the stock brokerage industry but in due time became a significant stockbroker due to the profitable trades he made as he engaged in extremely complicated and often illegal schemes to minimize his trading risks. One of his favorite tools is insider trading, which is using information on a firm that is not available to the general buying public which gives him an undue and illegal advantage (McGee 36). Insider trading is a capital crime because it erodes confidence in the stock market as it is one of the leading sources for capital formation; the stock market is just like any market where buyers and sellers met and agree on a deal, except that what they deal and agree upon are monies and in effect, financing for starting a business and expanding an existing business by providing much-needed capital for entrepreneurs and businessmen. The entrepreneurs are the ones who need money while the investors provide that money buying their stocks offered on Wall Street by these stockbrokerage and investment houses who earn a commission. Gekko and Fox teamed up and plotted to engage in a hostile takeover of an airline where Fox’s father works by using a leveraged buyout (LBO), and then turn around by using excess pension funds to pay off the debt incurred in this hostile takeover and earn profits from breaking up the airline and selling its assets individually. However, the law and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) arrested both Fox and Gekko for insider trading. Economic aspects – the film showed how a stock market is essential to the economy of a nation as it serves as the marketplace where lenders and borrowers can meet and in turn help the economy achieve growth by providing the essential capital to finance new business ventures and expand existing ones such as introducing a new product line that requires money or enter new foreign markets to expand the sales by generating new revenue streams. The film also touches on the sensitive topic of greed which is why securities laws and regulatio ns are put in place to protect the investing public from unscrupulous individuals and trading firms. A good example is the case of Martha Stewart who was convicted of insider trading regarding the sale of stocks she owned by using insider information before the stock price collapsed. In her case, she used an illegal method which is also unethical as it constitutes fraud. Capital – the word as used in economics means the man-made goods which are then used to produce a future continuous supply of goods and services. Capital is essentially of two kinds in terms of their ultimate end user: the first is capital goods used for further producing new capital goods for perpetuity (a continuous supply) and the second is for consumption in which there is eventual depletion. Capital gets worn out from use over a period of time, gets destroyed in natural or man-made calamities, and also become obsolete due to technological advances (like the telegraph equipment replaced by newer telephone s and the old typewriters being replaced by personal computers). Obsolescence happens when a thing or service is still in good working condition and usable but no longer wanted (same case with the telephone landline which has been replaced by the cellular phone and other mobile electronics gadgets). Economics deals primarily with the concept of how to deal with scarcity and making trade-off decisions regarding where capital should be invested in the most efficient way. In the film, the monies of Gekko could have been used to fund

English Learning Essay Example for Free

English Learning Essay This case study is based on Patricia, a Spanish national in her twenties who is in her last year studying an Economics degree course. She is also a student on the Elementary course at the British Language Centre. Patricia’s started learning English at the bi-lingual school she attended. She learnt English for 3 years but did not take any official examinations, but sees this as a possibility for the future. At school she learnt English because it was obligatory. The only other language she speaks is Spanish. She started attending the British Language Centre (which she still attends) to help her find a job in an international company and to prepare her for her visit to Eastbourne, East Sussex (UK) in July. She will be staying with a house family for one month and hopes to improve her English and use all of the language she has been learning to date. Her reasons for learning English are a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic ones. The main reason she is motivated to learn English is because she believes it will help her find a good job and earn loads of money, she also reads a lot about English culture and customs and watches films in English with subtitles for her own enjoyment. This can also be related to her learning styles. The results of her â€Å"multiple intelligences† questionnaire indicates that her learning style preferences are linguistic, spatial and interpersonal. Her conversations in English refer to things that she has read or heard, she enjoys solving mazes and other visual puzzles and considers herself to be a leader. 3 Problems and Possible solutions with Grammar The student enjoys English grammar, and generally finds it much easier than Spanish grammar. An example of this is the verb formations. She normally uses the correct tense when speaking in English but sometimes uses the infinitive form instead of the progressive. â€Å"I read† instead of â€Å"I’m reading†. Spanish often use an infinitive where English would use a progressive; this can be

Reflecting on Needs in Nursing and Healthcare

Reflecting on Needs in Nursing and Healthcare The aim of this essay is to critically reflect on one academic and one practical learning need. This essay will reflect in relation with my professional development as a health care practitioner based on the identified needs. John’s (1995) model of reflection will be used as an aid to reflect on this assignment. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) PREP continuing professional development guidelines format will be implemented during this writing. Confidentiality of the ward and patient’s information will be maintained throughout this essay in line with the United Kingdom, Data Protection Act (1998) and NMC (2008) codes of conduct on confidentiality, therefore the patient will be referred to as Mark a pseudonyms during description of the scenario. My identified clinical need based on information gathered from the first placement of my third year has improved my communication structure during patient’s handover to all members of staff. Improving this need is significant to me because, communication during patient’s handover can be considered as a paramount aspect of nursing care. Dossey and Keegan (2013) supported this by expressing that effective communication must be enhanced in order for holistic intervention to take effect in nursing practice. I researched about my clinical need for about twenty hours on different databases including government policies prior to writing this essay. On arrival to the ward I was asked by my mentor to hand over Mark a surgical patient to the nurse, health care assistant and another student nurse. During handover, I wanted to be outstanding and impress the health professionals as well as passing the vital information. However, this left me more nervous which made me realised how much I was struggling to articulate my sentence due to lack of structure. Odom-Forren (2007) study analysed handover to be a real time process of passing essential patient’s information between care givers in order to ensure continuity and safety of the patient. The purpose of this article was outlined as the importance of using structure for standardizing patient’s hand over, this made me understand that I have not being able to deliver this during the handover of Mark due to lack of structure. Street et al (2011) research identified how application of structured standardised handover has displayed significant improvement during nurse’ s handover. Structured handover makes the process more concise, objective and relevant (Griffen, 2010). Popovich (2011) research, Novak (2012) and Fenton (2006) study discussed how Implementations of a handover tool assists in recognising changes in patient’s status more quickly. Structured handover allows the receiving nurse to ask question related to the patient status and promotes accountability between shifts (Laws, 2010) therefore there is correlation in the research regarding structured handover. This motivated me into questioning myself in regards to why I had felt the way I did, and thought perhaps this could be due to insufficient amount of handing over and gathering essential information prior to handover which has not enabled me in developing confidence when handing over. Forren (2007) study sample size only focuses on perianasthesia setting handover which made this study relevant to me as my placement was in the theatre. The study could have been more applicable in future if the sample size was extensive to other clinical area as recommended by Russell and Gregory (2003) that articulated that studies with small samples may help to identify theoretically provocative ideas that merit further research. Lilleyman (2004) described handover as the most perilous procedures in patient’s care, a communication hotspot it was articulated that errors such as misinformation can jeopardise patient’s safety and workflow. I realised how limited my nursing intervention was when it comes to handing over and how I have not being able to adopt a systematic approach during my communication with the nurses when handing over which can influence the quality of care I deliver while also limiting my personal nursing development. This does not comply with the PREP has outlined in the NMC. Manser and Foster (2011) research recognized the significance of effective handover communication as it is critical to patient’s safety and quality of care. This has empowered me in recognising that developing my limited structured communication and organising clear thought during handover has numerous amount of effect on patient’s safety during care. Meeting this essential need also acquainted me with compliance to government policies such as NHS outcome 2013/14 that sets out the vision of the white paper which encourages improvement in the care quality provided to patient such as reduced delayed care. The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF 2013) which is also a legal requirement by the care quality commission that focuses on increasing patient’s standardised safety, experience and outcome. A qualitative research conducted by Benham-Hutchins and Effken (2010) identifies insufficient amount of communication during handover can endanger patient’s care by causing communication breakdown which can also lead to mistakes such as drug error. This research was conducted in an acute setting, the researchers conducted the research by asking staff to describe the method used for handing over however one major drawback of this approach is the methodology of the research which appears to be ambiguous. The researchers failed to take into consideration whether the staff nurses will be totally honest in the method used during handover. As I have seen while out in practice that not all nurses follow the tools available for handover, a more appropriate method will be to observe the nurses during patient’s handover. An example of communication breakdown can also be identified as reported in the Francis inquiry (2009) where patient’s care was endangered. Understanding of this has enabled me in accepting how I was unknowingly limiting my patient’s care and the impact it has on my ability to perform to my full potential as a final year student nurse which can lead to delay patient’s care, poor quality, risk and mistakes. In also developing this practical need I will be able to provide an individualised handover based on patient’s need to all member of staffs rather than a broad overview of patients. NMC code of conduct (2008) expects nurses to treat patient as an individual and respect their dignity. Pertinent information will also be assimilated in order to provide continuity of care to my patient as acknowledged in Manias and Street, (2010) research. Development of this need will enable to me to provide adequate handover which shows my competency while also enabling me to be accountable for my actions in order to make informed decisions and provide seamless care as obligatory by the NMC code of conduct (2008). My communication skill during handover will also be improved as it shows my professional development which is a requirement for PREP. This is also authorised by the Joint Commission (2012) that emphasises that well organised communication is extremely central to patient’s safety as communication can be considered as one of the leading issues contributing to patient’s harm. Therefore they recommended in the national patient safety goals that effectiveness of communication should be improved among care givers. Organising my thoughts before handover will support me to work in accordance to the embracement of the 6Cs values of care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment of the nursing practice. Reflecting on areas that I went wrong and the positive feedback received from my mentor has equipped me in feeling more confident while also promoting self-regulation of clinical reasoning and questioning prior to, after handover and also during any form of nursing intervention. Scott and Ely (2007) emphasised that, positive performance should also be considered in reflection. In eagerness to improve this need I started incorporating evidence based into my practice during handover through reading, making notes of the structure used by observing my mentor when she handed over. Situation, background, assessment, recommendation known as the (SBAR) was one of the tool I observed my mentor and other nurses using in practice. The application of this tool aided my handover process as the questions within the tool allowed me to focus on vital information and be concise. Using this tool also enabled me in spending less time on handover as the information needed for communication during handov er was gathered before handover. This action facilitated clarity, effective and assertiveness in my communication which made the task of handing over a lot more easily. Another tool that I used as a structure in providing effective handover is the modified early warning scores (MEWS) pathway. This pathway allowed me to identifying when a patient starts to deteriorate. in order for a patient’s deterioration to be passed on during handover as it was recommended on the chart that a patient with a MEWS score of four or more can be transferred within department as long this is communicated with the receiving department. The Mews chart enabled me to stand as an advocate in ensuring the patient’s care handed over to the other staff will not be compromised as I was able to document the exact figure of observation on the chart for monitoring while also maintaining patient’s continuity of care and safety. NMC code of conduct (2008) expressed, nurses to act as an advocate for those in their care, helping them to access relevant health and social care, information and support. Currie (2002) CUBAN was used to enhanced patient’s care d uring handover by adopting Confidentiality during handover, uninterrupted communication, brief and concise information, accurate and relevant need, and Name nurse would be me and my mentor as we were looking after the patient Based on the knowledge I have gained through research and in-depth reading of this need, I now have more detailed understanding of the effect the gap in my knowledge had on how I was limiting my patient’s care as I was missing pieces of important information. Now I can confidently apply the handover tools to practice which shows evidence based. This has changed my practice to improve the care I give on daily basis as indorsed by PREP. My identified academic need is critical thinking. The learning activity of this need took place over the first semester of my final year. The learning activity took me a week to gather all my feedbacks together from my entire previously submitted essay. After reading through my feedbacks in depth I realised how all my tutors have stated I need to apply critical thinking to my essays. Research on this academic need took me fifteen hours of gathering literatures to enhance my knowledge of this need in order to be able to critically analyse the need in accordance to my development. I have decided to elaborate on my academic need of critical thinking because Girot (2000) identified that in order for nurses to be safe, compassionate, competent and skilled practitioners must develop an aptitude of critical thinking. This made me realised how crucial it is for me to develop critical thinking as a nurse as it will assist me in identifying and challenging assumptions in practice and when writing my essays. McGloin (2007) research made me understand how I have not being reading widely to empower my ability of being able to think critically through development of arguments which has influenced my written work and care given to patient therefore limiting my personal development (PREP). Greetham (2008) also discussed how most student underused critical thinking whereas it is the most pertinent skill needed to improve academic writing. In meeting my academic need I am expecting to get better understanding of my work prior to writing my essay. Cotrell (2008) suggested that having a clear thought through reading widely about that specific area before writing the essay enables student to gain adequate result. This shows that low marks in my essays are impacted by my lack of reading and lack of appropriate preparation before writing my essays. The ability of not being able to source evidence based practice will also have an effect on my nursing care. Critical thinking will allow me as a student to prioritise my work load when writing essays and while also out in practice (Hutchfield and Standing, 2012). Prioritising work load also provides space to be able to review and edit work on different occasions (Davis et al, 2011). Having a critical thinking skill will influence my patient care as I would be able to apply the skill of reasoning and questioning into complex situation encountered in practice. The Department of he alth (2010) also encourages critical thinking as it is a feature that is needed to be an advanced professional practice which is also required. Whiffin and Hasselder (2013) Research paper discussed how critical thinking is one of the characteristics that should be possessed by registered practitioners who owes the duty of providing critical solutions to problems that are complex. Gopee (2002) discussed that health care practitioners and student nurses applies critical thinking skill in their day to day practice whether they undertake the degree level or diploma programme but finds it difficult to transfer it into writing. Chan (2013) discussed how all nursing students can be considered as critical thinkers due to relating theory of what is learnt in class into practice. Hicks (2001) suggested that critical thinking can be developed through experience that involves undertaken complexity activity. Lauder and James (2001) study analysed that there are no significant differences for graduate and non-graduate student when it comes to critical thinking which nicely correlate with Gopee (2002). Understanding of this and having read through different research on what critical thinking is has enabled me to understand what the term critical thinking is. This made me recognise this is a skill I have been applying into my practice unknowingly which I have developed through series of placement but I have not being able to apply it thorough into my academic essay. For example in practice I was told by my mentor that we needed to trial without catheter (TWOC) a patient, this made me question why we were taken this action earlier than usual, whether it was documented by the Doctors, if the patient has been informed and what the after plans were. Reflecting back made me understand this action can be considered as being critical to maintain efficient care. However Girot (2000) research causes lack of consensus by articulating that graduate nursing students possessed greater care planning and decision making skills than non-graduate nursing students. Development of my need connect more with Gopee(2002), Lauder and James (2001) because not all nurses seen in practice undertook the degree program but they are still able to apply critical thinking into the daily nursing activities. Critical thinking will enable me to have the characteristics of a critical thinker while making me accountable for my actions and provide quality nursing care as recommended by Scheffer and Rubenfield (2000) that analysed critical thinkers in nursing exhibit habits of confidence, contextual perspective, flexibility, inquisitiveness, open mindedness and reflection. In realising this it made me understand development of this need has huge impact on my nursing profession as it essential for me to examine every underlying assumption. Critical thinking will result in me providing higher quality of care as I will be able to meet the need and concerns of my patient which is required by the care quality commission. In meeting this need I will be able to consider alternatives, preferences and question any uncertainty. Booth (2008) discussed practitioners must sought after the best available tool to reach the best available decision when providing nursing intervention. In order to impact my pa tient with positive experience, maintain safety and deliver positive outcome I will need to apply my critical thinking skill by assessing the best practice for my patient through autonomously holistic care. Profetto-McGrath (2005) and Scheffer and Rubenfield (2000) discussed how critical thinking improves patients outcome through evidence based practice. Gadamer (2000) research discussed how critical thinking enable nurses to develop as an expert through knowledge and proficiency stage as this allows the nurse to move from being task orientated towards patient specific care and need. This academic need has been limiting my development because awareness of this has made me gathered how much I could have been task orientated in my essays and nursing intervention in order to get the task done rather than reading and seeking for ways to provide an expertise care and work. Chan (2013) study made me realise reading widely is encouraged as it assist student to develop more sophisticated fo rm of reasoning which make complex problems a lot more easier to deal with. This need has a huge impact on my nursing development because appliance of critical thinking enables me to provide quality essay through informed research and also provide safe evidence based care through clinical judgement by finding and applying guidelines in practice (Young, 2004). Critical thinking will enhance my professional development by enabling me to seek out the truth by actively exploring a problem or situation. It will also facilitate me to provide adequate patient centred nursing assessment and intervention while also acting as an advocate for my patient. Development of critical thinking reflects my competency as this is one of the expectations of the NMC code of conduct (2008) and National Institute of health and care excellence (2010) laid emphasised are laid on the importance of critical thinking in nursing practice to perform higher care (Chang et al 2011). Development of this truth seeking need can also leave an impression on my colleagues to strive for the best pr actice available hence influencing the work environment positively which has a great impact on patient’s experience as covered in Chan (2013). Applying critical thinking into my essays has enabled me to be more analytical when using research as evidence to back up points in my writing. Critical thinking has assisted me in planning efficiently before conducting my academic work for example I had to utilise this skill when it came to selecting the best literature to critique and analyse my work prior to writing. Price and Harrington (2010) discussed one of the components of successful academic writing is thorough preparation and through planning. As critical thinking is an on-going skill I will continue applying it to my learning and practice by reading more. Critical thinking can be considered as a key ingredient to lifelong learning that characterizes personal growth and development through experience and practice (Banning, 2006). In conclusion development of these needs has influenced my knowledge and ability of being able to provide evidence based practice into my patient’s care. It has also impacted my academic work by enabling me to question the validity of research before applying it to my essay.

Free College Essays - Character Analysis in The Portable Phonograph :: Portable Phonograph Essays

The Portable Phonograph - Character Analysis    Walter Van Tilburg Clark's short story, The Portable Phonograph, is a tale about the last survivors in the world after the total destruction of a war. The author gives clues and hints of this throughout the beginning by writing in a narative voice and describing the scene in dark war-like terms. The characters are then introduced as a group of men huddled around a fire. The older of the men, Doctor Jenkins, is the leader and his character is full of personality that can be analyzed by the reader. He is the owner of the shelter that they meet in. This paper will point out the different aspects of the old man in this story and state conclusions that can be drawn from them. The men in this story are obviously amused by the slightest little things. They occupy themselves through book readings from a collection that one man has. Each of the men has their contribution to the group and together they endure a time of devastation by entertaining each other. The older man has a record player that he brings out once a week for the listening pleasure of the group. He is very proud of this treasure. It has sustained through these hard times just as he has and he limits his use of it to make it last. He owns only three steel needles and he gets one out to use because on this particular occasion, their is a musician visitor with them. The other men act as excited as children. They listen to the record and then leave the doctor's house. Doctor Jenkins is nervous and suspicious at the end of the story when the other men leave. "With nervous hands he lowered the piece of canvas which served as his door, and pegged it at the bottom. Then quickly quietly, looking at the piece of canvas frequently, he slipped the records in the case..." (Clark, page 241). He feels that "everything he has" is at risk with the greed that a time like this could produce in the other men. He is secure and comfortable with the things that he has and he doesn't trust the others. He then hides his treasures away in a safe place after they leave. As he gets into his bed he feels the "comfortable piece of lead pipe" with his hand.

Poetry, History, and Dialectic :: Philosophy Argumentative Argument Papers

Poetry, History, and Dialectic Twice in the Poetics, Aristotle contrasts poetry with history. Whatever its didactic value, the contrast has not seemed to readers of special philosophical interest. The aim of this paper is to show that this contrast is philosophically significant not just for our understanding of tragedy but also for the light it sheds on Aristotle’s overall methodology. I shall show how he uses the method sketched in the Topics to define tragedy and explain why the same method will not define history. In particular, tragedy admits of definition because its parts constitute a unity, and much of the Poetics aims to show how, despite being defined through six distinct parts, tragedy can be one. In contrast, history, though a proper preliminary to poetics and concerned also with human action, does not admit of scientific treatment because it contains no essential unities. Aristotle’s understanding of ‘science’ is used here to explain why any attempt to create a scientific hi story would turn history into poetry. I Aristotle claims that the art of dialectic sketched in the Topics contributes to philosophical knowledge because it can be used to find indemonstrable first principles from common opinions: "for, being capable of examining, dialectic has a path to the principles of all disciplines" (à µB ¤  £Ã…“Å ¸Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ  Ã‚ ¤) (I.2.101b3-4). Scientific knowledge of a subject consists of grasping its principles and demonstrating its essential attributes from them. How does one come to know the first principles? Obviously, they cannot be demonstrated from prior principles; they are first principles. As such, they are somehow determined by dialectic. Thus, dialectic transforms what we can call, for lack of a better term, a "subject matter" into a science. What is the state of this subject matter before dialectic discovers its principles? It is clear from our Topics text that this examination will look for common opinions, and it is well recognized that Aristotle's actual inquiries often begin from common opinions.(1) So the pre-scientific subject matter must contain common opinions about its facts. Aristotle has a name for such a setting out of facts: in the Prior Analytics, he speaks of deriving the principles of each field from experience and he refers to the account of the phenomena of a field as a "history" (Èà ³Ãƒ µÃ‚ ¦Ãƒ ²Ãƒ ¥Ã‹Å") (46a17-27). Evidently, "history" precedes "science," and transition is effected by dialectic. Aristotle has much to say about how knowledge is derived from sensation and experience, but he never explains how (or whether!) his many remarks fit together into a single process.

Never Ending War is Never Ending Power :: Patriot Act, The Bush Administration

The executive branch and president Bush had expanded their authority and power beyond what the framers could have envisioned. In doing so the checks and balances that had existed no longer function as designed and has created a loop of power and control in the executive branch under the theory of the unitary executive. Many of the powers that the executive branch wield come from Congress giving the Bush administration extraordinary powers following 9/11 with the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act that takes away the protection of habeas corpus, due process, privacy, reversal of innocent until proven guilty (p. 272, 274). It also grants the use of sneak and peak searches allowing for looking first and getting a warrant later which violates the 1st and 4th amendment (p. 271). National security letters requiring providing information for records and then not allowing that person to tell anyone but a lawyer (p. 271). All of these powers were given under the idea of â€Å"war powers†, typically war time is a limited amount of time that accept more extreme security measures, but with the prospect raised by the Bush administration of a new era of never ending conflict means these powers might not end. Another tipping of the scales towards the executive branch and president is the use of signing statements. The signing statements allow legislation passed by congress to be applied how the executive branch sees fit which directly contradicts the legislative role is creating laws ("Aba: Blue-ribbon task," 2006). In the passage of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 the administration tried to disallow federal district courts from hearing challenges by Guantanamo detainees (p. 156). While seemingly allowing for the banning of mistreatment, it also prevented filing by detainees against the government for acts of mistreatment, making it unenforceable (p. 157). The allegations of torture against terrorist suspects violates not only the Geneva Convention but also human rights. Torture is not an effect method to gain information it only works to get those tortured to do admit to anything to make the pain stop (Gibney, 2007) . Some powers the administration took for themselves including NSA wiretaps which are not always used against terrorists (p. 112, Farren & Gibb, 2007) . The Bush administration bypassed the FISA court which could be considered weak oversight enacted by congress and operates in secret. The FISA court was specifically setup for the purposes of warrants in exactly the types of cases that were bypassed.

Batesmanor Furniture (a) Essay

Charlton Bates-President of BatesManor Furniture and great-grandson of founder. Charlton is the key decision maker and must analyze the recommendation to increase his normal advertising spending percentage in the next year. Being the President of a small furniture manufacturer, Mr. Bates knows that his bottom line is very important as BatesManor begins to feel the pressure of dwindling margins due to rising manufacturing costs. Dr. Thomas Berry- Consultant to BatesManor that is trying to help Mr. Bates work through the issue of increasing advertising budget. Due to the nature of his work, Dr. Berry’s job as a consultant and reputation are on the line. Mike Hervey- Mike Hervey is a partner at the ad agency Hervey and Bernham. He is asking Mr. Bates to increase his consumer-advertising budget by about 40% ($562k to $787k). He has been analyzing target markets, their habits, and greatest purchase influencers. As with Dr. Berry, if this advertising campaign is adopted and fails, Mr. Hervey can lose a customer in BatesManor. John Bott- As the VP of sales, John is concerned with making sure there are dedicated BatesManor sales people working with the 1,000 high quality department stores that are carrying their furniture. Mr. Bott is very familiar with the competitive edge provided by a knowledgeable and driven sales force; and is keen to keep his team properly staffed and trained. Department Stores Selling BatesManor Furniture- High quality department stores may have agreements with BatesManor that will require them to match advertising expenses. While this may indeed increase sales, it will cost the stores extra that they may not have expected to spend. 10 Full-Time Salespeople- This team is tasked with introducing their line to the department stores carrying BatesManor furniture. Being commissioned salesmen and women, they may also benefit from an increase in sales. They could also suffer if they ad campaign falls short of expectations. 2 Regional Sales Managers- Similar concerns as above, but are in need of another salesperson. The advertising decision may impact their ability to hire new personnel. Furniture Manufactures (As an industry)- If BatesManor decides to increase consumer advertising, it could lead to a trend being set on the advertising front. This could cause others to have to follow suit in order to be able to keep up with the competition. This could prove to be costly in an industry dealing with rising costs. Baby Boomer Customers- The target market of BatesManor, this is the generation that is driving changes in the way furniture is marketed.

Central Asia: Geography, Culture and Economy Essay

Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area covered. The gigantic size of this country has made it exhibit monotony and diversity in its physical and human geography. The eastern plains of Russia from north to south are covered sequentially by tundra, taiga or coniferous forests, mixed forests with trees that have characteristic broad leaves, steppe or grasslands and a semi desert on the fringes of the Caspian Sea. These changes in vegetation are mainly as a result of climate changes. The eastern European plain covers most of European Russia. The western Siberian plain is the largest plain in the world, and stretches from the Urals to Yenisei River (Rowntree, 2011). The topography and vegetation is usually very uniform in the natural zones. Russia therefore presents a delusion of uniformity. Most of the major vegetation zones of the world are found in Russia except tropical rain forest (Rowntree, 2011). Nearly 11 % of Russia is tundra. This type of vegetation is tree-less and is found in the north most part of Russia extending from the border with Finland in the west to the Bering Strait to the east. This stretch the covers from Kamchatka peninsula in the north to the Pacific coast in the south. The taiga is the vastest natural region in Russia. Covers eastern Russia and western Siberia plains to the north and accounts for 60% of Russia (Rowntree, 2011). Very few tracts of land in the taiga are agriculturally viable. Those suitable for farming are located in the European fraction of Russia. The taiga is however the world’s biggest reserve of coniferous forests. A large section of the mixed forest has been cleared for agricultural purposes due to its agriculture potential. This is especially in Eastern Europe. The steppe is also favorable for agriculture due to modest temperatures and sufficient amount of sunshine and moisture. However, the area is at times adversely affected by excess rainfall and disastrous drought and very dry soils (Rowntree, 2011). There has been established a linkage between poor health and obliteration of ecosystems in Russia. Environmental degradation control measures who normally ignored in Russia till the 1990s when the government realized a vast area of the country was under ecological stress. The three major adverse environment conditions in Russia include; the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl – Ukraine in 1986, aridity of the Aral Sea and irradiation of northern Kazakhstan which is a nuclear testing site (Rowntree, 2011). The cost of rectifying these three events is by far more than the cost of any mitigation efforts else where in the world. Currently nearly 85% of the air in urban Russia is polluted. About 75% of the surface water in Russia is also polluted. Most of the rivers in Russia are agents of waterborne diseases. Nearly 80 million hectares of farm land in Russia has been exposed to industrial toxics, pesticides and other chemicals (Rowntree, 2011). Most of the forests in Russia have also been affected by acid rain from the European and Siberian industries. Radioactive contamination of the water has spread to the Japanese sea resulting into a conflict between the two countries. Indigenous people are currently faced with a tremendous crisis with the dawn of globalization. They are faced with extinction, survival or renewal in a continuously globalizing world. These communities lack a voice and are easily cleared by market forces (Rowntree, 2011). Globalization is therefore not only a marginalization factor for the indigenous communities, but a threat to their very existence. Indigenous people are normally found in the world’s most pristine areas which are most sought after by developers. Such areas are rich in forests, minerals among other valuable natural resources. New technological advances are also alienating the native communities (Rowntree, 2011). Global economic agreements have also contributed to the demise of hunters and gatherers. Finally, most indigenous people have ended up being displaced to pave way for activities such as mining and dam construction (Rowntree, 2011). Most governments do not consult the native communities when making decision concerning international trade. These communities are a rich reserve of indigenous knowledge and culture which are vital in the preservation of the natural world (Rowntree, 2011). Hard access to the coast does not necessarily obstruct trade and industry development on developing nations. Nonetheless, developing countries, which lack access to the sea, record reduced trade expansion, Europe being the only exemption to this occurrence. Being land locked has a major negative impact on trade thus affecting the country’s economy (Rowntree, 2011). Land -lockedness is estimated to reduce trade by about 80%. The distance between a landlocked country and the nearest port is a major factor affecting trade level disparities among landlocked countries. This is a reason why most of central Asia countries are economically affected by their geographic location compared to land locked nations in Europe whose distance is shorter compared to those in central Asia (Rowntree, 2011). For instance, Switzerland and Austria are more advantaged compared to land locked countries in central Asia because these countries lack the bargaining power for reduced transit costs (Rowntree, 2012). Compared to land locked countries in Europe, those in central Asia are remotely located from major world markets. Central Asia is divided into three major zones physically. These are; northern belt steppes (north of Caspian sea, Dzungaria and Tarim basin), southern belt, south of Aral sea (Khorezm, Amu Darya) and north east Iran desert (Khorasan and Margiana) (Rowntree, 2011). Islam is the major religion in central Asia with most of them being Sunni. Initially Zoroastrianism was the major religion. It had roots in Afghanistan. Buddhism was also common before arrival of Islam. Among the Turkic people, Tengriansim was more common before Islam was introduced. In Mongolia, the most common religion is Tibetan Buddhism. In this region shamanism is also common. A form of Christianity called Nestoriansm was commonly practiced in central Asia. Russian is the most common language in this region. However, mandarin Chinese is also common in Mongolia (Rowntree, 2011). Turkmen is mainly spoken by former Soviet Union central Asia nations. Other languages include Tibetan language spoken in the Tibet plateau. Central Asia is also at the cross road of shamantic and Buddhism practices. There is also a form of oral poetry chiefly practiced in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Photography is also common in former Soviet Union nations such as Uzbekistan due to the influence of Russia. Other forms of arts include Manas which is a style of singing in Kyrgyzstan (Rowntree, 2011). Among the five major nations in central Asia, Kazakhstan is the most economically empowered followed by Turkmenistan. The poorest of these nations is Kyrgyzstan with a gross domestic product per capita of $850. Economic progress has been held back by the fact that this region is negatively affected by external influences and has for time served as a battle ground for world powers. Despite its rich natural resources, the region in general has not been able to exert its control on these resources (Rowntree, 2011).

Martin Luther King Jr’s “A Time to Break Silence” Essay

Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs essay A Time to Break Silence was a small but significant piece of his life and career as a minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner, husband, father, civil rights activist, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and an important historical figure for future generations. In this essay, Dr. King discusses why the Vietnam War is important to him. He starts with his first reason, is that he felt like the military had given a promise of hope to the poor, when the government didnt really have the funds or intentions to fulfill their dreams. He felt that the war was almost like an attack on the poor, because it lured them to their death, in a sense. His second reason is recognizing the reality of the war and its impact on the families it affected. Again, he felt like it was an attack on the poor, and especially African Americans, because the government thought they were good enough to fight with white soldiers, leave their families, and die for the country, but not good enough to ride the same bus, go to the same, schools, or have the same equality. Thirdly, he writes about how people need a deeper understanding of war, and need to know that it wont solve all of their problems. He then delves into the fact that although he is a civil rights leader, he still cares about these issues because of the people that it affects. He this talks about the responsibility he carries by receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and how he feels that it is similar to a commission, and a commitment to work harder for the brotherhood of man. He then goes on to speak about his religious feelings towards the war, and says that it is a privilege and a burden to be human. In the last line of his Importance of Vietman segment, he says For no documents from human hands can make these humans any less our brothers. I feel that his quote has multiple meanings. Taken from his religious views, he follows the teachings of Christ, who is supposed to be the voice for the weak, the voiceless, the victims, ect. I feel this quote also refers to his moral views of treating people equally, and believing that no matter what race, all humans deserve  respect. He begins the next segment of his essay, Strange Liberators, he speaks of his compassion for the people affected by the war. He wonders what the Vietnamese people think of America , and talks about how the U.S government oppressed the Vietamese people because the U.S didnt feel like they were ready for the freedom of running their own government. The U.S and French government poured money into controlling Vietnam , and the U.S ended up paying most of the expenses. This segment basically analyzes the hypocrisy of the U.S, because they were destroying lives and communities, and not actually focusing on liberating Vietnam . The Vietnamese people were treated poorly, and faced the choice of a concentration camp or death. Dr. King compares the treatment of the Vietnamese people to that of the Jews by Germany under Hitlers rule. Dr. King then proclaims that the madness and suffering of the Vietnamese people must end for things to move forward. He speaks of how the war will make the world see America as a place of militarism and violence. He then brings up things that he thinks would help to end the conflicts, such as stopping bombing, removing foreign troops, and accepting the realities of the war. In his next segment, Protesting the War, Dr. King talks about churches, synagogues, and communities bonding together to protest the war, and how American government officials are making peace impossible because they arent willing to give up overseas investments. He feels that America is too materialistic, and that a true revolution of values would soon change the ideals of the people, because war is not the way to peace, justice, and love. He felt that if change was not made, America would approach a spiritual death. He felt that rather than bombing to end communism, America shouldve tried to make positive steps to defeating communism. In the last segment of his this essay, The People are Important, Dr. King says that we must support the revolutions, and make the final analysis of our loyalties. He says that love is the ultimate force of life, and is a  necessity for man. He says that we can no longer afford to hate. Henry Thoreaus essay Civil Disobedience is similar to Dr. Kings, becauseThoreau also feels like the government is run by the majorities, and not the conscious of the people. He feels that the majorities decide right and wrong in the government, and that it is unfair and unjust. Like Dr. King, Thoreau feels that the military is just a tool to the government, disposable lives, an army of machines. Thoreau disagrees with the government, and feels like it is too involved in peoples lives. In conclusion, both essays relate well and give evidence of the wrong doings and mistakes of the government at their time period, and that have and will carry into the future. Work Cited/ Bibliography: King, Martin Luther. A Time to Break Silence. Literature and Society. Ed. Annas, Pamela J. and Rosen, Robert C. Upper Saddle River , New Jersey : Pearson Education Inc, 2007. 1098-1103. Thoreau, Henry. Civil Disobediance. Literature and Society. Ed. Annas, Pamela J. and Rosen, Robert C. Upper Saddle River , New Jersey : Pearson Education Inc, 2007. 1423-.

Report: High School and Attendance Essay

Introduction Like other schools around the nation, Beech Grove Intermediate School is experiencing a serious problem with attendance. This has been cited as a problem and something that needs to be addressed so that Beech Grove Intermediate can achieve the attendance rate they need to become a Four-Star status school. Currently, the attendance at Beech Grove Intermediate is averaging around 95 percent. The rate needs to increase to 97 percent for the school to achieve Four-Star status. Beech Grove Intermediate does have an attendance policy; however, other strategies could be implemented to increase the attendance. Attendance is an important part of children’s and parents’ everyday responsibilities, and poor attendance habits cause lifelong consequences. Many schools around the nation report low attendance and high tardiness rates. This problem needs to be addressed in order to help our children do well in school and become responsible adults. Children who are habitually late or chronically absent miss out on much that is learned in school. Even being 5 to 10 minutes late each day creates a situation where children can lose a considerable amount of time that is being spent on their schooling. Also, it is known that children with poor attendance rates in elementary and high school continue to show problems of tardiness and even proficiency later in life once they go to college or pursue a career. Changes in the attendance program at Beech Grove are needed, and the following report is intended to propose tactics for increasing the attendance rate at Beech Grove Intermediate School. Methodology For this report we surveyed teachers from six local elementary and secondary schools to get an idea of what other schools were doing to increase their attendance. We received 50 completed questionnaires. We also searched scholarly databases such as ERIC to find relevant articles on the problem of increasing attendance. These articles outline several solutions to increasing attendance in schools. Review of the Literature This review of recently published literature on attendance addresses causes, effective policies, parental contact, community involvement, teacher/student relationships, and rewards and incentives to increase student attendance. Causes of Absenteeism. All the literature agrees that absenteeism is an all too common problem for schools around the country. This can be traced to a range of causes from unsupportive school environment to poor health of the student. According to John Doughtery (1999), home dynamics play a key role in absenteeism. The parents are the key to how often a child attends class (Doughtery, 1999, p. 10). Janet Ford and Richard Sutphen (1996) agree with this and list parent influence on absenteeism as number two on their list for reasons for absence. They go on to state that lack of caring by the parents, or parents who are not home to see the child off to school are major reasons for students not to go to class, especially with younger students (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 96). Other than home life, illness of the child is also given as a common reason for absenteeism in the literature. Also, appointments and vacations are listed as top reasons in the literature as well. Doughtery attests to this in saying, â€Å"It is now common practice for students to miss school for general appointments to avoid tests and assignments† (1999, p.10). Two authors noted that homeless students or students who live in a family that move very frequently are more likely to be chronically absent from school (Epstien, Sheldon, 2002, p. 311). Some of the authors also agree that if a student is not succeeding in school then they are less likely to want to come to school. This also goes along with schools that do not give praise to students or interact with the students so that no one feels left out, and help to see that everyone succeeds (Doughtery, 1999, p. 10). In short, all of the authors agree that parental involvement and student-teacher interaction is very important in keeping absenteeism down. Effective Policies and Parental Contact As schools seek new programs and ideas for increasing student attendance, one of the two most frequently mentioned tactics in the literature are having an effective attendance policy and increasing communication with parents and guardians. According to Dan Vandivier (2003), a high school principal, attendance policies must be stringent and must also be persistently adhered to. He states that policies must be fair and also have â€Å"flexibility to accommodate mitigating circumstances† (Vandivier, 2003, p. 81). Vandivier’s new attendance policy no longer distinguished between excused and unexcused and allowed administration discretion in dealing with excessive absences for legitimate reasons (Vandivier, 2003, p. 81). Dougherty (1999) agrees that schools must produce a clear fair attendance policy that is up to date and standardized and communicate it. Many studies have also shown a correlation between increased parental contact and increased attendance (Smerka, 1993; Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Smerka (1993) noted that after mailing notices to all parents informing them of the success of the attendance program and asking for their support, the perfect attendance rate increased to 13. 9 percent (p. 96. ) He claimed that the key to good attendance is promoting it everywhere to everyone (Smerka, 1993, p. 96). Another study also found that â€Å"the degree to which schools overcame the challenge of communicating effectively with families was related to gains in student attendance and declines in chronic absenteeism† (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002, p. 315). The study noted that providing families with someone to talk to at the school about attendance or other issues was effective in increasing attendance (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002, p. 315). In addition to simply having contact with parents, many authors agree that it is the responsibility of the parents to monitor their student’s absenteeism (Dougherty, 1999; Ford & Sutphen,1996; Kube & Radgan,1992). Dougherty (1999) says that parents â€Å"must be responsible for their child’s daily attendance and promptly inform the school attendance office when the student is absent† (p.11). One study shows that increasing communication with parents and involving them in the student’s education are strategies for increasing attendance. This study also cited the use of a letter to parents informing them of the policy and encouraging them to discuss the importance of good attendance with their children (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 96). Another study also said that parents â€Å"must be responsible for the student’s daily attendance† and they must â€Å"stress the importance of daily attendance to their children† (Kube & Radgan, 1992). Creating effective attendance policies that are reviewed and renewed regularly and establishing parental contact are very important stepping stones for increasing attendance in schools. Community Involvement While it is not crucial to the success of an attendance program, many of our authors agree that solid community involvement can positively impact attendance rates. Many schools work with businesses in the community to offer incentives for students with good or perfect attendance (â€Å"Raising School Attendance,† 2002). John Daugherty (1999), an education professor at Linden-wood College, refers to programs which offer a series of incentives for attendance, ranging from fast-food coupons to entertainment centers which were offered at a discount from local businesses (p. 16). A different form of contribution is noted in Bob Maggi’s (1991) case study of a school in Missouri. A local company contributed $500 to fund their mentoring/ adoption program. Seeing how successful the project was, the company doubled the amount it contributes to the program. Another article suggests that schools work with law enforcement and local businesses. The author states, â€Å"With their support, children who should be in school will be in school† (â€Å"Raising School Attendance,† 2002). Joyce Epstein and Steven Sheldon from The Johns Hopkins University agree, saying, â€Å"Developing productive school-family-community connections has become one of the most commonly embraced policy initiatives in schools and school districts† (2002, p. 308). There are times when the community involvement takes a much more negative but still necessary angle. Often, students will be habitually absent and schools are now working to address that issue. Janet Ford and Richard Sutphen, social work professors at the University of Kentucky, mention that in some states or districts parents of students will face fines or even jail time if they fail to adhere to attendance laws (1996, p. 95). Dougherty suggests other tactics, such as â€Å"implementing police sweeps, involving local agencies and the media and notifying juvenile authorities† (1999). Of course, these tactics are usually implemented in only severe cases of absenteeism. Community involvement and support can be a wonderful addition to attendance policies if tailored to meet the school’s needs and the student’s desires. Teacher/Student Relationships While family and community involvement both play important roles in maintaining good student attendance, our sources all agree that student-teacher relationships are also very important. Several authors encourage one on one meetings, or mentoring students who have attendance problems. In fact, at least one study (Maggi, 1991) is devoted entirely to this practice and with great results, while others (â€Å"Raising school attendance,† 2001 and Vandiver, 2003) simply add it into their attendance programs. Authors agree that to curb poor attendance teachers should lecture students every day about the importance of attending school daily. Kube and Ratigan (1992) insist, â€Å"Teachers must let students know that they are missed when they have been absent. They must ensure that important learning experiences occur each day in their classes† (p. 3), while Dougherty (2003) concurs and adds, â€Å"And they must value and reward good attendance† (p. 76). According to the literature, the teachers are also responsible for coming up with new and creative ways to entice children into coming to school every day. These enticements run the gamut from Vandiver’s (2003) idea of being exempt from having to take the final exams if the student has perfect attendance to Ford and Sutphin’s (1996) strategy of giving tokens to students with good attendance so that they could cash them in on prizes at the end of the week (p. 98). In the end, authors agree that in order to keep attendance under control, educators need not only to regularly come up with new and innovative ideas to keep students coming to school but to consistently tell the students how important it is for them to be present every day. Rewards and Incentives Research has shown that attendance increases when schools incorporate incentive programs into their attendance policies. Bob Maggi (1998), principal at Jarrett High School, began a program which encouraged teachers to adopt a student. Maggi (1998) claimed that â€Å"A $500 grant from Southwestern Bell Foundation was distributed to the adopting teachers to be used to their discretion: for birthday or holiday gifts, for taking student out for dinner or a show, or to buy a sweatshirt or dance ticket† (p. 12). It only took one year for Jarrett High School to receive the results they were searching for. Terrance Smerke (1993, p. 95), principal of Aurora Middle School, along with other schools found it effective to reward the children with positive letters of their accomplishments (Best Practices for School Attendance, 1998). According to Janet Ford, PhD, and Richard Sutphen, PhD, both assistant professors, other types of incentives are posting student’s names in the hallway or reading them over the public address system (1996). One observation mentioned in the article â€Å"Raising School Attendance† (2002), was that Monday and Friday â€Å"are typically the days with the highest absenteeism. Planning special events for these days could improve attendance. † Vandivier (2003), principal of Twin Rivers High School, and John Dougherty (1999), professor of education at Linden-wood College, agree that rewards such as movie tickets, food coupons, and gift certificates will increase attendance. The article How do you improve student attendance, claims that one way to boost attendance is to put all the students’ names with perfect attendance into a drawing (2001, p. 26). Ann Kube, math teacher at North Scott High School, and Gary Radigan, principle at Ankeny High School, agree that incentives encourage students to attend school regularly (1992). As most of the authors stated, incentives have been proven to increase attendance. Punishments/Consequences All of our authors agree that absenteeism has negative consequences for students, schools and society. In the article â€Å"Early Intervention to Improve Attendance In Elementary School for At risk Children,† Janet Ford and Richard V. Sutphen discuss the effects on students. They say that non-attendees generally fall behind their peers in academic achievement and the development of social competence (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 95). Consequences for parents include fines and jail time; consequences for schools are loss of funds, and for society higher rates of unemployment, poverty and lack of preparation to enter the work force (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 95). Dougherty agrees that habits of absenteeism and tardiness affect work performance when youngsters become adults (1999, p. 7). In Dan Vandivier’s article entitled â€Å"Improving Attendance, A Formula that Worked† he discusses an attendance policy at Twin Rivers High School in Brosely, Montana. Policies stated that students that miss more than six days in a semester are not considered to have earned credit, and no distinction is made between excused and unexcused absences (2003, p. 81). As for students and specific punishments our authors disagreed with suspension. Dougherty states, â€Å"that suspending a student is giving them what he wants, a vacation† (1999, p. 9). As most of the authors conclude, there is some form of punishment given to a student that misses excessive days. Conclusion In conclusion, the above research findings all agree that attendance is a very important issue for students. The literature indicated that the following topics are important factors in increasing attendance: effective policies, parental contact, community involvement, teacher/student relationships, rewards and incentives, and punishments/consequences.